Thanksgiving....

Yes, I knew Thanksgiving was coming and Yes...I knew family was coming and Yes...I knew I needed to get ready BUT  I felt like I never really and truly got ready or was ready!!  Yikesters!!

I picked up the house...got the beds ready for Dave and family. Tried to turn one of the girly bunk beds into more of a guy bed!

Murphy bed for Dave and Jen

Girly bed for Gracie

Transformed GirlyBed to GuyBed.  I forgot the rose heart on the wall.  he took it down. 

Knowing they love dogs I bought little dogs for them....not real ones!!!

They arrived as planned with 2 dogs in tow... uh...real dogs!  I don't enjoy dog licks or their BodyParfumeDeOdor.  I have family and friends that love dog smoochies.  I'm not one.  Don't throw stuff at me or end our friendship because of me being Cruella Deville!!  It is what it is.  I do have 2 grandpups next door and I admit to loving them but they don't come for sleepovers with CrankyGranny!  Dave complimented me for my behavior!  I probably need some sort of obedience training!  One dog was huge and one dog was small.  At least they were not barking and jumping all over the place.  I'm not saying they just sat in one spot but they were rather calm.  They had nice temperaments.  I spoke nicely to them.  None of us bit each other.  Anyhow...it was wonderful to see the entire kit and caboodle!  Dogs and all!

Princess (really.  that is her name!)

Sammy the man!

Dinner was a traditional turkey feast, with way to much food, but don't we all love leftovers??  Pies were specially catered by Marie Callendar & Costco & Patty LaBelle.  I missed my Sissy like crazy!!  She would have loved that I bought the Patty LaBelle Sweet Potato Pie.  She had told me all about them being available seasonally at WalMart and to be sure and get one.  Last year I couldn't find one but in Dixie's honor, this year, I bought some of MissPatty's pies.  They were okay.  You get your mouth all set for pumpkin, as that is what it looks like, and it is very smooth but I'd say cloves dominate as far as spices.  Nothing that I'm ohhhing and ahhing about but it was fun to think of Dixie.

Razzleberry/Dutch Apple/Pumpkin/Sweet 'Tater

I respect you.  Really I do, GirlFriend!!

I didn't plan any fun things to do.  I was DudWoman!!  Turned out fine as they were glad to just unwind & kick back and nap/relax and they did drive around seeing things.  Sam and Grace enjoyed doing art projects with their Uncle Kip....playing board games with me...coloring in one of those art books...watching some aliens visit the earth type shows on TV with Grandpa.  Just stuff!

The Artist at work!

family time

Dinner at a Mexican Restaurant, in Toppenish, was a real treat.  I thought it was the best ever and was happy the family enjoyed it also.  I'd never eaten there, under the new ownership, and it was scrumptious!

Family enjoyed walking all 3 dogs!

Kip-Dave-Sam-Jen-Grace  & Princess-Sophie-Sammy

And visiting and napping and dancing....

Kip-Princess-David

Jen-Sammy-Dave

Terry & Grace with pups

Daddy - Daughter Dance

So Thanksgiving is over, now onto what I've been so eager for...Christmas!!  For some reason this year I would have settled for decorating before Thanksgiving.  I'm not usually like that but I'm just looking forward to Christmas and decorations.  I think of Christ with Christmas decorations.  Not in a tacky way but it's just such a source of beauty and light and joy and happiness and giving and love and gratitude for so much in my life and of course, His Birth.  I don't get caught up with the ...but it wasn't really December etc. etc..   This is the date we celebrate and I'm fine with it.  I'm a Merry Christmas person and not a Happy Holiday/Seasons Greetings and that sort of thing.

You might remember, sadly for us, that we pared down our many village houses and even our huge tree that we enjoyed for years is now gone!  The lights had burnt out in the mid-section but beyond that, it was just to big a project to do.  The box was huge and heavy and Terry just couldn't do it.  With lights gone...well, it was time to let it go. 

I went to Hobby Lobby last year and bought a gorgeous tree.  sort of a decorator wintry tree.  brought it home and it just wasn't us.  So I ordered a tree last year for this year.  Got it on sale, after-Christmas sale, and it is just perfect for us.  7' tall but not proportionately large at the bottom.  it has 600 lights all pre-lit.  It is up and Gracie decorated it and we are so happy with it!!!!!

How a ballerina decorates a Christmas tree!

Doesn't do such loveliness justice.  it is just so pretty!!

Today I received a red Poinsettia.  Gorgeous small one with the darkest of green leaves.  One of the prettiest I've ever seen, made all the more beautiful, as it's a love gift!

Tomorrow we will finish the decorating and that warms my heart. 

So much going on in my life that at times are frustrating and overwhelming and yet so much goodness and growth at the same time and I'm soaking it up!!