Thanksgiving 2008

We hope everyone had a very safe and Happy Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of year and this year was extra special as we celebrated Ethan's first Turkey Day. While this year was crazy and unexpected, we really have a lot to be thankful for this holiday season. We have been blessed with great family and friends and a beautiful little boy that brings more joy to our lives than we could ever imagine.

Thankgiving celebrations kicked off a little early with dinner at my aunt and uncle's on Wednesday followed by a mini Crystal Lake bar crawl with Matt, my sister, Ben and my two dear cousins, Adam and Megan. We had to celebrate Megan's BIG 2-1 with a few drinks and lots of laughs. I was also able to catch up with some girls from high school that I have not seen in a while, which was great. We were up fairly early (not as early as we should have been....those 1:30 am nights really get you when you are 30) on Thursday to begin preparations for the big meal. My sister was in charge of "dressing" the turkey and while I don't think it was her favorite thing to do (see picture below) she did a great job. My sister, dad, and I hit Sterne's Woods for a quick walk and then headed back to get ready for company and dinner. Festivties started around 3 when the Livermore's, my grandma, and a few of my mom's friends joined us. After a few glasses of wine and some yummy appetizers, we sat down for dinner around 6. I absolutely love Thanksgiving dinner and this year did not disappoint. Everything was delicious! Ethan was extremely well behaved and enjoyed a little turkey in his own special way. We ended the evening with 3 great pies that Bev made and a visit from the McArdle's that included a fabulous bundt cake. Friday Matt, Ethan and I headed to Virginia (more on that in another post), but not before putting Christmas lights up at my mom and dad's to kick off the holiday season!

Here are all the pictures from Thanksgiving. I apologize for several duplicates, we were trying to capture some good Christmas card photos. A couple of my favorites though......