What I Love Most Today is Thanksgiving.

Well, we did it.  We managed to make and eat our way through what may be America's greatest national tradition, Thanksgiving.  In my home preparation starts a few days before hand.  This time I prepared a Blackberry Pie from scratch.  I don't do it every year but it's so good.  I think I have perfected the crust.  

While I was cooking on the day of, I had the girls and some of the younger boys make name places for the tables since we had 22 people!

The girls got princess stamps and the boys got stars.  :)

About a week before Turkey Day, the kids and I cleaned out the garage and I found a box that I had brought home from my mom's home after she passed away.  It was filled with a complete set of 12  bone china dishes from England.  It's the one pictured below.  I love it!

I also love my mom's actual china that she used.  Hers is the set below.  I think the set above was my Great Grandmother's.  

My daughter cracks me up.  I had her in a cute outfit for the big day.  But low and behold she came down in tights under shorts, a short sleeve shirt (it was a high of 54) and a Giants necklace that belongs to her brother.  She has her own ideas, that's for sure.  

The only thing that was served on the actual eating tables was the cider and this amazing Apple Salad I found on one of my favorite food blogs called 101 Cookbooks.  It has a "Creme Freche" salad dressing, that is so good. 

During Thanksgiving we think about what we are grateful for.  But, the truth is, I think about what I am grateful for all the time.  But, if I had to pick a couple that I think about often it would be my health, my family and my home.  I'm 37 years old and I am strong and healthy.  I've had 7 children, but my body still feels like it did when I was young.  I thank God for this every day because it lets me do things with my kids, take them to great places and helps me to enjoy my own existence.  

My family is a great blessing because I've mentioned before that I didn't really grow up with this "type" of life.  I have wonderful kids, who are not perfect, but are amazing and wonderful in each of their own ways.  They are happy and energetic, with dreams, goals and achievements.  It blows my mind that they are my family sometimes.  My husband is my greatest friend and support.  He works hard for our family and supports me in our endeavors to have this great family of ours.  Plus, he's just great company and I love to be with him.  

My home is not big, it's not new and it's not even really my own.  We rent it from Kirk's parents.  But, I think there is a loving spirit about it.  It's the place where we have created and sustained so many great traditions with our family.  It has gone from a house to a home because we live in it together, we eat together, we read together, we laugh together, we go through the hard times together, we pray together and we have fun together, in this home.  And that's what I think of as a wonderful home.  

My son is so tall.  I'm almost 5'9.  He's about 6'2.  I know I keep mentioning this.  That's because it's crazy!!

I think what I love so much about Thanksgiving is that it's a tradition that brings together family and friends.  This is mostly my family, but my sister in law Kerri has another sister in law who is her husbands sister.  We have become good friends with their family as well and we had them over to join us for the feast.  It's such a great holiday for growing friendships and relationships.

We were actually supposed to have our other dear friends, the Hales' join us as well, but we couldn't reserve our Club House that would have been big enough to host everyone.  

My house is by no means big, but we manage with what we have.  And by manage I mean that my awesome brother in law built that table the kids are at below.  He took an old door and stuck some legs on it.  And wa-la we had a table.  :)

The beautiful butter pictures from above resulted in this beautiful pie.  This may have been one of the best Turkey Feasts yet.  What I love most today is Thanksgiving.