Thanksgiving Traditions!

We had a great Thanksgiving this year. But no pictures to show for it. But the ones I do post are since then and portray the "picture".

So we invited our good friends Tiffany and Ernie for Thanksgiving. I've always imagined my future, knowing I'd be away from home as a married adult and having the full weight of holidays on me. So in stride I excitedly made lottsa pies!
At FHE a few weeks before Jake randomly asked everyone for their pie requests for the big day. Jabren-Lemon, Jake-Banana Cream and Chocolate Cream and Josh-pumpkin, and Jamesen-can't remember but the day of it was all about Cherry pie.

We woke up and sent Jake off to play at the "Turkey Bowl" with guys from church. Then we met up with him to watch. The boys played with sidewalk chalk while I visited with a few friends and watched our husbands pretend they were 18 again. (And since they're not some homes were permeated with the smell of Bengay instead of roasted turkey...)
But the biggest happiness of my day is that on this Thanksgiving Day one of my dreams came true. A dream I've had since I was married and wanted to have children.
My dream was that I wanted to teach my children how to love cooking and being in the kitchen helping with the food preparation. My theory was that so much of family get togethers involves food and the preparation of it, and I wanted that to be a fun, interactive quality time - part of the experience.
And there was a momemt (lasted about 5 minutes) about an hour or so before the Kamp's arrived that we were all in the kitchen stirring/slicing, blending, pouring something. All my boys were helping me make dinner. All of them. And each honestly contributing to the efforts. When the thought crossed my mind that this is what I've always wanted...I stood still and looked around at everyone-who were unaware of my realization-and I soaked it all in. Memorized the moment.

Now this may seem like such a nice dreamy, wonderful picture, I know. And it is; I am so grateful for this arrival. Because let me tell you something...this is an arrival. This desire has put me through the ringer time and time again. I have literally paid serious prices to reach this goal. "How so?" you might ask. Let me refer you to an older post...can't get the link thingy to work so if you're interested www.thompsonfamilylovingitall.blogspot.com/2008/04/busy-busy-boys.html


These are decent pretty pictures, but with an imagination you could probably conjure images that I didn't take pictures of of 3 boys under 4 thinking they can cook and be independent and do what they want and creating DISASTERS in my kitchen, instead of it being a "KIDS OFF LIMITS" Zone. Which, if, when I started working towards this with Jabren, I had known twins would follow and what that would entail I would have shrugged the whole idea off. Probably would have if I could have imagined the stress and havoc of it all. But I couldn't and I didn't so I got to enjoy Thanksgiving Day with all of us whipping up beautiful things like Chocolate and Banana Cream pies, and making Grandma's fresh cranberry relish and Jake prepping the Turkey platter....DELISH - all of this Day!