{Foto Monday} A Thankful Holiday

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.

Usually {Foto} days happen on Fridays but since this heart of mine will be in sugar, butter and sprinkle mode by the end of the week with the start of 25 Days of Cookies, I thought today worked better.

MJ, Love Bug, Sweet J and I had a low key Thanksgiving day with my mom and PC in their home. I don’t have any pictures of our tasty food and I don’t even have any pictures of my mom and PC. But the sun was shining, the weather was perfect, the food was delicious, the company delightful and the Packers won, so all was not lost.

MJ requested that we wear our team gear for the day.

The glasses are a fun ‘Nana’s house’ prop that Bug enjoys.

There is no evidence but I was wearing a Packers shirt too, while Sweet J wore his Packers footie pajamas. I did however capture a shot of Sweet J and his new themed paci.

And, like last visit, Sweet J did some magazine consuming. He really likes to ‘digest’ as much information as he can.

To add more blessings to our day, MJ’s sister and her husband welcomed their first child, a son, late on Thanksgiving night after a lengthy labor. While we’ve only seen him through photos, we can’t wait to snuggle him.

On Saturday, the entire extended family on my mom’s side (everyone but my sister who was traveling) descended on my hometown for a day long gathering. I don’t know if it happens at your family holidays but the food seemed to grow and multiply while no one was looking. Even after everyone went through, the table looked untouched.

There was chatting, there was laughing, there were games played. Tea parties were held and a block castle was built and demolished.

There was a puff ball explosion.

The groups and conversations morphed and migrated and I enjoyed catching up with everyone. Even though we are spread out over the country, when we get together, it’s like we never were apart.

The two youngest of our clan, though not the youngest for long, spent some time ogling one another. Well, J did the ogling and Baby L sat pretty.

Sweet J got a little handsy. He just wanted to touch him…. or squeeze him… maybe plant a few slobbery kisses. Maybe next time.

Then there was the group shot. I know everybody says this, but my family is the best.

I bossed them all around and everyone played along.

Here’s our stats:

The two that started it all, Grandpa and Grandma, four daughters and three spouses, 15 grandchildren (one missing), eight grand-spouses and 12 great-grandchildren with two more coming soon.

Best family ever.

I did some finagling and ‘just Photoshopped in” the one delinquent (look right).

Now it’s complete.

At the end of the day, hugs were everywhere and I got a little teary. But, we’ll be together again soon. Until next time…

These last pictures were taken Thanksgiving morning. The sun was peeking through the trees and there was a little bit of frost on everything.

What actually got me outside were these beauties.

The leaves on the vine looked like little tags of gold shimmering in the sun. Just gorgeous.

It was a peaceful moment for me, which brings me to the last and most poignant event of our holiday.

On Thanksgiving day, MJ’s best friend and his wife lost their only child to an aggressive and invasive brain cancer, diagnosed this past July.

D, or Superman, a sweet and beautiful 15-month-old, courageously fought for as long as he could and then went peacefully in the arms of his parents.

To Superman’s parents – We love you. We mourn for you. We hold you in our hearts. And we will hold Superman there, too. Forever.

Take care.

-amy c