November 23, 2017

Thanksgiving 2017.

Truly grateful people are thankful in any circumstance.  

I definitely hope I can be like that.  

I have SO many things to be grateful for…so many wonderful material blessings.  But the things that really matter to me are my relationship with my Heavenly Father and my Savior, Jesus Christ, my beautiful family, and my life here on this earth.  

This morning, I woke up happy.  It’s always a good day when you get to spend it with family.  I remember other Thanksgiving Days when I’ve been upset or frustrated, sick or taking care of someone sick.  I remember one dinner in California when I left with a sick baby and missed the dinner altogether.  By the time I came back, the pumpkin pie was gone.  It was shocking.

So I was really happy to wake up with a house full of healthy, excited big people.  They were all ready to help.  First we did a workout with Greg.  The kids did a great job, really pushing themselves.  We laughed and had fun.  After that I made French Toast for everyone, and sausage egg muffins for Miles (because he’s my boy).  And then it was jobs and haircuts and getting ready to go.

I baked a whole pan of stuffing that would stay at home and wait to be eaten later.  I would also be leaving my pumpkin pies home.  Everyone knows that homemade stuffing and pumpkin pie are THE best part of the meal.  And it’s a must to get leftovers.  I wasn’t going to leave that to chance, so I made my own leftovers!  Emma also whipped the cream for a big bowl of peach & cream jello.  My mom used to put warm peach jello in our baby bottles for church.  So, I can never smell a batch of peach jello without wanting to curl up and drink a baby bottle.  It just smells like my childhood.  Such fantastic memories of warmth and love.

The house was smelling so fantastic that we were all salivating all morning.  It was delicious!  At one point, this cute little fluffy dog appeared at our back door.  Julia was more than happy to go pick it up.  It was a little scared, but after some cuddles from Jules, the dog seemed to calm down.  We called the number on her tag and found that the dog was from just up the street.  As I watched Julia start to walk the dog home, I saw her snuggle it close to her face.  Julia loves dogs, and she hoped that it would escape and come down to our house again some time.   

I actually would love to get my kids a dog.  Some of the kids wouldn’t like it at all, but others would be in heaven.  The problem is, I’m just not a dog lover and neither is Greg.  So who would end up taking care of it?  Me.  I’m not sure I can commit to that.  I’m so sorry, kids!!                                    

When it was finally time to go, I held the platter of marinated grilled turkey on my lap.  Kyle had fixed it up and brought it to us to grill.  It turned out to be really yummy, but on a turn in the car, a bunch of the juice spilled all over my pants.  And it was hot.  I screamed and created a scene.  :) But we finally made it to the Eardleys’ house in one piece.  

From front going clockwise: Miles, Emma, Eliese, Julia, Marlee, Sam, and Lizzie

Austin, Owen, and Avree

Behind me, going clockwise: Dan, Mom, Sunee, Kyle, Greg, Katie

We enjoyed such a full and bounteous meal with Katie and Dan and their kids, Sunee and Kyle and their kids, my little family, and Mom.  The food was delicious (I needed three plates!), the conversation was so interesting, and the company was fantastic.  I have been blessed with such a loving and wonderful family.  

My darling little Lancer

Lance :)

So cute!

Mommy

Austin... He's so handsome!

Looking good, my man Miles!

Emma...so beautiful!

Julia, so pretty!

Owen, my little lover boy!

The only slightly sad part was that the seat next to Mom was empty.  For many, many years Dad’s presence has graced our table.  I’m happy to say that Mom carried on with a happy and cheerful attitude.  We remember Dad and will love him always.  So in that way, his presence was still felt.  He is still an enormous part of this huge family.  I’m blessed to have him for my dad.

We had eaten early, so by the time we headed home, it was still light out.  We stopped at home to grab Greg’s camera and then headed to Seegmiller farm for a family photo shoot.  The light was right, and the setting was great, but we hadn’t planned or coordinated outfits, or even stressed about anybody’s hair.  In fact, I wiped the chocolate off of the boys’ faces just before we posed and said, “Cheese!”  

And they turned out to be so beautiful.  The biggest thing I notice when I look at our pictures is that there are a lot of us, and the kids are getting so grown up.  My heart is so full.  I love my family.  There is nowhere I’d rather be than with these cuties.  

Thanksgiving 2017