Thanksgiving

Last Thanksgiving we had lots of extended family join us for a fabulous, and labor-intensive home-cooked feast....and all the kids ate was a few rolls and some pop. This year, with it just being our own family to feed, I couldn't get excited about cooking up green bean casseroles and candied sweet potatoes that no one but me would enjoy, so we opted to eat out! It's not quite as intimate to eat Thanksgiving dinner in a ginormous banquet hall filled with strangers, but the food was over the top...and I skipped the grocery shopping, the slaving in the kitchen, and the mountain of dishes! Fair trade! I don't think any of us even had a piece of turkey: Aaron chose the prime rib and crab legs, Hank picked macaroni and cheese, Max went for the chocolate dipped strawberries, Ben had his favorite chicken fingers and French fries, and Joey and Rocky gobbled down corn dogs and cookies.....non-traditional, but everyone was happy! 

I do love spending time in the kitchen with my loved ones, preparing food from the heart and enjoying the fruits of our labors, but I actually think I was more able to focus on taking personal inventory of my blessings and reflecting on the things (or people) I'm most grateful for without all the kitchen work to keep me busy. My heart is full of love and appreciation for my sweet family and the sweet life we share together. 

After dinner we rested our full tummies while we watched a Christmas movie together.