My favorite holiday seemed to arrive suddenly this year. Everything wasn’t quite as in-place as I usually like it, but still a great day full of good food and family and gratitude.
This past year we added a table to our living room for the express purpose of being able to eat Thanksgiving not in our tiny kitchen. It was great! (We also use the table for puzzles, homework, games, art projects, etc.)
Everyone who eats fills out a list - and reads aloud - what they are thankful for. It becomes part of my Thanksgiving timecapsules.
I am a huge pie fan, but my littlest prefers cake. So this year I made a chocolate pumpkin cake, and we all agreed it was pretty terrific.
Each year for the past three years, while I’m cooking the kiddos set up Legos to create their own Thanksgiving Day parade, complete with mylar balloon characters. Full video available on Instagram.
And, we always try to get out into nature on Thanksgiving, to be grateful for the natural world. On this hike, the kiddos found an amazing log fort.
As always, we also use this day to remember those who were here first. We made donations to Dig Deep which is helping provide running water to the 30% of Navajo homes that don’t have it, and to the National Urban Indian Family Coalition who are supporting the 70% of American Indians and Alaskan Natives who live in urban centers, like Chicago.
Happy Thanksgiving, all. So much to be grateful for.