Thanksgiving 2015

Happy Thanksgiving!

It's been a pretty lovely Thanksgiving weekend around here. Saturday had us in Montreal while I helped out with the Temple Cultural Celebration preparation and Jason took the kids on a trip via the metro (something the kids were super excited about since it has been a while!) to the Science Centre. 

The kids were simply gushing about their trip to the science centre when they arrived back at the church to meet with me. Oh, I know it's cheesy, but my heart really does feel the difference of when there is physical distance between me and my family. I feel so grateful when I get to scoop them up in big hugs and kisses again. They are one of the top items on my thankful list. Always. Christ, Heavenly Parents, the gospel, my FAMILY. And then there are so many sub categories from there. 

Saturday afternoon we did a bunch of dinner prep as we had planned dinner for Sunday, which ended up working perfectly. 

Sunday, after church (where the kids rehearsed for their primary presentation), the kids helped get some more of dinner ready and then we sat down to Thanksgiving dinner. I snapped some photos of the kids enjoying some down time before hand. Atticus planned out an activity for us to do during dinner. He's always planning activities and games for us. He really loves it. Both Atticus and Milayla looooooove helping in the kitchen. Like, absolutely love. They even go so far as to argue about who got to help MORE because they each want to help they most. We're working on that one by reminding them there are always ways to help. 

The kids were really excited to have the candle holders that they made earlier in the week be the centre pieces for dinner. I was a little worried that they were not going to work because the leaves were supposed to be dried first, but they worked! And they looked great. 

I really need to do posts on each of the kids individually to give updates on them. They are growing and learning so much these days. Milayla is READING! Atticus is touting off history and math like crazy. And Phineas is a full fledged walker and has a few words under his belt along with plenty of sign language. 

Our Thankful tree was on the wall next to our table. We still have more to add to it. Lots more. The kids want to leave it up so we can make sure that we do our best to get everything. 

One thing I'm grateful for that I still need to add is prayers. Prayers are incredible. And I love getting to listen to other people pray. Especially my children. It is such an indicator of how they are growing spiritually and how they are building their relationship with their Heavenly Father. It's incredible. And sweet. And peaceful.

I love seeing/hearing the things the kids come up with for the thankful tree. Like Milayla writing out that she is grateful for 'Gras' and that the kids love back scratch songs (the songs they get with both Jason and I at bedtime when we sing them a song of their choice and scratch their backs). And then when I hear comments like "WOW! Mommy, we're just never going to run out of things to be thankful for". I hope it all sticks in those hearts of theirs. We DO have a lot to be thankful for.

The dinner menu was mostly items that we had done last year; sweet potato dollars, stuffing, cheese and crackers, veggie tray, biscuits, steamed veggies, gravy, lentil & butternut squash salad and some things I know I am forgetting about. Dessert was the always-popular, pumpkin pie, whip cream, marshmallows and fruit salad. 

Monday morning greeted us with pancakes, books and cuddles, drawing with chalk, bike rides to the park, and Halloween decor to be put up. It was an incredibly beautiful day so we packed up a picnic dinner in the afternoon and rode down to the lake. Biking as a family still fills my heart with such fond memories of our time in The Netherlands. Our time there made a lasting change on my heart. I can't help but think (and hope) that life will take us there again another time - even if for just a visit. 

We finished the day, and long weekend, with books on the couch. I don't think we will ever have enough book time. We adore book time around here. And family time. Family time is the absolute best.

So thankful for this wonderful eternal family, for time with them, and for thankful hearts. 

Happy Thanksgiving!