I found this in Sophie’s backpack.
my BUVRZ = my brothers
JAZ = James
ON = Owen
“Thanksgiving is the holiday that encompasses all others. All of them … are in one way or another about being thankful.” —Jonathan Safran Foer
This year we traveled to Baltimore for a long Thanksgiving weekend with Grandma and Paw Paw, Aunt Lizzie and Great Aunt Fran. Thanks to the help of a second portable DVD player, the kids did well on the trip and it was so nice to be surrounded by family, especially family we don’t get to see very often.
The weather was unusually warm—we spent much of Thanksgiving morning outside, at several neighborhood parks.
As usual, Thanksgiving dinner was delicious. The kids especially enjoyed their own kid table this year.
Later that weekend we went to Baltimore’s Festival of Trees—Owen and James loved the train exhibit; Sophie loved the indoor carousel and tattoos.
Andy found his old Battleship game in the basement. Sophie played a good game against him, but Daddy won.
Thankful for family, and being able to travel and spend time with family. Thankful, indeed.
“A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all the other virtues.” —Cicero
Every year friends from, literally, all over the United States gather for the annual OSU Thanksgiving, which began 13 years ago as a full-fledged Thanksgiving meal served on a buffet table made out of boxes and a door in college housing. Our good friend Carrie Leonard is a freelance photographer and writer—these pictures belong to her. Should you ever need a photographer in NYC, consider her. Her work is amazing. You can see her full portfolio here.
Thanks, friends, for another wonderful visit.
“Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art …. It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival.” —C.S. Lewis
We celebrated Kyle’s birthday when he was in town for Thanksgiving (someday, hopefully before February, I will be caught up with this blog—I have yet to bombard you with Christmas pictures). We watched the OSU vs. Michigan game, and had lunch and (vegan) chocolate cake and pudding. The cake sort of crumbled but was really good. The boys loved it. I mean, they love dessert. But they devoured this. Which was awesome because one of the main ingredients in the pudding, for example, was avocado. I must get the recipe.
The day was nice. It involved lots of good food, candles in crumbled cake in a bowl, presents, hugs, turns playing hairstylist, a color icing experiment with Nini, football and family.
Happy birthday, Kyle.
“A brother is a friend given by Nature.” —Jean Baptiste Legouve
The day after Thanksgiving we invited Katy, Tom, Colleen, Kyle and my parents over for dinner. How I wish we all lived closer and could do this routinely, monthly, even. But instead I will be grateful for evenings like these, even though rare.
“When you look at your life, the greatest happinesses are family happinesses.” —Joyce Brothers
My mom’s table settings are always beautiful.
Mom, Kyle and Dad cooking in the kitchen.
Grandma making stuffing.
Mom cooking.
beautiful Colleen
Owen could have spent hours doing this.
Sophie decked out for the holiday.
fresh flowers (a gift from my dad to my mom), vintage linens, dinner plates from France, antique crystal wine glasses …
wrestling with Pop Pop
kisses
Colleen and Katy
Great Grandma gives the best back scratches.
dinner
Thankful, indeed.
“I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.” —G.K. Chesterton