Thanksgiving 2009

This year we really didn't have definite plans for Thanksgiving. We have had Thanksgiving dinner at our home for the past 3 years in a row...last year St. George, before that Clovis, and prior to that, Cedar City. We have been lucky enough to have visitors each time, but this year left us with nothing concrete to do. After a couple stressful days of work, we decided on Tuesday to pack up and head to Fresno to spend the holiday with my parents. I knew if we stayed home without visitors, I probably wouldn't make a big fuss over food and I really wanted my kids to have a good holiday. We knew Grandma and Grandpa would love visitors and we just wanted to get away! The kids did great in the car, thanks to the dual screen dvd player we bought before we left!! The kids woke up Thursday morning and headed straight outside to play and grandma and grandpa's swingset and we decided to take advantage of all the leaves that had fallen off of the trees. Growing up, I always remember raking the leaves into a huge pile and jumping in them and I thought it would be fun to give my kids that experience. They weren't sure at first, but quickly got into it...literally!
We had a nice dinner, thanks to Grandma, and enjoyed the rest of the day napping and playing outside. Boston only ate a few pieces of turkey and a couple green beans and then headed off to watch his new favorite movie, Up, where he fell asleep on the floor! Taylor's favorite were the rolls and mashed potatoes by far! We ventured out and did a little shopping on Friday, but mostly we just enjoyed the time spent relaxing and enjoying a change of scenery. We started a tradition when we first had Thanksgiving at our own home, that you had to say something you were grateful for, and it couldn't be any generic answers like family, the gospel, home, etc. This year I'm grateful for the opportunity I have to be a mom. I seem to run into more people that are unable to have kids, who have difficulty doing so, or who have lost a child, and it truly makes me stop and realize what a blessing it is to have children who are healthy and happy. I'm grateful for a wonderful neighborhood much like the one I grew up in, where the kids own the streets and you walk in and out of neighbors' houses just to chat. We have definitely been blessed this year and are grateful for the Gospel and this holiday season that allows to reflect on those blessings and give thanks!