our Thanksgiving day...

it was partly sunny, but the wind had a bite to it...

DH wanted to make sure we got a photo of the blooming roses...

it's just so unreal...

we did a couple walks yesterday...

and ate and ate and ate some more...

the rail road came along this week and cut brush down along the tracks...

and left stuff like this...

and just piled the stuff up along the tracks...

they really need to clean it up...

it really was a wonderful day...

and I decided NOT to take photos of it...

I left the camera on the desk...

and we just did what we do...

just us...

Doug went home about noon today...

sent him a pile of food...

he enjoyed being home for a couple of days and we enjoyed us all being together...

and we all cooked together...

cleaned up together...

and napped, watched tv, walked outside...

we talked of Thanksgivings past and those not here...

and we talked about life...

but mostly, we were just in the moment...

and it was a very good place to be...

the guys planted about 100 spring bulbs this morning...

DH and Craig cleaned up the yard this afternoon...

pulled the tomato plants...

put up the hose...

it was in the 60s...

but colder weather is coming this next week and rain starting in tomorrow afternoon...

but we are ready now...

it's not the amount of people...

it's the quality of people...

hope your time was blessed...

it's the most wonderful time of the year!

are you ready to get this party started?

I think I am getting into it...

so much to do...

so many lists to check off...

so, just how many of  you were camped out for black Friday eve?

not me, chickies!

I am still raiding the fridge and blogging here safe at home...

away from all those CRAZY, driven, women with an attitude, die hard shoppers...

I did that one year...

about got trampled...

cured me for life...

I can wait until the half off after Christmas sales...

my bestie had to be at work last night...

so they could open first for BF...

I know she is going to be so exhausted...

and all the cranky customers...

it doesn't have to be like that...

we all need to have a little more patience this season...

because everyone has bad days...

I have photos from yesterday to post...

which I will do later...

today, the guys want to plant my bulbs and hang lights...

not sure if the trees will go up today or not...

I am thinking not...

got some moving around to do and I think the guys underestimate the amount of work that is left outside...

it depends on how much they argue on how fast they can move...

they also stuffed themselves so much yesterday...

lead pants don't move so fast...

I will report back later...

wanted to share...

I had someone post this on facebook this evening...

it's a true story...

her parents always had Thanksgiving dinner at their house and all the kids and grandkids would come...

her mom would cook for days and all the families brought food...

until they passed...

the mom in 2003 and the dad in 2009...

last year the kids and their own families had separate dinners...

and it wasn't the same...

so one of the girls is having it at her house this year...

my friend went over today to help "decorate", because that's her thing...

and her sister went into the living room and found a pin that said MOM on it...

she said- "Mom had one just like this, did you bring it with you?"

my friend said- "No, I have never seen it before.  It must have been here before I got here."

her sister said- " No, I just cleaned that table off right before you got here and it wasn't on there."

they cried and hugged and knew that their mom was with them...

now how's that for a Thanksgiving angel?

you can go back to stuffing your turkey now...

Remember them...

keep them in your hearts until they are back home...

with their families for Thanksgivng...

just so much...

to be thankful for...

we have been so blessed with so much...

so many...

last year I wrote that the best blessings are things we haven't been given...

the trials and tribulations others are facing right now...

if you have made it a year without a fore closer...

a divorce...

buried a child...

watched your home get washed away or burnt to the ground...

lost your spouse...

seen war firsthand...

had a buddy die in your arms...

if your reflections of the last year do not contain any of these...

then you have been blessed beyond measure...

and if these things have come to pass for you...

you know that you have to look at all the little things that were spared...

the joy of the sunrises...

the giggles of a child...

a roof over your head...

and the love of God that surrounds you when everything here is chaos...

gather those close who mean the most...

this could be the last Thanksgiving you will here together...

make it count...

forget...

forgive...

overlook...

embrace...

love...

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families...

May God bless you beyond measure...