Pure Joy!

Have I ever told you that I adore Thanksgiving? That it is bar none, hands down, my favourite holiday. Not only is it the best culinary day of the year but it is also a weekend worth of priceless family memories.

This year we are lucky enough to have husband's parents join us for a dinner yesterday. FIL's health has been deteriorating rapidly and it sometimes feels like we live week-to-week wondering if we'll get many more memories with him.

This year each boy has had a fun field trip to a farm or farmer's market to explore the bounty of Ontario Farmers. They've come home for a new appreciation of the hard work it takes to put that food on the table from another perspective. Not just from mom waving a finger at them reminding them that there are starving children all over the place that would consider themselves blessed to have what they enjoy without much thought. Seeing it on the farm, touching the dirt and seeing the farmer's life makes it all the more tangible.

As part of our family weekend we took the kids out to Cooper's Organic Farm to trip along in the giant corn maze. Husband and kids were beyond delighted with the Maple Leafs theme because of their rekindled love of hockey. The whole trip was picturesque in such a corny fall themed way but sometimes corny is awesome.

The dinner has been planned and put off until tomorrow since the visit to the farm was followed by a very long family nap and a bit too much watermelon. Can't beat 10lbs of organic watermelon for $1.00!!! Seriously! I love getting into the kitchen with my glass of wine and my ipod loaded with opera favourites. Then kicking back with another glass of wine and letting everything roast for hours while I knit.

Our front porch now has five pumpkins (yeah that'll be work when it comes time to carve them) my kitchen is covered with hand print turkeys. Cut and paste turkeys. Of course my Thanksgiving tree and all my usual decorations. I celebrate large because I want my family to know that they are my everything.

I am blessed with the most fabulous group of friends. I have a good comfortable home that admittedly is not always clean but always warm and welcoming. I got to marry my best friend and
I love that each day he makes me laugh so hard I almost wet myself. My kids make my heart swell with devotion. Most days I even like my crazy wiener dogs. I have skills that make my life a little easier and faith that makes the hard parts more bearable. I don't need a holiday to be reminded of my many blessings but it sure is nice to have a whole day to celebrate them.

Happy Thanksgiving from my crew to yours!