What I love about Thanksgiving...

Hm... This question was posed to me by a friend today at our department Thanksgiving feast. I drew a blank. There was the typical: food, black Friday (yuck), family, etc. You know me, there can't be just one thing. But if I had to say, just one, which is hard...I'll tell you...at the end.

I do love how it's never been about a meal, always about a rowdy, never-the-same-way-twice, unpredictable, non-traditional family fest. For days. The nice thing? No presents, so you're not surprised when Mom (Nana) once again hooks everyone up with presents from everyone else who was either too broke, lazy, or all of the above to remember presents. (Calen, you've actually perfected this...)

We start off with our family in the Grasslands enjoying a bit of this...

And Annalee is going to wow us with some amazing inspiration from here...

Followed by some fun time such as this, and Pea Pool! (Can't believe Aria was this small last Thanksgiving)

Then we'll migrate west for some of this, you know, the "Oh Sh*t!" fun stuff only siblings can get into. Brian, Jen, Kris, Calen, Evan and Me = equals tons of laughs for my Mom and many how-did-they-turn-out-like-this moments for my Dad.

Then we'll tell stories. Big, make you roll on the floor, cap on you for hours - or years - after stories.

Then there's the meals, and you never know when they'll occur, who'll be there or what will be served, but it will be good, you'll get plenty and you'll laugh, a whole bunch. Just don't be sensitive, a great deal will be at your expense. Wait, that's just me. And Evan.

We'll spend hours in here, checking Tupperware for goodies that neighbors have sent over or better yet, mom has baked. (Notice: only Brian and Dad seem to do dishes on holidays...thanks!)

Weather depending, we might do a bit of this. I crack up how going to the farm is the only activity that gets us out of the driveway when we come to town. That and quick trips to the liquor/grocery store.

And we'll end up back here like this. Coolers, boxes of wine and lunch, strollers, luggage. Thank goodness we won't be hauling all that mess anymore. Sheesh.



So the one thing I love the most about Thanksgiving? The naps. There's just something AWESOME about my parents house and the musical nap game. It's oddly shaped (I guess) and kinda cavernous, but it doesn't feel big. The brilliance in the design is at any one moment you can get away to some nook and crash. Potentially and proven, there are 13 places to nap (not counting the floor, to which I have photos of Brian and Calen sleeping on the floor). My Mom must have 100 blankets because there never seems to be a shortage and you can either snooze with the TV on in the den, retreat to a bedroom, crash on a couch, whatever, no one cares. I know there's been at least one day each Thanksgiving where someone is sleeping from 10 AM to 5 PM. Serious. (Evan blows the curve.)

So, I haven't planned a dish, or packed a thing, but I'm excited. Because all I need is food, some football on the TV and a blanket and I'm THANKFUL it's Thanksgiving.