Because you want to know about my Thanksgiving, right?

There is much to be thankful for. Like how I found my long sweater! Just in time for Lulu to spit up all down the front of it.

I'm even more thankful for my family. We had a great time celebrating together...
Some might say we're a little strange...
Why would they say such a thing?

One thing you should know is that I love my nieces and nephews. They are SO much fun. I have loved watching them grow up. They aren't just my kids' friends. They are my friends too.
Lulu was fawned over as expected. But she's not the only new addition to the family. My oldest niece is engaged. Aren't they cute?
I think her fiance fits in just fine, don't you?
Our family has many Thanksgiving traditions. One of them is my sister Amy's pumpkin pancakes on Thanksgiving morning. It is no small feat to make pancakes for 24 people. Plus, she always makes them in whatever shape you order. I wanted one in the shape of Africa...
Okay, the picture is actually of the heart my nephew ordered, but it looked a little more like Africa than my Africa did. I'm sorry, sis. Please don't be offended. Especially because I want pumpkin pancakes next year!

Another tradition is playing games each night. A favorite with the kids is Mafia. It's a game of lying and killing. Doesn't that sound like wholesome family fun? We have been playing this game for 10 years or more, so the adults are more than a little sick of it but I love games that almost everyone can play. Here are the townspeople voting to kill off one of their own flesh and blood...
Tate was also introduced to the game Risk...
He's all about world domination. He ended up losing the game, but he was happy because he had control of his favorite continent...
One new game for the boys is playing with Tech Deck finger skateboards. Sweet Gunga let Jack turn her bathtub into his own personal X games...
Our responsibilities for the Thanksgiving Feast are usually traditional, though there were a few new twists this year. You will be happy to know that I rocked the corn. The older girls usually do the parmesan rolls. This year look who joined their ranks...
Thankfully, we got my Mom to do almost nothing this year. This was a miracle and what she needed. But it meant she would not be manning her all important post of the gravy. But Georgie came through with not-too-thin, un-lumpy gravy. Speaking of important, our friends brought all these pies...
Her apple pie is responsible for me turning into a gluttonous beast. It wasn't my fault. I was powerless against it.

We also decorate Gunga's house for Christmas. It's fun how the kids have been able to be more and more involved over the years. You can tell by his position, how excited Jack is...
I hope a new tradition was started of Emmie and her cousin Riley making dessert for everyone. Grandma gave Em a cookbook for her birthday and the girls planned everything out. Here they are making the list...
And making fruit tarts for 24 people...
Not surprising, Her Loveliness got plenty of loving...


Missy treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart. Like cuddling on the couch (in coordinating outfits, of course)...
And talking by the fireplace(with spit up newly washed off on the arm)...
And the look on Gunga's face when she looks at her Luci...
My cup over-floweth.

Nine

Once upon a time a baby was born. I call her The Divine Miss Em. Her Daddy calls her Emzy. Her brother wanted to name her Froggy Sparkles. All of those names suited her well. She was cute. She was sweet. And she, especially like the name Froggy Sparkles, was quirky. How is a baby quirky? I can't explain it, but maybe the following pictures will help. Maybe it was the wardrobe choices...

Could it have been the hair on the back of her head that stuck straight up?

Or was it the scrunched up nose?

And here she is at nine years old...

This sweet girl asked to help with her own birthday dinner

And didn't mind the spotlight at all

Still cute and sweet. And delightfully quirky. Sometimes we call you The Divine Miss Em. Somtimes we call you Emzy. Somtimes we call you Froggy Sparkles. But we always call you LOVED. Happy Birthday, girl!

Thanksgiving Prep

1) Laundry is the first thing on the list so we actually have something to wear for the next week. I have some helpers...
(Please note: that is dirty laundry, not clean that the dog is using as her bed. Though my standards for cleanliness are low, they are not that low.)

While doing laundry, I have not found my missing long sweater from Target...
I am SO sad. I love this sweater and have no idea where it is, but I fear it is gone forever. I had envisioned myself wearing it for our Christmas picture that we usually have taken over the break. Now my vision is all messed up (like usual). Good thing there's more to life than cute sweaters and good Christmas card pictures.

2) Speaking of Christmas card pictures, the second thing on my list is to try to get rid of my lovely cold sore. This one is not in the shape of Africa, therefore it must GO.

3) Try not to continually remind myself of my recent embarrassment in asking a Malaysian friend if they celebrate Thanksgiving in Malaysia. After she politely answered "No." She sweetly asked, "Isn't Thanksgiving about the pilgrims who first settled in your country?" Yep. I knew that. Probably not a major holiday in other parts of the world. I guess I'll cross that off my list of good questions to ask my friends from other countries.

4) Psyche myself up for my part in the Thanksgiving meal. We divide up responsibilities and I'm always the Creamy Corn. It involves turning on the crock pot. Putting in the bags of frozen corn. Putting in the butter. And putting in the cream cheese. Additionally, it involves stirring it every so often so the cream cheese doesn't burn along the sides of the crock pot. I know, I know. It's an incredibly hard and tedious job. Just remember I am the youngest in my family.

5) Continue scouring the ads on black-friday.net to have my game on for Black Friday. Some people do P90X. I shop. This is the one day of the year I am an early riser.

6) Give Thanks. Not just before the meal, but at all times and in all things. Among the things I will be giving thanks for this year...

We Survived...

Emmie's "Polka Dots and Plaid Pajama Party".

Nine squealing girls descended on our house...
Seven giggly girls slept over...
Two incredible nieces made the party a success...
They did make up and hair, not to mention vacuuming, dusting, swiffering, and other lifesavers!

One tired Mommy slept on the love seat in a pike position for half the night in an effort to watch over them. I would have slept on the full size couch that was available had I been in my right mind and not merely collapsing from all the revelry.

It was a fun time...
And educational too. Like how I learned that those candles that spell out "Happy Birthday" are not a very good investment...
Unless you enjoy waiting a half a century to sing "Happy Birthday" and melted wax all over your cake.

I also learned that it's nice to ship the boys off to my sister's on such occasions. I would have had to have drugged poor Tate to make it tolerable for him. I also learned that a baby makes a dance party even more fun...
And I learned, as if I didn't already know, that my husband has got some moves. Bill always graces us with a little song and dance from Miley Cyrus or some such artist just to embarrass Em. This year, he was quite impressive as he sang the chorus to "Party in the USA." Especially impressive since he had never heard the song before. He is SO glad I forgot to video it. But believe me, the sight of him doing "Noddin' my head like 'yeah', movin' my hips like 'yeah'" was worth the price of admission.

It was, indeed, a Party in the USA at our house Friday night. And there's no place else in the world I would have rather been.

Bugged

Thanksgiving is the Rodney Dangerfield of holidays. It don't get no respect. And that really bugs me. I LOVE this holiday. I love the gathering of family. I love my mother's stuffing. I love the overeating. I especially love the reminder to stop and be thankful for the many blessings we have. No presents to buy (except for Emmie whose birthday is the day before, but that's an entirely different holiday). No decorating to do. Just a sweet and simple celebration. The calm before the storm of the Christmas season which, sadly, is usually a frenzy of activity

And speaking of a frenzy of activity, I also love Black Friday. Not part of the sweet and simple celebration, but a treasured tradition nonetheless.

Since I feel this way, I was gratified the other day when we walked into Walmart and Jack (who does not know my feelings on this subject) gasped and exclaimed "What?! They have Christmas decorations out already?! What about Thanksgiving? This is crazy!"

Out of the mouths of babes, people.

Beauty and the Hairy Beast

They are friends, Lu and Ru...
At least I think they are. It's hard to say because I don't grab my friends hair and pull it out like Lulu does to Ruby...
If you look closely, Lulu has a tuft of freshly plucked Ruby hair in her little hand.

And I don't lick my friends faces and hands...
Ruby is poised above to unleash her tongue on Lulu's hand that probably has spit up residue on it. Ruby is our champion Spit Up Picker-Upper.

But they do share toys...
And share a little thing called family...