Thanksgiving Day

This year we had a really quiet Thanksgiving. None of our family was able to come visit and all of our friends and neighbors that we invited over all had their own plans so it was just our little family. This was my second year cooking a turkey. Chris decided that he wanted to brine the turkey over night, so he handled that part of it and I roasted it the next day.

Ashley wanted to help me make all of the side dishes. She's helping with the sweet potatoes.

I tried to keep up with the dishes as I cooked so I would have counter space to continue to work. Madison LOVES "doing" the dishes with me. You wouldn't be able to tell that she likes it from the face she's making.

I forgot to take pictures of actual feast! We had a great relaxing day with our girls.

Thanksgiving FHE

The Monday before Thanksgiving our Family Home Evening focused on giving thanks. I told the girls we were going to draw a picture of something we are thankful for.

I began by telling them I was thankful for our family. This is as artistic as I get.

Madison helped Chris finish his picture.

When I asked Ashley what she was grateful for, the first thing she thought of was our house. After she finished that drawing, she wanted to do more.

When we asked Madison what she was grateful for, the first thing that came to her was airplanes!

Thanksgiving and Madison turns 1

Madison celebrated her 1st birthday on Thanksgiving this year. We had a good laugh at the fact that I had Madison the day before Thanksgiving in 2008, and I had Rylee on October 15th of 2009. Two labors, two hospital visits, two babies in less than a year. I shouldn't have been able to look back at Madison's birth a year later, and have already had another baby. Life throws curve balls some times.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. This was the first time I was cooking most of the meal, including the first time I've roasted a turkey. In the past nine years that we have been married, we have either spent Thanksgiving with my parents or Chris' parents and they have always been the ones that have cooked the meal. This year our friends Lance and Amy Oyler and their kids spent Thanksgiving with us. Amy brought her yummy homemade rolls, pumpkin pie, pear pie, and mashed potatoes. It was a wonderful meal, and my first turkey, sweet potatoes, and stuffing seemed to taste just fine!!

After an afternoon nap, we took the girls for a drive hoping to find some Christmas lights. We found a few houses, but headed back home to have Madison's birthday cake. She went right for the cake before we even had a chance to light the candle. She surprisingly didn't want anything to do with the chocolate cake once she had one taste of it! Ashley helped by blowing out the candle, and then she took the candle and put it in Madison's mouth so Madison could lick the frosting off of it. We had to giggle at that! Then Ashley helped Madison open her presents.

So many things we were thankful for that day, and that we continue to be thankful for.