Feeling thankful. And full.

This Thanksgiving was hands-down, without question, absolutely, positively 

the GREATEST Thanksgiving of my life.

Here's why.

1.) I didn't have to leave my house.

For the first time ever, my family came to me.

Having a new house + a guest room is where it's at.

2.) Guitars + S'mores + Campfire Songs + Hot Chocolate.

Need I say more?

3.) Bailey's first Gymnastics class.

Didn't go well at all, but OH. MY.  That little diaper butt in a tiny white leotard falling spastically off a balance beam.  Nothing cuter I tell ya.

4.) The Aquarium.

All our wildest dreams - lizards crawling on our bodies + feeding raw shrimp to sting rays + getting pooped on by birds + letting fish eat the dead skin off our fingers.  Magical. Ish.

5.) Ice Falling.  Oh, I mean Ice Skating.

I wish pictures could convey the sheer emotions of this experience. 

It's safe to say that Bailey inherited my California blood/repulsion of all things winter.

She no likey.

Cameron was a close second on the Ice Skating Hate Graph. He gave it a good effort for approximately 23 seconds and then ate it and spent the rest of the time pouting and trying unsuccessfully to avoid frost bite.

Aubrey loved it and picked it up in a jiffy.  She was so fast, I couldn't even get a single picture of her.

Brooklyn was THE most hilarious ice skater of all time.  She just didn't give a crap.  She slipped and skidded and stumbled and swerved.  She was Tara Lapinski one second and eating ice the next.

6.) Winner Winner Turkey Dinner

This year the boys cooked Thanksgiving dinner while the girls watched a football game.  My how the couches have turned.

They did THE BEST job and it could not have been any better.

New tradition.  For sure.

7.) Family Talent Show

I have only videos of this, but let suffice it to say that it was maybe the best thing ever.

The highlights were Aubrey and Brittany's Acro routine + My dad's guitar songs + Cameron and Luke's light saber fight + Braden vs. the kids in the pit + Brittany and Maria's gorgeous song + My mom's slideshow + the brother's guitar solos + Bailey's sign language + our family's "Riptide" jam shesh + so many more.

8.) Cookie making.

9.) Temple with family.

Happy Thanksgiving.