Be Grateful... and Give Thanks!

So... before we actually take a look at our fabulous Thanksgiving with Aunt Colleen and Uncle John, I wanted to show something I did for my Primary music time.  To help us choose the songs we would be singing (all of which had something to do with what I was grateful for), we PLUCKED Ted the Turkey.  Poor guy!

I know... he doesn't look much like a turkey, but... it worked, and they had fun!

The back is where the songs were found... and if the feather didn't have one, the child got to pick their favorite Primary song for us to sing!

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And... just to show that we are still doing stuff at home, here are a few of our "favorite things" to remember!

Braeden still loves to build.  Blocks, Legos, rocks, sand, etc!

Lexi and Ella are our artists... who ALWAYS have out WAY TOO MUCH STUFF to assist in their latest masterpieces!  (They obviously LOVE to paint more than just sketch or color with crayons!)

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Okay... that's good!  Now... on to the Main Event!

Tradition still holds that Leslie creates the table centerpieces!  And they get better and better every year!  I'm always excited to see the flowers she arranges, and this year I was amazed at how beautiful fruit and nuts can be!  They were perfect!  (Though Lexi was disappointed that she didn't get to help with all the flowers this year... remember when she used to say she wanted to be a "Professional Flower Smeller" when asked what she would be when she grew up??  :o)  I loved that!  I wish it was a real occupation.  She would have so much fun!)

If you look hard enough, you'll find a sneaker/stinker in this the hors d'oeuvore table picture.  Can you see him now?  (I have LOTS of pictures of this particular table that I didn't post, but 6 or 7 of them have Braeden in them.  I didn't realize what he was doing until I was mostly done with my pictures around the table, and then I watched him follow the lens of the camera... and then I had to distract him with something... and start all over again!)

I brought the mint fudge, chocolate chip cookies, deviled eggs, banana bread, ham and green bean casserole for the event!  Yum!

Despite the horrible and disappointing fact that Sam had to be in the hospital for complications during his cancer treatment, he and Amberie provided the fruit and vegetables... which were assembled beautifully by Colleen.  (Sam... we so missed you!  I'm so glad we at least have Skype now!)

DELISH!

And I think Colleen made Uncle John's traditional cheese ball, too... since he was with Sam for a while.

Here was the distraction we provided!  He just couldn't wait ANOTHER MINUTE for a treat!  But... since that's what they were made for... we let him have a cookie... and then another... and another... (don't even ask how many... we lost count!)

Heavenly!  Can you tell?

The dinner table centerpieces.  Spectacular!  (Much better than I can capture as an amateur photographer!)

Mmmmmm... John and Colleen always provide the turkey, rolls, candied yams, pumpkin pies, and stuffing.  Leslie brings the potatoes of all kinds and... (I know I'm already forgetting something here), and Jody always brings fabulous pies!

This makes me hungry all over again!

Lexi... trying to choose what might fit into her strictly PICKY diet.  (Though she's not nearly... and I mean NEARLY... as bad as Ella.  We ended up having to fix her some NOODLES.  Sigh.  Ella and noodles... one day she may just become what she eats... and then what?)

Amberie was able to come for a while, and she and Ella had some camera fun!

Say "Cheese", Mommy!

Cute Sophie dog!  Chris and Jody were babysitting her while Chris' family was out of town.  Sophie is well LOVED, but not let in for dinner.

Notice Ella is STILL not eating.  (And obviously, neither am I, but...)

LtoR around the table:  Chris, Jody, John, Braeden, Josh, and Leslie

And again:  Ella (with camera, but no dinner plate), Colleen, Damian, Chris, Jody, John, Braeden, Josh, Leslie, Lexi, and Amberie  (We also added Antonio and a friend... and me!)

Explanation:  Braeden really wanted Uncle John to save him a drumstick... and John just can't say no to his "grandkids"...  ;o)

And this is what we get!  Doesn't he just look like he's so enjoying it??  He really was!  He loved it!

Jody and her baby, Sophie!  So cute!

Next day... Lexi and Leslie playing the piano!

TRADITION looks a little something like this!  EVERY TIME!  CHASE, chase... and MORE CHASE!  (John and Colleen have the perfect "chase" circle in their house... and boy, do we ever take advantage of it!  LOVE IT!)  Braeden, Lexi and Uncle John... Ella was too fast for me to catch her!

There she is!  And don't you LOVE the happiness on their faces??  I do!

Oh... my kids do take advantage of those that love them!  Uncle John is so soft!  He carries them for Chase games... sometimes!

Even the ones that are CLEARLY too BIG to be carried...

...but they have such a good time!

"Tally-HO!!"

I am so grateful for the time we get to spend together as family.  We missed my mom (who really couldn't come because of her broken ankle... it just was more complicated than any of us wanted it to be to get her here and home... but thanks to Cornell for coming to get her and take her to Richfield to join them for the special occasion)... and we missed Sam, but hopefully next year we won't be missing anyone!  I'm grateful for the relationships we have with those that we love and who love us!  We have so many blessings and yet I'm most thankful for my family.  They are always there to help me feel the love that Heavenly Father has for each of us, and they always lift my spirits!  My children are wonderful little people who are really trying to be the best they can.  They have a hard time sometimes, but don't we all?  I need to remember not to be so hard on them.  They really are such a testament to me of all that is important in life.

My "Ted the Turkey" said it better than I can (I'm never as eloquent as I'd like to be with words... which is why you see more pictures to keep the memory alive than script!).  The songs on his feathers included:  Scripture Power, The Church of Jesus Christ, I Love to See the Temple, I Hope They Call Me On a Mission, My Eternal Family, The Holy Ghost, Follow the Prophet, Come, Follow Me, I Know That My Savior Loves Me, I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus... and many more.  

I am so grateful for the knowledge that I have that the scriptures are true, that the Savior loves even me, that I can be together forever with my family because of the sacred ordinances of the temple, that the church I belong to is true, and that the Holy Ghost testifies not only to the prophet or his apostles... or even my bishop, but to ME, too!  I don't bear my testimony very often, but I do have one, and I'm so grateful for it.  I'm grateful for the Savior's sacrifice, and for the sacrifice of so many others that have provided me with my "way of life" today, including (yet certainly NOT limited to) those pilgrims who celebrated the first Thanksgiving.