So Much To Be Thankful For

Thanksgiving is always a time to really sit back and reflect on all the little things in life that we take for granted.  It's also the start of all the fun holiday festivities and time to be with family.  I have always loved going to see The Nutcracker at the Paramount.  It's always the weekend before Thanksgiving, and for me, going to the ballet performance officially starts off the holiday season.  I haven't been in a few years, but this year one of my friend's daughters was Clara on Sunday afternoon and one of my mom's professors in her department was also in the show.  So, we went together and had a blast!  Everyone that performs in the show is so very talented and it's amazing to see and watch them perform their God-given talents.  This year when we were sitting there watching, mom and I decided that we were going to have my Mimi come up and watch the ballet as well.  She loves musicals, concerts, and live performances.  So we know that she would love watching The Nutcracker.  However, she hates mice!  And, if you've ever been to The Nutcracker, then you know that there is a scene where the mouse king and the nutcracker have a battle.  The mouse king has all his little mouse soldiers and the nutcracker has all his little soldiers fighting against one another.  I'm not sure how well my Mimi would fare during this scene.  It sounds a little silly...but you can even show her a mouse stuffed animal without her hiding her face!  I remember one time when I was little and TY beanie babies were all the rage, there was a mouse beanie baby that came out.  My Mimi got it for me in Hamilton because all the stores were sold out in Abilene.  When she brought it to me, she had asked the cashier to bag it up in two bags.  Then, when she got home she put it in two more bags!  She wouldn't even touch it...and it was a stuffed animal!  We still tease her when we see little things like that...it's so cute to watch her hide her face.  Anyways, I think that she would absolutely love The Nutcracker...we may just have to go to the snack bar when that scene is being performed!  It's also been really cold here lately.  We even had snow this week!  Which makes the holiday season even more special!

This year for Thanksgiving, we celebrated with Cody's family on Wednesday night.  They all came over to our house and we had a very non-traditional Thanksgiving meal together.  Because we all have so many other places that we visit during Thanksgiving, we decided a few years ago that we would have our Thanksgiving meal be a little more non-traditional.  That way, by the end of the Thanksgiving break, we aren't sick of all the yummy food!  I decided to make pulled chicken sandwiches, pinto beans, hash brown casserole, a salad, and a new pie recipe that I found.  It was called a harvest pie and it was made with sweet potatoes instead of pumpkin...and it was delish!  I bought the crust...I can't believe I just admitted that!  But, on top of the crust there was a gingerbread cookie crust and then the filling for the pie went on top of that crust.  After the pie baked for forty minutes, I took it out and put a cranberry-pecan streusel topping on it.  It was to die for!  There was some leftover and I made a baked oatmeal breakfast casserole with the leftover pieces of pie that I had cubed.  That was also super yummy!  Back to Thanksgiving!  After dinner, we cleaned up a little and then just sat around and visited.  There was a new show on MTV that was on...it's called Ridiculousness.  And let me tell you, it's dumb.  But, the boys sat around and watched that while we girls sat around the kitchen table and chatted.  Chrissy and her hubby's kiddos are getting so big and are so grown up.  It's crazy to think that Airicka is about to be driving and Eli is a teenager!  When we got married it seemed like these years were so far away.  Then...little Aaron is going to be two this June.  The time really does fly.  And that's why this time of year is my favorite.  You get to see family that you don't get to see very often.  There is so much catching up, laughing, teasing, joking, and loving on each other to do.  We had so much fun and we get to see them again in a couple of weeks to celebrate Chrissy's graduation!  We are so proud of her for graduating and couldn't be more thrilled to be able to celebrate with her and watch her walk across that stage!

After we had Thanksgiving with Cody's family, we drove down to KerrvilleKerrville!  Cody drove, Faith sat in the front seat, and I sat in the back with Trigger and Sarge.  It was just easier to keep them all calm and from wondering around the truck and possibly bumping the steering wheel with me sitting in the back with two of them.  We stopped in Brady for a break, and more coffee for me!  I went ahead and drove from Brady to Kerrville with Faith still in the front seat and Cody in the back with Trigger and Sarge.  It may sound a little funny that we would let one of the pups sit in the front...but hey...we had to separate them or they would be playing and we had to make sure that they wouldn't get too rowdy!  They love road trips and when we are heading to our destination...they are super excited and ready for an adventure!

We got to Kerrville around 11:30 and went straight to Cracker Barrel for Thanksgiving lunch.  We made it safe and sound and about the time we arrived...the dogs had finally settled down...go figure!  Normally, we cook a big Thanksgiving meal at my Grandma's house.  But, since she has been going through chemo treatments and just recently had major surgery, we figured it would be easier and less stressful to dine out on Thanksgiving this year.  The house would be less messy with all the cooking and the best part...no clean-up!  There was a rather long wait...but once we got seated and our food was served...we all agreed it was well worth the wait!  The one thing that we all love about Cracker Barrel is that it tastes just like your momma (or Gradmomma) made it!  It was so very good, and hit the spot.  We had all the traditional Thanksgiving dishes.  Turkey, dressing, sweet potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, and a huge piece of pumpkin pie with streusel stopping.  YUMMY!!!  It was so nice to sit around the table and talk and spend time with everyone, especially my Grandma.  When she was first diagnosed with cancer back in the summer, we weren't sure how she would be feeling when the holidays rolled around...or if she would even be here.  She is pure proof that our Lord performs miracles and heals even in our modern world.  She had surgery back in October (that's for another post) and, thanks to the chemo, the tumor had shrunk and her doctor was able to remove every spec of cancer that was in her body.  She will go through three more chemo treatments and be completely done...and cancer free!  Praise the Lord!  So, it was extra special to look across the table and see her smiling face this year at Thanksgiving.  Another small thing that I take for granted.  After lunch, we went back to my Grandma's house and just relaxed for a bit.  We were all full...but not so uncomfortably full like normal.  My mom had put a pot beans on that morning (she, my dad, brother, and their two dogs went down on Wednesday night) so that we could have tacos for dinner.  After we relaxed for a bit, the boys gathered up their hunting clothes, bows, guns, ammo, and two doggies and headed down to the ranch to get an afternoon hunt in before dinner.  Mom and I went to the store and got some things that we needed to make the tacos and my Grandma rested for a bit while we were out running errands.  When we got back, we looked through some of the ads that were in the paper regarding all the Black Friday sales...man there were a bunch of good deals out there!  That is one thing we've actually never done, but we decided to venture out a little later on Friday morning just to see what we could find.  After we looked through all the good deals for Black Friday, we got everything out and started making dinner.  The boys got in around 7:00 and sat down to dinner and this time my cousin was there with us.  It's always nice to add one more family member to the dinner table!  We watched the A&M and Texas game...such a disappointment.  I really thought the Aggies were gonna pull it out this year...sadly to my disappointment...they didn't.  It's also sad that this was the last time these two teams would play each other.  It's a Thanksgiving tradition in and of itself to watch the A&M and Texas game...such a fun rivalry!

Well...after the game...we were all exhausted.  The boys took Trigger and Tank back down to the ranch after the game so that we would only have three dogs at my Grandma's instead of five.  Yes...you read that right...five dogs!  And big dogs...all labs except for Sarge who is a Boxer!  They are all sweet though...they think they're lap dogs.  But Tank and Trigger are just a little over a year and still have lots of energy that is just perfect for a ranch!  So, they took them down there and they were able to run and play and find all kinds of fun things to smell and get into.  Mom and I woke up on Friday morning around 7:00, got ready, went and got coffee (duh!), then we were off to see what we could get into.  We stopped by Home Depot first because they had poinsettias on sale for a dollar and my Grandma wanted six of them to put out at her house.  After that we went to the mall and only went in one store because after that...we had had it!  Plus...it was time for more coffee and breakfast!  We did find some really good stuff though.  They have a store in the Kerrville mall called Belk.  It's kinda like a Dillard's and Kohl's combined.  It's got the name brands that Dillard's has, but the really good sales like Kohl's has.  Mom got a few new pieces of clothes and I got a pair of black riding boots.  By the time we got home, it was about 9:30 and we were ready to take a shower!  I get a little anxious when I'm around so many people and it also makes me feel gross.  So, it was nice to get home and jump in the shower and get all cleaned up!  After that, more coffee :-)  Then, the boys got home and soon it was time to figure out where we were going to eat for lunch.  My Grandma was feeling really good, so she was able to go with us.  And...Kerrville now has a Bonzai!  Which Abilene also has and it is amazing!  They have the hibachi grill as well as sushi and sushi rolls...which are my fav!  That's where we decided to go because everyone could get exactly what they wanted and be full for the trip home.  Once we were done with lunch, we ran a few more errands, then came home and packed up our stuff.  This time, the pups were a little more subdued, so they were all able to get in the backseat and snuggle together so I could sit in the front with Cody.  However, by the time we got to Fredericksburg, Trigger had climbed in my lap and preceded to ride the rest of the way home that way!  Little stinker...she's a snuggler!  There was one time right after we stopped in Brady and got on the road again that she was in the back on the floorboard of the truck, but that didn't last long.  Sarge and Faith snuggled together in the back the rest of the way home and miss Trigger laid in mommy's lap until we got to Abilene!  Cody and I spent the rest of the weekend doing stuff around the house  He hunted, and I got the house cleaned and ready to put up the Christmas decorations...and I ran to the grocery store to stock up on foodie goodies!  The Christmas decorations are all put up and our house is ready for Santa to come visit!  This is truly my favorite time of year!!!

Me and my daddy waiting outside Cracker Barrel before Thanksgiving lunch!

My love and I sitting down for lunch.  I love him so much...I'm one lucky girl!!!

My Grammy, brother, and I before lunch.  Look at how amazing she looks!!!  This is about one month after she had major surgery...God is truly amazing!!!

Us three again.  We had just gotten home from lunch and decided to take a picture in front of my Grandpa's old farm truck.  He passed away when I was five and my mom was pregnant with Michael...we love and miss him everyday.

Sarge loves his Uncle Michael!!!  Spoiled rotten for sure!

All the babies in front of our pretty Christmas tree.  I think they're trying to convince Santa that they've been good all year...we'll see if he believes them!