Thanksgiving 2011

We had an exceptionally wonderful Thanksgiving this year!  It was relaxing, fun, and surprisingly not stressful at all.  

My sister, Ellen, celebrated her 50th birthday on Thanksgiving!  So we were blessed to have her with us.  And our dear friend, Lindsey Shumway, joined us too! She's a school teacher and it would have been difficult for her to drive all the way to Idaho (during a storm) to spend a short few days only to make the drive back to be to school on time. I was so glad to have them with us!!       

This year I convinced myself to only make 1 vegetable, 1 fruit salad, 1 jello casserole, etc.  Sometimes I get carried away and plan a whole smorgasbord.  I'm so glad I kept it simple.  I was truly able to enjoy it all.

After dinner, we opened our Thankful Jar and read the many strips of paper that we had filled out during the month of November.  The kids wrote notes and drew pictures.  Everyone had contributed to our Thankful Jar.  It took quite a while to read through them all.  We were thankful for everything from our home, the Lord, good neighbors, food and water - to Baby Einstein, princesses, and toilets.  Hehe!

Happy Birthday, Auntie Ellen!

I made these DELICIOUS chocolate truffles for appetizers and dessert.  I used one candle for every 10 years she's lived, because I didn't have 50 candles.  I told the kids we were counting by 10's. Hahaha!  

It's family tradition to do a puzzle each Thanksgiving.  This year I found a puzzle with 4 unique sides.  Each was a different season.  It fit perfectly on a square card table - so that regardless where you sat, four people could work on it simultaneously.  

And we ALL worked on it together :)

I couldn't have asked for a better Thanksgiving!  I'm most thankful for each day I have to spend with my family and good friends.