Thanksgiving 2014

Charlotte and Eli playing together

pre-dinner cocktails in front of the fire

We had yet another Thanksgiving with much to be thankful for.  For the first time, the boys really seemed to "get" it, and came home talking about what they learned in school, and the things they couldn't wait to do.  Asher especially was excited about seeing all of his cousins from Boston and his Aunt Elana.  He made cards for all of his cousins, and carefully wrote out their names as Eric spelled them out.  Asher is definitely beginning to put things together in terms of letters/sounds, so I am excited about him reading in the near-ish future.

Today the boys were singing a song that I assumed they learned at school, which included their names, saying, "Asher's in the long house, the long house, the long house.  Asher's in the long house [insert name of activity here]."  So, the first activity they said was "chopping wood."  Then, they clearly couldn't remember what activities they had sung about at school, and began making up lyrics.  We got, "Asher's in the long house, getting naked!" and "Benjamin's in the long house, killing animals!"  At which point Eric and I exploded and told them they were only allowed to do nice things in the long house, like baking cookies or giving hugs.  So tonight, Asher began to sing it again and said, "Asher's in the long house, NOT getting naked or killing animals..."

Thanksgiving morning, I did a 5 mile Turkey Trot with my sister and my cousin.  After having run a half-marathon the Sunday before, the 5-miler was just like a walk in the park!  It also absolved me of too much pie-related guilt later in the day.

Thursday night we had a delicious and abundant dinner at Jane and Ed's house.  We had 2 turkeys with 2 kinds of gravy and stuffing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, broccoli, red cabbage, challah rolls, parker house rolls, corn bread, apple sauce, 2 kinds of cranberry sauce, salad, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, pumpkin tiramisu, an apple cake, a pear tart, bananas in citrus syrup, and chocolate candies.  I'm almost positive that there was more food that I'm forgetting, but isn't that plenty? Everything was delicious, of course.

All 3 of the kids had fun playing with their cousins.  Charlotte and Eli played together really nicely on Thanksgiving night, and then we were all able to meet up again on Saturday at the Please Touch Museum. I was very close with my cousins growing up, both geographically and emotionally.  While my kids don't have any cousins who are geographically near, watching them enjoy their cousins' company, and look forward to seeing them, is rewarding.

As in all the years that came before, I have much to be thankful for again this year.  Primarily, of course, the health and happiness of my little family.  And to be living a life beyond what I had even hoped for 10 years ago.  I am not rich or famous, but I never hoped to be.  I have a great husband and a wonderful family, and an extended family I love and can rely on. Even if we aren't rich, we have more than enough. In every aspect of my life, I am fortunate.  I am happy to wake up each morning to my beautiful children and husband in our warm home; to have food to eat everyday; to be able to use my body without pain; to go to a job that fulfills me and where I am respected for the work I do; to come home to a husband who takes care of me and our children without complaint.  I have friends I can count on and who like me for who I am.  I am thankful for much more than this, but I don't want to be obnoxious or tedious in listing off every little thing.  I think it is enough to say, I am a very lucky girl.