30 Days of Gratitude: (Day 28) Thanksgiving Edition!

Day 28: Family, Friends and Food! I know that's what everyone says on Thanksgiving, but it's hard NOT to be thankful for those things today. I'm so happy that some of our family could celebrate with us and that all of our family had somewhere to go to be grateful and stuff themselves today. I'm so thankful for my friends who keep me sane through the year. I'm also very thankful for our furry friends. We are blessed with an amazing dog and we were double blessed today because we got to have a very sweet furry friend visiting. The food, least I forget, was fabulous! Everything was delicious. The timing worked out well this year too. I'm thankful for family, friends and food this Thanksgiving and every day!

One in a Million

Does everyone know this song?

It's a guy explaining to his girlfriend that no matter how often she's just part of the crowd, she's one in a million to him. Now, I'd love to say my husband always feels this way (and maybe he does more than I give him credit for), but I know a group of people who do.

No matter how badly the rest of the world has treated me or how little attention has been paid to my needs I know people who love and appreciate me every time. The toddler gang at Riley's school. They're never indifferent to my arrival (or departure). They don't care how I look or what I have in the bank. I'm a hero for reading a book, giving a hug or graciously accepting a plate of plastic food.

This one is from the birthday party they threw me. I'm also welcome to stop by for (or hang out until)lunch. I'm familiar enough to have authority and novel enough to be slightly exciting. They're an amazing group of kids. Watching them grow up is really a gift. Clever sweet little friends who love me just the way I am. Riley and I are lucky to spend so much time with them (in and out of school). Some have come and gone from the weekly gathering, but they're all a part of our lives. They're her other family. The village that's helped shape her into the little girl she's becoming (sniff, sniff).

Not Missing Daddy

Mike returned from his bachelor party in high spirits this morning. I was still grumbling about the time change, but it didn't seem to dampen the festivities too much. It sounds like they had fun. We certainly had fun here. Isaac went to grandpa's to see Harrison and have pizza. Riley had Boo over to play and have pizza. Isaac came home around 7 and retired to his room to "work on his warp drive."

The girls donned princess dresses, watched PBS shows and spun like tops. They cooked, built towers out of blocks and hula hooped. The held hands and ran around. They ate lollipops and sang. They looked at books, they jumped and laughed. They played and played and played. Every once in a while it's nice not to have to share your best friend or worry too much about bed time.

It was a blast. Definitly in the top ten days of her lifetime. After Boo went home there was a bubble bath, jammies and THREE bed time stories. Needless to say she didn't miss Daddy one bit. This morning we ate the left over blueberry muffins and watched Alice in Wonderland. It's been on my mind. God Bless Amazon $1.99 rentals. Then Riley cooked in her princess Belle dress for a bit. After that we put on Disney's Robin Hood, Riley likes Sir Hiss. She painted a pink and yellow picture.

She looked over her shoulder at me from the easel and asked "Mommy is it running and yelling time?" So cute. I responded "Yes, honey I'll go get your shoes." I had just wiped her down and gotten her dressed when Mike came home. She was completely absorbed in playing outside and bearly paused to greet him.

I sent Mike to shower and nap while I wore Riley out a bit more. Then I had Riley pottied, cookie-ed, storyed and down for nap by 12:10. Mike's snoring beside me as I type. I'm so nice. I have alterior motives though. I do want thim to have a recovery period, but we need groceries and wedding beverages. So, we'll be shopping when everyone wakes up. There's a lot to discuss now that we're 9 days away. What a fun night/morning. I think we had as much fun as Mike and the boys.

A Different Kind of Dinner Party

It wasn't the kind where I took a long shower, did my hair and make-up and slipped into a little black dress. I did shower, however, it was with a toddler. She lined up her rubber duckies in size order and was babbling away at them. The only things I understood were "no-no!", "mama", "daddy" and "baby" for the most part. At one point the ducks were having a party and she was feeding them all cake, for sure.

After a very entertaining shower I pulled on my comfy jeans and a t-shirt. Mike was similarly attired. I didn't so much "do my hair" as brush it, which is an accomplishment when a wet almost two year old in a hooded kitty towel is circling your legs saying "meow" and tugging on you. I had planned on make-up, but I was concerned about Roo going pee-pee one more time before company came and it was diaper time.

In the end I wore no make-up and Roo was so overcome with excitement she piddled in her clothes. The guests (Boo and her Mommy), however, were not dressed in their finest, air kissing us at the door and offering over the obligatory bottle of wine. They waited, happily playing while Riley got cleaned and diapered up. We had steak for the adults and hotdogs for the kiddos. The guests brought zucchini and squash to go with dinner (so much more practical than wine). When bibs and sippy cups were distributed everyone dug in or ate off their mother's plate as the case may be.

It was paper plates instead of cloth napkins. We didn't light candles for safety reasons, but we did have some flowers Mike brought me the day before in a vase.

After 3/4 of the table was done eating everyone, but the pokey little puppy made a break for the backyard. We didn't have quiet conversation we had laughter and shrieks of excitement. When I joined them out back there were tiny people barreling down the large slide, swinging and playing the sand. It was quite a spectacle. They played with the same enthusiasm until it started to get dark.

It was then that the "adults" remembered themselves and hurried everyone to the bath or car. Stillness came, but smiles hadn't faded. There had been no dessert, just play time. Brandy and cigars in the study was replaced by bath time and bedtime stories. We had the essentials of any successful dinner party though, good food and good company.

Let the Good Times Roll.