Thanksgiving...Work?!

We left for Lynchburg to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with my family. It's the first year since Grayson has been born that we were with them for Thanksgiving. Grayson and I prepared some special crafts for the day before we left town. We made placecards for teh table. He wasn't too crazy about the fingerpainting, but he loved getting his thumb colored to make the print for the 'body'. We didn't have brown paint, so we colored our thumbs with washable marker!

On Thanksgiving morning we got up and had donuts and other breakfast specials before sitting down to watch the opening of the Macy's parade. We have had the privelege of being there to watch it in person, but it's always great to see it on TV too. Before long, the sounds of a chainsaw filled the neighborhood. My Dad was out back cutting down brush and trees in the backyard behind the pool. He was clearing a place out for a new pool house to hold the furniture in winter and double as a changing room for the summer! Mom said he needed something to do with his days off!!

So we all changed into our grubs and spent the rest of the morning clearing brush, stacking new firewood for mom and the fireplace, and adding to the brush pile by the road that the City would come by and pick up. Mom spent the morning inside prepping the turkey and all the fixings.

Grayson and I went on a leaf walk to collect various colored leaves for yet another "turkey" craft. This one we had fun doing. Although Grayson has yet to master control with the glue!!!We all sat down to eat, famished from the work outside, and looking clean, although not as dressed up as usual! Mom, the food was fantastic as it always is. Grayson said he needed to the prayer, and I don't think any of adults could have prayed a better thankful prayer. He is becoming quite the "prayer". "Those who don't help prepare are on dish duty!" said Mom. So as we were all out helping Dad, all 5 kids were on dish duty, but with that many people it was done quickly.Dessert and games finished out the evening. On Saturday, my youngest sister Megan treated us all to a pancake breakfast. This tradition was started by me when Megan was a kid (we are 10 years apart). I used to get up early on Saturday mornings with her, and we would make pancakes and watch Bugs Bunny cartoons! Thanks Megan!!