Thanksgiving

I think most people will agree with me when I say Thanksgiving is about lots and lots of good food, and family.  So my Thanksgiving this year was especially nice because it wasn't just me and Rob.  My oldest sister Jennie with her husband and four children came to visit.  It was an amazing weekend.  Saturday morning Isabella and I drove about an hour from the city to get to a farm where Jennie was staying (even using kitchen floor space, there still wouldn't be room enough in my house for all of them).  It was a glorious morning with the sun shining and only a slight nip in the air to remind us winter is coming, so we had a bonfire and roasted hotdogs, bannock, and marshmellows.  Isabella has always been an outdoors girl, so this place was like heaven for her.  She ran to and fro, throwing leaves into the air, played with the other kids, but I think her favourite part was the horses.  She rode (with someone older of course) every chance she could.  As soon as we took her off the horse, she would point at it and say "bee-DAH" (that means 'up'- don't ask me how she came up with that one) over and over again until someone relented and let her ride with them.

In the afternoon we went to a super-pool.  Jennie's kids are all water-children and immediately scattered, shrieking in delight, but Isabella protested at the first sight of the water.  For some reason she hates swimming but loves baths.  Of course, the fact that Isabella hadn't had a nap was a big factor.  Anyway, it took me about an hour and a half to get her to stop clinging to me like her life was in danger.  Jennie was a huge help, distracting her and showing how much fun the water can be.  The turning point came in the hot tub.  Once we were both thoroughly warm, I sat on the edge with both of our feet dangling in the water.  Isabella relaxed, her face scrunched up against my arm.  I think she may have even dozed off for a moment.  After that, while she still had to be near me, she had fun, splashing and laughing at the other kids.  (By the by, I know now why they invented swim diapers.  By the time we got out of the water, Isabella's diaper must have weighed as much as she does, and when I took off her totally cute swimming suit, it disintigrated into a mess of crystals which she then tried to eat.  Yuck!)

Rob and I spent Sunday afternoon in the kitchen, making all sorts of delicious foods in copious quantities.  Even with nine of us eating it, we only finished the left-overs two days ago.  That one of the best things about thanksgiving; it just keeps giving and giving.  So we ate and ate and talked and talked, went for a walk, then came back and ate and talked some more.  It was wonderful.

On Monday we all went to Galaxyland.  The kids all had a blast on the various rides.  Isabella went on the carousel and didn't want to get off (did I mention she likes riding horses?).  Nobody got sick, which is always a good thing, although I did get rather close on one very spinny ride.

Jennie and her family left Monday afternoon; it was hard to see them go.  I have a dream that one day all of my family will live in the same city, so we can see each other as often as we like.  We could go for walks together, have dinner, borrow each others' clothes, trade off on babysitting...oh it would be so wonderful!

In my family there is a Thanksgiving day tradition, and I'm sure we're not alone on this, to go around the table and everyone say what they're thankful for.  I may be the only one in the room right now, and I'm not even sitting at a table, but I'm going to go ahead anyway.  More than anything else, I am grateful for my family.  I am thankful that we all love each other and love to be together.  I am thankful for a wonderful husband and my deliciously adorable daughter.  I am thankful for this beautiful land we live in; the lakes, trees, flowers, the sky, everything combined in such wonderful ways.  I am thankful for a loving God, who cares about me and shows me the way to be happy.  I have so much to be thankful for, and almost nothing to complain about.  I am a truly blessed woman.

Isabella begging for a ride on the horse.

Jenevieve is a good cousin.

Jennie and Justus

Making friends with the dog.

Weee!  Throwing leaves is fun!

It took about six tries, but we finally took a picture where Rob wasn't scowling and Jarom wasn't a complete goofball.  Jenevieve was, of course, totally cooperative the whole time with her gorgeous smile.

Riding the carousel