Thanksgiving Weekend 2011

Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday! I love Thanksgiving weekend and the time I get to spend with my family! Thanksgiving, is usually spent with my family, we prepare the meal, hang out with the family...and look at the Black Friday ads and plan our attack for the morning. 

This year, well, was a little sad and disappointing, but it was still great and time with my kids and Chris is always a plus. My parents, at the very last minute, had decided to not have Thanksgiving this year; I was devastated (if you read the previous post about how much I love Thanksgiving). 

I was determined NOT to let Thanksgiving become just another "ordinary" day. Chris and I didn't really have the money to make the whole "big" meal this year, money was a bit tight, but thanks to a great neighbor he donated a turkey at the last minute (he didn't know we needed one), I took a few dollars that I had and picked up some last minute supplies for a wonderful meal, and we made it! 

The kids would not have known any different, Thanksgiving was wonderful, and the memories were made...and that is all that matters. Riley and Cody helped set the nice dishes out, Riley made place mats, and I attempted to make a couple "cheap" pies with Riley. The dinner wasn't as good because I didn't get to make it with my mom, but I did get to make it with my little girl...I will not forget that. I hope I can pass on the love of time together...no matter what the meal may consist of for Thanksgiving. I still love Thanksgiving, and always cherish the traditions that the holidays bring forth. 

As for the Black Friday plan, Chris and I didn't get to go, but I did get my mom to go to Walmart with me to get Cody a scooter for $12! My mom jumped over people to get Cody that scooter..."go Grandma!" So, I did get to spend time with my mom on Thanksgiving after all! 

We put up the tree later that weekend, here are some pictures of the event. Please, don't mind the photography, the lighting was HORRIBLE! Also, in the picture of our dinner table, if you notice, there is a runner...this runner is a tradition in our house. Every year, since Riley was born, we write what the kids are thankful for on the runner. For example, when Riley was 2 we wrote, "Riley is thankful for "dino-lors" (dinosaurs) 2005." Then, when the kids can write, they get to write on it themselves. This year, we added Cody to the runner. I love this tradition because I get to read every year how much the kids have grown and look back at how cute they were! I can't wait until the kids are grown-ups and look back at the runner and see just how much they have grown and how much they are loved! I love thanksgiving! 

Cody decorating the tree, I guess he was mad that the
bulb was broken.

This year Chris' job was handing the bulbs and decorations! Don't look
at the clean laundry still on the couch!

We had to get a picture of Chris attempting to decorate the tree! Yes, this
was posed. Ha. It looks so real though, right?