Giving Thanks...

This Thanksgiving was spent at a friends house.  Originally she had thought it would be nice for us to get together seeing that my husband wasn't here to celebrate and she knows what it is like to be away from family during the holidays.  That WAS the plan.  Then it turned out, a lot of the people in the neighborhood get together and do a pot luck...and it was her turn.

So the day before I went over to help set up.  Her husband was supposed to be working late and there was lots to be done.  So over I went with my three girls in tow.  Thankfully Jillian and Jenevieve had playmates and were distracted by the bouncy house, while Sydney and I moved furniture...a lot.  After moving the couch three times, the recliner twice, tables moved a few and other things arranged, it was time to decorate (and our bodies needed a break).

Juliet was down for a nap so this was a perfect time to get our creative juices flowing.  The original plan of flowers on the table quickly went out the window...so now what?  After some milling around the house and dismantling of Sydney's house we came up with what I thought was great.  A simple yet sophisticated table..that someone said looked straight out of Pottery Barn.  What a great compliment, but it does help that some of the items are in fact from Pottery Barn (Sydney has great taste).  So with brown packing paper, two lanterns, a glass vase filled with some random stuff, the table started coming together.  A few more pumpkins and some corn and the table was set.  Now time to actually put the dishes and the glasses.

So after Juliet got some snuggling with a guy in a flight suit in (C. L. came home in his flight suit and I handed her to him, and she put her head down on his shoulder for almost five minutes)  and we have a quick dinner, we head home because I have to make the cheesecake for the Thanksgiving.  Forgetting once again, that it takes an hour and a half to bake...I got off to a VERY late start.  So I stayed up until after eleven and passed out as soon as my head hit the pillow.

Thanksgiving is finally here and the girls keep asking when it is time to leave....all morning long.  After a few meals and a few naps and quick playtime outside, we are off.  We arrive almost twenty minutes later than I wanted to arrive (and had a few items they still needed).  The big kids immediately take off to the bouncy house and aren't seen again until dinner.

All three girls did great and were patient when waiting for their plates to be prepared and then later on when making their Thanksgiving mix (that was only the older two), I couldn't have been prouder. 

Sydney was surrounded...

Vieve patiently waiting.

Juliet, being held by Missy, so I could take some photos

Jillian showing off her "one car garage"

 Juliet couldn't stand being separated from the kids.  As soon as she could she was down and in the kitchen where the kids tables were.  She would climb up into an empty chair and either just sit, or see if there was anything good to eat.

After dinner some of the parents had out the ads for the next day and making their plans for Black Friday.  For many reasons I opted not to go out this year, maybe just a little online shopping.  As I see the tiredness pass over my girls (and me) we are party poppers and leave at my kids bedtime.  The girls were exhausted from all the jumping and swinging and freezing (it was pretty cold out).  Tomorrow...Christmas decorating!!

Friday came and went.  There wasn't any decorating.  Mom was exhausted!!  Just an easy day of playing inside, playing out and Friday Night Movie Night!

So Saturday, I am feeling more energetic.  So four loads of laundry done, dishwasher run and emptied, kids fed, kitchen clean, bathrooms cleaned and now I can hit my Christmas decorating.

This is our first Christmas in this house, so now the questions start.  Where do I put this, where do I put that?  After pulling out only a couple of things and figuring out where to put them, I need to practice taking pictures for the class I am taking online (plus I got a new lens that was delivered this morning!).

 

So thank you for reading and looking.  I have so much to be thankful for and we are so blessed.  The only thing that would have made this Thanksgiving better was to have my hubby here....next year!