So Grateful (November 2016)

Love this tree that I got at "Time Out For Women".  It made for a great family home evening, filling out all the leaves with what we were grateful for.  I gained a lot insight about what was important to everyone based on what they came up with.  Along with family and a lot of gospel blessings, we were also  thankful for things like wifi, weekends, warm weather, and running (Aly), safety, movie night, work, and lots of girls (Chris), pictures, holidays, shoes, and blankets (Lise),  a healthy body, the earth, my sisters, and Jesus (Kylie),  school, food, a house (shelter), and a family (Kate), and Dates with Dad, Aly's laugh, Lise's baking, Kate's sharing, and Kylie's reading (Mom).  There really is so much to be grateful for!

Another thing we are grateful for is Aly!  She is now 15 years old - crazy!  She chose dinner at the Olive Garden and then a walk on the beach at night.  Lotsa fun and craziness.

The only thing Aly wanted for her birthday was a trip to visit her friends in Kentucky.  Since her birthday coincided with our Thanksgiving break, we put her on a plane for a 4 day reunion with her amigos.  She definitely made the most of it (living on virtually no sleep) and said it was the best birthday present ever.  

The pickup at the airport - lotsa smiles!

A youth dance hoedown - Kentucky style

There was a whole lot of picture taking going on, that's for sure.  I even heard the girls had to start deleting apps to create more memory space on their phones!

So grateful for good friends!

Another one of our greatest blessings (and one of our favorite traditions) is Thanksgiving with the Paine family.  Love our cousins!

Lise is looking Schnazzy on that porch swing.  Love how her shirt matches the pillows!

The girls each made their traditional ginger bread house.  It's funny because every year we think that the older girls are going to outgrow this, but they don't because "IT'S TRADITION!"  The tradition has evolved though, from a lot of adult help and candy just glopped on, to chimneys, windows, walkways, trees, sleds, mailboxes, and gingerbread and gummy bear "people",  (Okay, well maybe some people still just glop it on. ;P)

The thing I love about Tennessee in the Fall is that it's cold enough to feel like Autumn & actually wear sweaters (not like Florida!), but still warm enough to get outside and enjoy the crisp, fresh air.  This year we were even invited to have a fire with the Paine's back neighbor.  Their little girl is Kylie's age and the two of them like to play together when we come to visit.  Oh, how I love making s'mores around a fire!  

Carolyn always does such a good job with the ambiance and decor. It's beautiful. And the food's always scrumptious as well!

Chris can't get enough of the delicious turkey!

And of course you've gotta have a piece of that pumpkin pie!

In addition to the feast there was the usual fun/craziness  - like dog-piling on Dad.  There was also a lot of game playing, movie watching ("Gilmore Girls - A Year in the Life", and I LOVED watching "Clue" with the sound off while we each picked a character to be and made up our own plot - HILARIOUS!), etc. There may have been a ping pong tournament as well. ;)

And, OF COURSE there was bowling!  That tradition is never going to die!  I keep thinking every year that I'll improve - and then I don't.  I'm lucky to break 100.  I was super proud of Carolyn for bowling without bumpers this year - and rocking it!  Way to go Carolyn!

Actually, something new that we did this year was Black. Friday. Shopping.  Ah, there it is - my proof that we now have teenage girls in the mix. ;P  I am not a fan of the crowds and don't usually shop on Black Friday, but we went later in the day and it was super fun to go as a group.  Time will tell if this becomes a new tradition . . .

The other impromptu thing I tried to do was take our family pictures.  In all the chaos of moving and settling in, I hadn't found anyone to take our family photos for the year.  Thanksgiving morning I impulsively decided we were going to give it a go on the Paine's front porch.  The backdrop was great - it made me wish I had thought about this ahead of time and coordinated outfits!  We got some cute smiles and the pictures turned out fairly well.  Unfortunately, due to the holiday chaos, these pictures never made it up on the wall. (there's always some sort of chaos going on, right?)

Of all my many blessings, the smiles in these pictures are at the top of my list.  I am so grateful for each member of my family and the strengths they bring to our home.  I am also grateful that we have each other as we deal with challenges, moves, growing pains, and all the other fun stuff life throws at us - and that we can still laugh and be goofy in the process.  So grateful for temple blessings and forever families.

Happy Thanksgiving!