{Thanksgiving 2012}

Thanksgiving day was really a wonderful day.  The days leading up to it and those afterward, I could have totally done without.  A virus hit our family and the boys and I got it and it took us down.  We have had someone sick since Sunday of last week, me included.  I didn't think anything was harder than being a mom, until I tried to be a mom while sick as a dog.  Chat worked 12 hour days this weekend and my dad is due for eye surgery this week and could not risk getting sick, so my parents couldn't help with the kiddos.  Hardest weekend of my life.   

But, by some sort of miracle, we were all well for the six hours or so we spent at my parent's house.  Ben came down with a 101 fever by the time we got home, but you would have never known.  We had wonderful food and a great time with my parents and my sister, Uncle David and Molly.  We ate, played, napped and spent time outside.  I made three pies -- pecan, chocolate and buttermilk.  I really love baking at holidays and this year I even had a helper, Luke, which made it that much more fun!  I also contributed corn casserole, a new addition to our Thanksgiving meal.  I have been reading this book about Thanksgiving to Luke and it talks about why we eat turkey, corn and pumpkin on Thanksgiving.  Well we never served corn as our Thanksgiving meal and I figured I needed to make the book true, so corn casserole we had! 

Other than it being warm November day, it was the perfect way to ring in the holiday season...
 

{Finally a picture of all us together smiling!}

{Cute cousins!}

Ben got a little startled when we tried to make noises to get their attention.

He had a little break down. But cute nonetheless. 

This year we decided to start a tradition by writing down what we are thankful for each year.  I got a table runner and had "Give Thanks" embroidered on it and also the year.  Every Thanksgiving I will get the current year embroidered.  I hope it will make sure all of us talk about what we are thankful for as a family and remind us what Thanksgiving is all about.

I asked Luke several times what he was thankful for.  First, he said "cars".  Then, he said "Thanksgiving".  Lastly, he said "James" as in James the train.  We wrote what we thought Ben and Molly would be thankful for, but hoping they can tell us next year.  I hope this will be a keepsake that we love for years to come!

 

So we are officially on the mend.  I am trying to forget this terrible weekend and get into the holiday spirit.  With only 2 1/2 weeks till Ben's birthday party, we have lots to plan and do.  Fa la la la!