Giving the Thanks

THIS family (though we're missing 3) is my absolute favorite.  Ugh.  I love them to pieces.  And it is for them that I have been the most grateful this holiday season.  They are collectively my best friends, they make me laugh so much, and they love me regardless of my regrettable fashion choices of yore.

Spending this beloved season with them is exactly what I needed, and each day I count my good luck that I'm home with them for a bit, soaking in the holidays and spending precious time with my baby nephews.  I feel a little somber, however,  to realize that on this, the first day of December, I'm exactly midway into my visit -- five weeks of my sojourn spent, five weeks remaining.  I better use it wisely. 

Thanksgiving was completely enjoyable.  We ran our annual 5K even though it was TWENTY-THREE DEGREES 

(holy moly) and then we ate ourselves silly, enjoyed that most delectable arrays of pies, played Balderdash with the missionaries, and topped off the night with a good old western.  

Here's a fantastic truckload of photos from the weekend -- the cute photobooth Mom made (she's pretty adorable), leaf-raking and baby-snuggling included.  Someone around here is working on crawling and his older brother had quite the experience gathering firewood with Grandpa, riding on the four-wheeler, and jumping in the foam pit at the indoor trampoline park with all of the big people. 

PRESENTING: Emily.  But also: 2 pumpkin pies; salted caramel toasted coconut cream; almond joy; frozen chocolate peanut butter; and caramel apple cheesecake.  Quite (!) the  delicious smorgasbord. 

Tomorrow we'll commence the hall-decking and *hopefully* all that holiday baking you know I'll be doing.  I have my heart set on a gingerbread cathedral this year, so we'll see how that all pans out.  Either a cathedral or a monastery.  Oh, how I love me some monks (ironically enough).