Celebrating Thanksgiving

First of all, much like has been the pattern for the last two weeks, Thanksgiving was a dark and dreary day with low, thick clouds blocking out most of the natural light sources in my home.  Therefore, the following photographs are not of stellar quality by any means.  My camera was trying its best, set at all extremes, but images you see will be grainy at best.  Grainy memories are better than no memories, right?

We were thrilled to have Auntie Dot and Uncle Don join us for our Thanksgiving celebration. Thanksgiving and Easter are probably my favorite holidays, and we had a very fun day.  Dot and Don brought Jana the dog (pronounced Yanna) along, of course, and there is nothing more exciting for the kidlets than having Jana in the house.  One of the first items of business after their arrival was presenting Jana with her new high tech hiking books to use on treks in the woods.  

Jana wasn't quite sure just exactly what to think of her new foot apparel.  In fact, she did some pretty comical high stepping, which made us all laugh and laugh.

Grandma Kathy stuck the game Critter in the Candy in Auntie Dot's car.  Critter in the Candy is a very fun game from my husband's childhood that involves a pop up die, and a critter beneath plastic chocolate candies.  Grandma Kathy made the mistake of giving away Critter in the Candy when her kids got big, and has regretted it ever since the arrival of her grandchildren.  Last year Greg found it on Ebay and got it for her.  Before we sent it to Grandma's house, though, we had to try it out, and it has turned out to be one of the kidlets very favorite games.  Auntie Dot, Jana and all the kidlets had a great time playing it while Greg was putting the finishing touches on the mashed potatoes.

 

The kidlets also built a castle out of blocks for Jana and encouraged her to have some dog food for lunch.  

We sat down at the table in places assigned by Sarah (with a little bit of direction from me) and feasted.  Yum.  

After our tummies were full of all those magnificent dishes, it was time for a quick nap for almost all of us.

At sunset there was a game of in-the-dark hide and seek outside, with everyone bundled in their winter attire except for me.  I had a headache and needed a quick nap.  They sat around a toasty bonfire outside and sneakily finished off the last of the raspberry rice pudding that is a traditional dish for my husband's clan (and oh, is that stuff yummy!)  

The kidlets had a quick snack of peanut butter bread, and snuggled up to read some good books.  The Banana fell asleep halfway through the second book.  She is struggling with a head cold this week.  After about sixteen more children's picture books, it was off to bed for them, and on to Trivial Pursuit and TransEuropa  for the grown ups.