A Good Week Ahead!

I love love love Thanksgiving. I think it's my favorite holiday, mostly because it isn't commercialized like all the others. It really is a day that is just about spending time together with family, counting your blessings, and eating good food. How wonderful! I love getting to cook for other people too. It's fun to cook for Justin and all, but on Thanksgiving, I get to go all out. By the end of the day, or even just by dinner time, I'm pooped, but it's worth it. Hopefully this will be the last year for me to make the entire dinner by myself. I enjoy it, but I can't wait to be home and to be able to share the meal with more of the people I love the most.

I think this year will be especially great. I feel like I have so many things to be greatful for! It has been one heck of a year, and to have gotten this far without seriously self destructing is blessing enough. My sister Maggie, aka Marge, (who got her braces off YESTERDAY!) is coming out on Tuesday to spend a week with us! I'm SO excited for her to come. Its really strange when your littlest sister goes from younger sibling to friend, but her growing up just makes being her sister even more fun. She's hilarious, says so many of the things I wish I had the guts to say, and gets more beautiful every time I see her. My fantastic brother Jake will be here too, since he's here at school, and I'm hoping to put some of his mad cooking skills to use in the kitchen. Cousin Anna is coming over too! It will be an awesome day. I'm so excited.

Growing up we always had very large family gatherings, which is something I'm so grateful for. I have so many wonderful memories of Thanksgivings at Grandma and Papas house with all the cousins, alternated with Thanksgivings eating by the woodburning stove at Poppy and Grandma Maureens. Now that Ollie is here, I'm excited for him to be old enough to be anxious to spend time with his family like we always were. Our little Thanksgivings always seem a bit empty compared to what I'm used to, but the same spirit is there.

Like I've said before, one of my very favorite traditions is watching the Macey's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Justin hates parades and refuses to watch it with me, so I'm really glad Marge will be here. And hopefully Jake will come over early enough to see it as well! It's so fun to enjoy a little breakfast and hot chocolate or cider, and see all the awesome and/or rediculous celebrities, floats, musical numbers, etc. Even though the whole "Santa bringing in the Christmas Season" thing is a little silly, watching the parade does really feel like the start of the holiday for me.

So anyway, this should be a good week. Marge comes in on Tuesday, Wednesday we'll have some fun, and get a little pre-baking done, Thursday is the big day, and Justin gets to be home, and then Friday will be spent hiding from all the crazy Black Friday Shoppers. Maybe Mag and I can do a little project, or set up Christmas decorations, or both.

I'll probably be away from blog-land for a bit, but I'll be back in a week or two with lots of fun pictures, and maybe a video or two!