Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!!! We are so blessed and we stopped our normal routines yesterday and gave God thanks! I know thanksgiving is a heart posture! It's something we need to do every single day! To say thank you to God for my many blessings and give Him praise! We do that in this home and I'm so grateful!
Yesterday morning, the littles woke up and I grabbed a simple version of the "First Thanksgiving" and we sat on the couch together and read it. We discussed how it must have been to sail to another country and ride the Mayflower across sea all for freedom! The Indians resisted the Pilgrims at first. We read how Squanto was forced to be a slave and all the times he escaped and traveled back to his people. These folks really went through something!!!! I really can't imagine! He helped the Pilgrims and they made peace and celebrated with giving and bringing their best for a feast - Thanksgiving meal!
Mike and Matthew joined our little gathering and we had our annual family meeting. We all said what we were most thankful for! Things we would like to work on or strive for for 2022! It's always so good to sit down and jot things and goals down!
Then we got dressed in nice clothes and gathered around a spread out table at Mike's mom's house! Mom does so good at hosting our crew! The turkey was so delicious and the side dishes of mashed potatoes, sweet pototoes, filling, gravy, Mac and cheese, cranberry relish, cabbage salad and soft rolls all made it a feast! Thank you Mom for hosting the family!!!! We finished with pumpkin pie and grape mush and hot coffee! So richly blessed are we!!!!
The cousins played all afternoon! Mike, Matthew and Rosie shot clay birds. Others sited in rifles for the big hunting day next Monday! We played Four Up and Four Down. There were toys and messed everywhere by the end of the day but again Mom was patient with it all and we had it cleaned up before leaving.
I love this saying!
Ritchie took the little boys out back and gathered a bunch of sticks. They made a teepee in Moms yard. Maybe it will stay there till Christmas!!!!????!!!! Way to go Ritchie for hanging out with the littles!
I fixed up a snack board late in the afternoon!
Thanksgiving Day is a gift! We are healthy! So many are sick around us fighting COVID, colds and other illnesses! We are healthy! Others have lost loved ones this past year and now face the holidays alone or without a loved one. We are all still gathered around the table! Some are lost and don't know how to give thanks to God because they have been through so much in life that it's just hard for them to see any good! We sing "The Goodness of God" as a prayer here in our home and I mean it when I sing God's been so, so good to me! We have abundance and others are strapped to every dollar they earn. There are missionaries still in Haiti being held hostage and can't be with their loved ones! We are free to come and go as we please! The list goes on! All I want to say is "THANK YOU JESUS!!!!"
Happy Thanksgiving!!!! May God bless you through the start of the holiday season!
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I took away the pumpkin decor this morning and replaced it with the nativity scene and candles!!! Fresh greens will get cut soon and placed throughout the house! Smells of peppermint and gingerbread and fresh pine and cinnamon on now top scents! Christmas music will be on nonstop! It's truly the best time of year!!!! One goal I made for this upcoming month of December is to bring peace, joy and much laughter to our home! It's easy to get all wrapped up in festivities, parties, events and that can bring some stress and rush but I really hope to bring PEACE! To slow down more than other years. To take the time to read books, do puzzles, sip on coffee and tea and hot cocoa! To treasure each day as a family and make tons of really good, new memories is on my wishlist!!!!
The littles played rock, paper, scissors to see who can play with the nativity scene first!
I love candle sticks and glow!!!
We are off to spending a few days with my family now and I really can't wait to get some shopping done next week and let the Christmas festivities begin!!!!!
