Don't Shoot!

Most people who know me, know I don't much care for Thanksgiving. It's all about cooking (which I hate). It's messy. The china has to be washed by hand. And table cloths; I hate them. This year we have table cloths and leaf shaped place mats. And the noise, noise, noise! Screaming grandchildren that are so excited to see cousins that they haven't seen since...last weekend!

We spend hours cooking and preparing. Well, mostly it's all done by my oldest daughter because she is a control freak. Anyway, all the work and then we sit down and in less than half an hour it's over. OK, so maybe we laugh a lot, mostly at Harry to embarrass him in front of his girlfriend. We remember old times and family members that aren't with us anymore.

Then the battle over who's going to do the dishes starts. It takes almost as long to do the dishes as it did to cook the dinner. Although, again, there is a lot of laughing, mostly at Harry because

he's the youngest.

Finally it's time for dessert. This year most opted for ice cream. I know, weird, huh? Then people start gathering up kids to go home. Trying to find shoes, blankies, the dog's leash, and toys.The kids cry because they don't want to go. Those left gather around the table to play Apples To Apples, and there's more laughing.

We still haven't planned our strategy for Black Friday, but that's OK because it's only Wednesday and we will do this all again tomorrow, which is actually Thanksgiving. Yep we do it all twice. What started out as Thanksgiving on Wednesday night and leftovers on Thursday so we could go to the movies has turned into two complete meals. But we do get to go to the movies.

So, although I'm not a big fan of the dinner part of Thanksgiving, I am a huge fan of the family part. I am so grateful that all of my kids live close enough to come to Thanksgiving dinner and they like being together. So I put up with the cooking, the tablecloths, the screaming kids, the mess and the clean up.

But now, let's move on to Christmas!

Thanksgiving?

I'm not a big fan of Thanksgiving. I'd happily skip from Halloween to Christmas.

When I took down the Halloween decorations, I didn't hang up the prints that usually go above the family room couch, in anticipation of the Christmas decorations that would go there. I mean, why hang them up for just a month.

After my father passed away, Rich, Harry (he was little), and I would go to Oregon to have Thanksgiving with my mom. We'd leave the other three home to fend for themselves. They would have friends over and make their own dinner-not necessarily turkey. Rich and I would do our Christmas shopping the day after Thanksgiving and not have to pay sales tax.

After my mother died, we started to have Thanksgiving dinner on Wednesday night so the kids with spouses could go to their other family's for dinner on Thanksgiving Day. It left Thursday free for lounging around in the morning watching the parade and a movie in the afternoon. Then anyone who wanted could come over for left overs.

Anyway, that was how it started. Now we just have Thanksgiving two days in a row. It's total chaos. The grand kids run wildly through the house (they never eat dinner).




Sabrina and Kelly wore matching tutus.




There were Hot Wheel tracks and trains EVERYWHERE.




Sandi did a lot of the cooking.

And then the eating began.










On Thursday while everyone else was cooking and eating their Thanksgiving, we were at the movies seeing Tangled.







And then it was Friday. Toys were left here and there.







An odd shoe.




China was stacked, ready to be put away until next year.

And today the Christmas decorations went up.




Don't get me wrong- I AM thankful. I am very aware of all my blessings. How grateful i am that all my kids live close to me. I LOVE the little kids running wild all day and then crying because they don't want to go home. I love being exhausted by the time I go to bed. I am thankful.

But what's even better is that NOW it's CHRISTMAS and the wild craziness and hugs and silliness will just keep going and going and going and...

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Thanksgiving

We chased her into the woods. How in the world did she escape? And how did she get Mom's apron?! This was going to be a Thanksgiving like no other.

Although I am a big fan of gratitude, I am not a big fan of Thanksgiving. I don't like to cook or do dishes and those are the main events of Thanksgiving. But I do love to eat and I love the Macy's parade so I put up with everything else.

A number of years ago I pared down the dinner to only the traditional foods we really like. No yams, green bean casserole, or orange jello with shredded carrots in it. This year I'm having boneless turkey breasts. I know, I know-where's the tradition in such a no frills feast? Well...

• Because I don't make a big deal, my kids spend the day with their spouse's families- which means I get them for Christmas.
• I get to sleep in (no getting up at the crack of dawn to put the turkey in the oven) until the parade starts.
• We get to go to the movies instead of staying home to baste the bird.

But, like I said, I am a fan of gratitude. This easy-going Thanksgiving gives me time to remember how much I love my life!

I have a home that is a haven for me and my family and it is often filled with laughter, running feet, crashing hot wheels, guitar solos, and silly dancing.

My children love their parents and each other.

I get to express myself through silly doodles and drawings and occasionally through great big paintings.

And how could I express gratitude for my life without including my membership in the true church of Jesus Christ. This blessing makes all of the others more sweet and more important.

So... to everyone, whether your Thanksgiving is big or small, fancy or no frills, I hope you are happy.

Now...bring on the shopping! What time does Target open on Friday?

IS IT CHRISTMAS YET?!