My Favorite Holiday Season is Almost Here!

I am so excited that it is Thanksgiving week already! Although I absolutely LOVE Christmas, I think Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because we get to eat turkey and all the fixin's (Thursday and Friday!), there isn't the stress of shopping and wrapping, and we get to enjoy an unhurried day with our families. Thanksgiving is both restful and rejuvenating.

This year we will follow the same Thanksgiving schedule as the last few years. Thursday morning we sleep in and enjoy an unrushed morning together as an immediate family. My Dad runs in the Detroit Turkey Trot each Thanksgiving, but as soon as he is finished, we all head over to Mom and Dad Wright's for a mid-morning brunch. We usually enjoy an egg casserole, cinnamon rolls, turkey bacon or sausage, and my sister's famous oatmeal bake. This year, however, my sister and her family aren't able to make it to brunch, so we will have to see what we can make to take the place of her amazing dish. Is it even possible?!?!

Early in the afternoon we pack the kids up and head over to Mom and Dad Autry's house for our first turkey dinner (yum, yum!!!). Mom is a fantastic cook and always has an amazing spread of food for us to enjoy. The kids quickly disappear upstairs to play while we get the food on the table, and then we get to sit together with Kevin's parents and grandparents for a overwhelmingly delicious feast. Did I mention how much I LOVE Thanksgiving?!?!

After dinner we usually quickly clean up and then enjoy an evening talking and sharing about daily events, thoughts and opinions on the latest top headlines, and take turns playing with the boys. The football game will sometimes play in the background, but Kevin's grandpa may be the only one who watches snippets of it. The newspaper comes out and all of the sale ads are removed and passed between the interested shoppers (mainly Kevin, Mom and Dad). I usually find myself feeling stuffed and sleepy, reclining on the living room sofa. Ahhh . . . this is truly the life. Have I told you yet that Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday?!?!

We typically pile in the car late in the evening and the boy's fall into serotonin induced sleep on the ride home. We all fall into bed stuffed and satisfied and looking forward to another blessed day of turkey the very next afternoon. Sometimes something psychotic will possess Kevin to get up early on "Black Friday" to go shopping, but I typically drag my feet and volunteer to stay home. My excuse is usually that I have to cook for later that day, but in reality I just can't imagine ANY sale being worth losing sleep over! :)

Our morning is spent lazily getting ready and assembling a dish or two for dinner with the Wright's, and then we head over to their home around lunch time. The Thanksgiving spread is again extensive and impressive - causing me to act as Pavlov's dog and begin drooling at the mere sound of the clatter of dishes. We sit down and enjoy the variety of dishes and good company, unrushed and completely at ease. The only ones to rush are the kiddos. Our boys speed to clean their plates and disappear downstairs to play with their cousins (and maybe Papa, if they can convince him to leave the table too). Us adults continue talking about everything and nothing at all, usually laughing hardily as Jeremy amuses us with his great sense of humor and fun true-life anecdotes. Eventually we will decide the food just has to be put away and the dishes scrubbed and the table begins to clear. Dirty dishes and leftovers are quickly replaced by card/board games and rounds of hot tea and pumpkin pie. The rest of the afternoon passes quickly and is only brought to an end due to our recollection that the dog's at home are probably crossing their legs and doing the potty dance since we've been gone so long two days in a row.

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time of family, food, fun and fabulous memories. I can't wait for Thursday to finally get here!