Thanksgiving 2012

We had a wonderful time celebrating Thanksgiving this year with friends AND family. :)  My older sister came out from Texas to be with us and it made that day that much sweeter.

We started out by attending a Jazzercise class that morning.  You've got to huff and puff before you stuff they say. :)

Then we came home and in a beautiful frenzy created quite a few delicious concoctions.  Then we headed up to the Holmes' house, Joe's boss, for dinner, a walk to the beach to play football and watch the sunset, and back for games.

I'll let the pictures do the rest of the talking... and there are quite a few of them.  (Most photo credits go to Bonnie Holmes)

Raspberry Swirl Mini Cheesecakes,,, check.  

The gangs all here! I think I had just taken a bite... hence the weird smile.

This girl ended up sleeping through the entire Thanksgiving dinner.  And then woke up happy playing with mommy's bras that she can reach from her pack n play.

Beautiful sunset

Joe ran to the top of the hill to get the full effect.  Gorgeous.

Sara had some great presentation!

Yum!  I have to make a dozen extra for my husband when I make these.

Goober.

Bonnie, his first crush.

My cooking buddy! Yes, there was a Starbucks holiday drink involved.

Aunt Katie and I and Nate heading out to watch the sun go down.

My beautiful girl.

Cheese!

Get him!  Two below... come on lets go!

Sporting a pretty skirt.

When you gotta go, you gotta go.

The group.

My sweetie.  Oh how thankful and grateful I am for this man!!!!

Totally in love.

Cuties.

It changes colors so quickly.

While playing games... I think he was in the lead.

Giggles.

Keeping score.

Probably playing Angry Birds.

I love playing cards.

Nate comes around the corner and says, "Chloe has a dirty DIRTY face."  She apparently found some unattended chocolate.  It was a late night. :)

I have so much to be grateful for.  I have been incredibly blessed.

I wanted to leave you with a quote.

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.  It turns what we have into enough, and more.  It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity.  It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.  Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow." Melody Beattie