A Big Yummy Thanksgiving Day.

It was a long, busy, relaxing, joyful, funny kind of a day.

Thanksgiving, of course... the holiday that warms your soul.

And my thanksgiving started with coming downstairs way too early in the morning to see these two snuggled up on the couch. And by way too early, I really mean way-too-freaking-early. Little man has figured out how to jump out of his crib. And in and out and in and out he goes all night long.

Good day, 5:30 in the morning. Hello, momma needs to find time to buy a big-boy bed. Immediately. And get her child off the bottle... but that's another post.



And since I was not a prepared momma that cooks and prepares her contribution to turkey day dinner before the day of, 5:30 a.m. was a surprisingly good time to get cookin'. [And thank you, Sarah, for the very sweet gift and lovely apron you gave me... I loved meeting and photographing your little ones.]


(Come on, you'd think I'd show you my face at 5:30 in the morning!?)

And once things got moving, we moved on to important things of the day...

... like admiring our turkey created from Jacob's hand.



.... and soaking up every bit of the fifteen minute snow we had.





And when the time was ready, over the hill and through the woods... to Yaya's (and Pops') house we go....



And guess who surprised us all? Our little brother... that arrived on our front steps only ten minutes after my mom scolded my dad for not convincing and forcing him to come in town because, "Brett, families should be together for this holiday.. how is he not in town?!"



And there the four of us were.... looking more grown-up then I think we'd all like to think.



And with the dinner preparations continuing, with the little ones scattering all throughout the house, with the first cheers being toasted, I couldn't imagine any other place I'd rather be.



And cheers to you, Mr. Man-of-the-house-in-charge-of-the-slicing-of-the-turkey. You make our turkey dinner complete.



Ok, that was funny. To my momma, to the woman, the mother, the friend, the sister, the yaya, the one that never fails to love, to understand, to cherish... thank you for always, always bringing it all together.



It's not a formal affair.... we eat, we drink, and we are really quite merry...



... we celebrate with the ones we love.



(and Justin really loves Ellie)









.... and when everyone agrees that there is absolutely no way to eat another piece of stuffing or turkey, we do what every family does: Listen to their dad play Adam Sandler's The Thanksgiving Song.




Ok, you caught me... that was a once-in-a-lifetime performance.

And when our bellies are ready for a little bit of sweetness, we give in to temptation because, after all, isn't that what the holidays are about?

Welcome, mint chocolate chip cookies... my own creation. A secret? They are even good when prepared with year old sugar cookie mix. I'm not proud of it but, like I said, momma started cookin' Thursday morning and, after cursing the lovely business (target) that sold me year-old mix, I said the hell with it and cooked it up anyway.



.... and we had everything sweet and more.



Goodbye, Baby's Second Thanksgiving. So very much to be thankful for...



... and while I'm still yearning for more, for another little one next Thanksgiving, I can't help but think how lucky I am to have everything that I do.



Happy Thanksgivings to you.