Don't skip Thanksgiving!!!

I love, Love LOVE Christmas time...really I do, it's my favorite time of the year. I love everything about it. The fact that Christ is the center of the holiday,the music, lights, gift giving, baking, family time, traditions, the list could go on and on! I have one little problem though...

What about Thanksgiving? We seem to get fixated on the commercial side of holidays and since Thanksgiving isn't hyped up as much as Easter, Halloween, Christmas, and others, we seem to forget that it's so important to be thankful for ALL the blessings we have.

I have to admit that when it comes to holidays it's all about family traditions, and for Thanksgiving there aren't really too many that come to mind beyond what's on the dinner table that day. That being said, this year I wanted to focus on our everyday blessings and start a new tradition in our family. I went here (you should too)and downloaded the little tags, made our own little autumn-ish container, and each evening we pick something out and do what the tag says. It's not much, but it helps us to serve others as a family, be grateful everyday, and learn/teach new things.

I know you just can't wait to pull out those Christmas decorations, start playing that music, and baking those goodies...but try to remember and FOCUS on Thanksgiving first. It's REALLY important. I think it's great that we even have a holiday where at least once a year, people that usually don't stop to think of the good things in their lives, do! It just kinda makes me sad when it's almost viewed as a "ugh, gotta wait til Thanksgiving is over...til Christmas!" kinda thing. Ya know??? Christmas is an uplifting,exciting and magical time of the year, but I think if we can remember/find new things to be grateful for, it will make our Christmas that much better :)

Happy 50th Birthday Mom/ Nana!

This is our card this year :) You don't have to feel guilty or debate when your b-day is over, if you should throw it out or not. It'll be here forever!

We love you so much, and like I've said a million times, and probably a million more, we just can't wait to see you soon! You are so beautiful and I love so many things about you. Hope you had a great day at Disneyland with Jennette's crew :) (we colored this card before we knew you were going to D-land, it was meant to be!)

Side note: Skylee continues to ask when we're going out to CA and I would have to say a couple months for the longest time, and she would correct me and say "No, NANA said a couple WEEKS!" Now she's right! See you soon, we'll celebrate this day again together!

Happy Halloween 2009

can you tell we wore this shirt as many times as possible this month? lol

Baby P's first Halloween :)

Ready to go!

Skylee's pumpkin

Parker with his kitty pumkin

Kissable I tell ya!

Happy little monkey

Silly kids ready to trick or treat!

Skylee was so excited to wear make up!

Isn't she cute?

Brittney's and Ryan's pumpkins

Looks delicous doesn't it?

Skylee and Parker

Skylee cleaning out her pumpkin

Parker's first Halloween :)

Did you get all that? Enough pictures for ya? We really had a lot of fun this Halloween. 3 parties, carving pumpkins, and trick or treating with Skylee this year was really cute. Since Ryan and I got married Halloween didn't really seem to feel like Halloween, until this year. No pregnancies, or moving...just tons of fun! Parker's costume was a full body suit with a tail, but it's still so hot here(even when the sun is down), we had to improvise and he wore brown shorts and one of my brown shirts along with the head peice and booties, it worked I guess? Next year hopefully I'll plan a little better ahead of time and get coordinating costumes for our family! Hope you all had a great Halloween!