Happy Thanksgiving!

Kids have been up a while, now drawing something for which they are thankful at the dining room table (Enzo's idea when he got up this morning with me at 6am :-). We are doing quiche, bacon and cinnamon rolls while we watch the parade, having watched Madagascar and Kungfu Panda holiday specials all morning.

We cooked yesterday and will do so some more today - then will head off to see family. Yesterday, we picked our two boys up early - one in an "Indian head band" - one who had drawn "Indians" (one teacher remarked that it was hard to find anything "PC" on that, and I told her that my mother, who is part Native American - nearly half, called herself "Indian" - old school, I guess). We had taken our Lil to coffee earlier in the day then she helped me on my quest for pecans and whipping cream (both of which had sold out at Whole Foods when we were there). Our Olivia got home early too, AND, actually spent the day with us, baking and decorating some sugar cookies (Lil had picked out a "sugar cookie workshop" at Trader Joe's, and it worked really well... nice taste and consistency to the batter - easy to roll out - did not need to chill long - sugar in cool silvery colors - not quite enough icing - though, of course, I have both sugar cookie and icing recipes in my repertoire so all good...) - and the loveliness next to it is Haagen Daz new simple, 5 ingredient ice cream - this lemon is heaven - real lemon rind - cream - sugar - find something to put it on this holiday - pie - whatever - yum. It was a nice day - Enzo taught Milo how to trace his hand and make a turkey (like we all did as kids - and, see the photo on this page of Enzo's "bird" - not to be bested by lil bro yesterday, he did his own detailed bird drawing) - Olivia did shopping and dinner with friends (and one of the friends put this sweet little tidbit on her Facebook page - "so i had a dream last night.. it was about me and lilliana traveling the world and having conversations about cookies and imaginary friends. i woke up so happy" :-) in the evening while we cooked and watched movies at home.

Yesterday, I did see a photo of Olivia scroll by on our computer - it was her 10th birthday - we had a spa day planned for she and her friends (home spa). She was putting out treats on our dining room table, dressed in one of my Dad's old Goodyear sweatshirts. He had literally just died about a week before - we were just back from the funeral - but... Olivia had so looked forward to her birthday this year - double digits (10) so we went forward with our plans (knowing he would have wanted it that way - and, by the way, she wore that sweatshirt around the house everyday for weeks, keeping him close in her own way)! We were so sad, but so trying to move forward. It both hurt and felt very sweet to see that photo. Of course, we miss him today. I talked to my Mom yesterday - tried to approach the issue of the hostility we're having with my one brother - but I sensed she was thinking of my Dad and how it would be different with him here too, so.... tabled that discussion for another day.

I am thankful for my happy, healthy family. I am glad that my Mom is spending time where she is comfortable today. I am thankful that my hubby's family is being nice to me lately. It will be a good day. So... paper turkeys on the sill - food smells throughout the house - crayons, paper and markers already strewn about the table.... we begin our holiday.

A rainy one today (and sleet-y last night), so be careful on your respective paths to friends and family.