Time to Give Thanks

As I wait for everyone to arrive, I want to wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving. In my house, it is time for tradition, a turkey, a ham, potatoes, stuffing, green beans, rolls, and pie. My eldest son will say the Thanksgiving prayer for the entire family, then we will commence to eat.

We are a multinational family so the snacks will be pot stickers and egg rolls, Italian cookies and ice cream.  On Friday it will be turkey soup and  I'm hoping my Hispanic side will bring the damn tamales!

They always whine, complaining tamales are too hard to make. Well so is an entire Thanksgiving dinner!  Even if my wonderful, warm, spicy tamales don't arrive, I still have S'more's pie to look forward to. Thank heaven it's a Humira shot day. I should be feeling pretty darn good.

---

 Friday is the Christmas Fair. Once again, the entire family, this year too many to count (seriously). I tried and came up with 34 on my last attempt.

We will head out to the fairgrounds to eat chestnuts roasting by an open fire--yes a real one. Then popcorn, chocolate, yummy cookies, and cakes.

One mustn't forget the Ginger Bread House Competition. No, I do not have an entry. I can barely get the turkey and trimmings eatable. Just ask the family.

The kids (and gramma) will ride in an open sleigh. A real one with real draft horses that we will pet and feed after we're done with the ride. We'll listen to the carolers dressed in Victorian garb, dance with the little ones to Christmas carols, and take pictures.

Lots and lots of pictures.

Oh, and Santa and Mrs. Claus will be there to ask the little ones what they want for Christmas.

Then there's more pictures.

After the fair, worn out and full, we head back to the house where we'll eat Turkey soup prepared by my daughter-in-law, Nathalia.

On Saturday it will be a trip to the snow--or maybe shopping--it's a day left to itself for rest and fun. I'm thinking I'll head down to the lake with the older boys and get in some fishing. The temps should be close to 70 degrees. Can't ask for a better day.

On Sunday, everyone heads home--except the oldest boy and his family who live near us now. My heart will ache for a while because I know I won't see my other bambinos until Christmas. Winter is the hardest for living apart. In the summer every weekend brings a new guest--in the winter--things go dark after Christmas unless Spring shows an early face.

But that's the wonderful thing about life--it has a time and a season.

To my friends everywhere, I wish you a wonderful and joyous Thanksgiving, filled with family and friends.

As always my thoughts lie with my friends living in the East Coast.  A prayer will be said for you.

Another prayer will be sent to Gaza where friends live--and another to Israel--where more friends live. I wonder: Will a lasting peace ever be found? I hope so.

May God bless you all.

(((hugs)))


If you have time, please share with me some of your Thanksgiving traditions!

---