Because it’s very important, let me preface this post with the setting:
Scene: Living room.
Brenda Lee’s Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.
The evidence of yesterday’s dinner is still present in the form of four unwashed plates, three wineglasses with lip stains and the carcass of a cherry pie (I picked all the sugary top crust off today).
Twinkly lights everywhere.
The kids are not feeling well, and we just made it through one hour of all three crying at once. Also known as The Gauntlet. We survived and now two are passed out for the night.
Yesterday was lovely. I miss big family holidays–a mess of cousins, a noisy table and telling stories with my brother and sister until late into the night. But we make do pretty well.
Annual Thanksgiving Pajama Breakfast with our neighbors/friends/loves (eight years doing this? nine maybe? I lost count).
The pajama pants Brett was wearing above? I noticed they were Playboy bunnies halfway into breakfast. That one time I bought him a gag gift when we were dating. Nice.
And our little family dinner, joined by Poppa & Gary:
My first turkey. Turned out perfect. I gloated.
Insert word bubble into picture with inappropriate 50’s housewife saying.
And now. Our favorite time of year. We swim in coziness. And my sap-o-meter rises.
We put our tree up last week. It makes me happy. So many memories, events, trips and moments of gratitude preserved in special ornaments on it. I used to point out favorite ornaments to visiting friends and tell the stories that went with them. Now I stay quiet and smile listening to Lainey tell them instead. She knows them all.
And with holiday sap comes a slobbery kiss to y’all. Grateful for this space that continues to grow and change as our family does. It’s been a place to be creative, it’s been a place to grieve, it’s been a place to express thoughts on love and family, faith and frustrations and, as always, a home to the little delights that make life grand . It’s always been an outlet that brings me happiness, and I’m excited to bring some new experiences to this space next year. Thank you for being part of it. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. And Happy Hannukah to our Jewish friends!
I’m over at BabyZone with 9 Family Holiday Traditions to Start This Year and over at All Parenting with Thanksgiving Legacy: my mama’s cherry pie.
sounds like an awesome day. Family is really so important and you have a wonderful one 🙂
Sounds like you had a great day.I love all the pictures you added to the post.Your Christmas tree is sooo pretty.
I always love how you tell your ‘life story’. I brings back so many memories and faces of those who are no longer with us. Thanks for all you do for all of us.
Here I thought you’d share how you prepared your turkey 😉 looks delish! Great job!
Awww… love this! Happy Thanksgiving!
My heart was happy to see a sweet little decoration all the way from little old Tasmania. Kelle, don’t know how you do all you do, but I do know you are still true to yourself here in your space, and I am so thankful for finding it when googling birth story three years ago. I have so much to be thankful for this December, with Christmas now forever linked with the birthday of our precious girls. I can not believe the year I have had. I have changed so much in perspective, my heart will never be the same – but it is so much bigger and open to my family and friends. There has been so much love, joy, fears, tears, triumph, pride: I should feel wrung out, but it’s like I was in training, it is now primed to feel so much more for my two precious little miracle babies. Much love to you and your family. Xxx
Dash is getting so big! Happy (belated) Thanksgiving to your sweet family!
I love the pajama breakfast tradition!
Don’t you just love babies on tipe toes ? 🙂
Beautiful turkey…I’ve still never made one! (Or a pie — I’m almost becoming ashamed of that one…)
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, and let the Christmas countdown begin!
~Lisa
Happy thanksgiving and back to you I’m so grateful that I get to read and view this beautiful space of yours xxx
The space you have created here is so cozy. It’s like home for people. It just makes sense. I love visiting, reading, catching up with the kids and laughing. I always feel positive when I’m done reading and I die looking at the pics of the kids. Dash in particular this time – tip toes!!! Thanks for sharing your life!
I just love your blog and have been reading for a long time but have never commented until now. Your passion for life is incredibly inspiring and your photos are so beautiful! Thanks for sharing your world with us and happy holidays from MN!
I love all of the pajamas and slippers on the girls! What a wonderful tradition!! Wishing you a happy holiday season! 🙂
Beautiful photos, it looks like a really fab day. Now why don’t they make red/white/green striped onsies for adults?? Or do they and where can I get one?
The gauntlet. Ha! Love how you keep it real. Hope they are feeling better today. Thankful for you and this sweet space. Now bring on the falalala:-)
Ohhhhh mercy! The gauntlet!
… There’s nothing to say, but ‘ohhhh mercy, the gauntlet’)
Happy Holidays to you sweeties! Always loving your space here and enjoying the small things with ya. I’ve learn a lot watching you along this journey and am grateful for you. Truly.
Dash peeking In the Tub of Gaiety is such a preview of his little growing curious little baby boyhood.
Xoxo
The baby on tiptoes!! I have been wanting to get this picture of my son for weeks. I have to have the camera more handy. I love the way they pull themselves up and into whatever looks like it needs a bit of investigation.
The baby on tiptoes!! I have been wanting to get this picture of my son for weeks. I have to have the camera more handy. I love the way they pull themselves up and into whatever looks like it needs a bit of investigation.
Could your family get any cuter? I submit that they cannot. Love your traditions and love creating my own as well. Thanks for the reminder about why blogging and sharing and writing and reading is awesome. Happy Holidays!
Congratulations on your first turkey…always a satisfying and thrilling achievement! I just returned from a wonderful, huge family get together in the Asheville, NC area–including my 92 year old Mom who flew in– and there is nothing like family to put things in proper prospective. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family…the kids are growing so fast and are just beautiful and sweet. It was so nice to see that Poppa and Gary were able to join y’all.
The photo of Dash looking at the camera with the Christmas lights is so sweet.It might just be me, but is that turkey in your pic upside-down? Good job either way.;)
Looks like a wonderful time! We started the annual tradition of having my hubs family over for breakfast seeing how they typically don’t get together. It was a lot of fun and we will do it again next year!
What an awesome day! I love that the ornament stories are being told by a new generation. Priceless.
Looks delicious and fun!!! Enjoy your holidays.
So, so, so, so nice! 🙂
Nella’s is getting so big and she is so cute, love her expressions! Happy Holidays to you all!
Beautiful pictures! I’m glad you had a great Thanksgiving!
What a beautiful family!
Gorgeous photos!
Happy New Year!