Thankful

This year I am thankful for so much.

First, I am thankful that I was able to enjoy my Thanksgiving meal, unlike last year when I was pregnant and the sight of Turkey, vegetables, eggs, well... a lot of things...made me want to hurl.
I'm thankful that we were able to spend the day with family and children that love life and love eachother. I'm thankful that we are all healthy.

But more importantly, I am thankful for this:

We had a "stuffed" day. Stuffed with food, family, love, laughs, memories, pictures, videos, dancing, singing, jumping. Stuffed to the hilt with the good stuff.

Thanksgiving often wins out as my favorite holiday. Why? you ask. Mostly, because the day after, we decorate for Christmas and I don't have to tell the kids to keep it a secret that we've been listening to Christmas music since the day after Halloween. A perk to that, by the way, is that weeks before Christmas, they can actually sing the Christmas carols that they've been rehearsing for months.

This morning we woke up and went shopping.

Hah, yeah right.

"Shopping" in our attic. For our Christmas decorations. Black Friday: Not for me. Never have, never will. I treasure my sleep more than 50% off. And after a night of poor Isabella throwing up her Thanksgiving meal, I was really treasuring my sleep.

Checking out the ornament that Ryan's aunt painted when he was a kid. It's a picture of him as a baby, taking a bath in the sink. They think it is very cool. And they also think it is Declan...

So we un-packed, examined, and told stories about ornaments. Isabella gleamed over the fact that she has 15 "My First Christmas" ornaments...to Declan's one, and Quinn's zero....I need to get on that. It doesn't help that Isabella is one of the top five most popular names and everyone who sees an ornament with her name on it, buys it for her. Declan and Quinn---not so much.

To my mom: I officially apologize. We took offense to you "rearranging" the ornaments after your children hung them. Today, I rearranged the ornaments after my children put 20 ornaments on 3 branches. I get it. I get it.

A few times today: "Where's Declan?"

"Ummm, I thought you knew..."

"Oh. There he is. Rearranging the ornaments. Again."

We decorated the house, hung the lights, insisted on wearing (and then hanging) the stockings, raked leaves, mowed leaves, ran and drank in the fall air and the welcoming of winter.
It was a good day.
Mom came over this evening and made sugar cookies with the ceramic molds that she used to make Christmas cookies when we were little. She taught her grandkids to oil the mold, wipe it down, flour it, press in the dough, knock out the dough, marvel in their work, and watch them bake. Just as she showed us...years ago. They were so proud of their beautiful cookies and devoured them (even though I was out of white flour, but had whole wheat). Mmmm, nothing like a whole wheat sugar cookie......

Hmmm...a certain little teddy somehow lost an arm....

I am thankful for my first baby. My little 3 1/2 year old who snuggles up to me at night, wraps her arms around my neck and insists that she loves me more. If she only knew.

I am thankful for my firecracker of a 2 year old who says "I yuv you mommy" and kisses me straight on the lips at random times during the day.

I am thankful for my sweet, sweet 4 1/2 month old who loves to smile, laugh, and cuddle. I am thankful for her insight. She has so much, already.

I am thankful for my understanding and supportive husband. Who gives and loves with all of his heart.

I am thankful beyond belief.