Thanksgiving...A time to give thanks

I always love to wake up Thanksgiving morning to the smell of the turkey roasting in the oven. There is something about the smells of the holiday that bring back old memories and make way for treasured memories to become traditions. When I was a youngster, there were very few meals that were actually prepared or eaten at the house as most were prepared and eaten at the cafe. Thanksgiving and Christmas were different as those holidays meant that a feast would be prepared and that Grandma Gaines and Grandpa Art Yerby would be invited for the day at the house. Mom would prepare the meal. She would start the day before. Nancy and I would wash the dishes (which seemed to go on for days) after the meal was over. I always remembered these as special times and I remember also that I thought that it was important that we have a prayer to Give Thanks. My family was not religious and if I wanted a prayer, it was up to me to say it...and so I did...every year. I was especially grateful this year as Valerie and her family, Michael, Craig, and I gathered around a feast of our own special delicious smelling/tasting meal that Craig, our family patriarch, lead our family in blessing this wonderful meal and giving thanks. It was a wonderful day. I can remember thinking that I would like to hold these memories in my thoughts forever. I am grateful for our family traditions that bring us so much joy and happiness.

Thrills and Chills and a Boo-ti-ful Birthday!

This is the first year in quite some time that all of the kids were home around my birthday. As the kids grew up, all birthdays were spent Trick-O-Treating or doing some kind of Halloween Tradition (except on the rare occasion that my birthday fell on a Sunday).

This Halloween was my first to spend with grandkids Trick-O-Treating and the such! It was so fun to see them participate in the continued rituals of the season and to see their parents in the role that I once had. Halloween is magical once more. It was fun Dallin as a lion, Kate as a pumpkin, and Madison and her mom and dad as M&Ms.

I had decided to celebrate my birthday the day after Halloween so that everyone could be there. Michael had a football game that he had to play in the band for on Halloween night.

As it turned out Dallin got sick and so Val's family couldn't come. William and Tammy cooked an awesome meal. (I honestly do not know how they made the meal look and taste like a high quality restaurant had made it) but it was certainly a wonderful surprise. Val came over in time for me to open my presents from all the kids. I certainly loved that Tammy re-did my Grandma photo frame with recent photos of ALL the grand kids. I also loved the Nana Brag Book that the kids all put together for me. Everyone gave me wonderful cards and Michael gave me some yummy HUGS hot chocolate mix.

What a wonderful memory! Thank you all for your service and your very thoughtful gifts. You are all amazing!