Time to unwrap the gifts!
Toddler crayons rock! (From Grandma Lorie, as is the Stud Muffin shirt.)
New books are also awesome. As Damian unwrapped each one he made Michael read it to him.
Damian received a ton of gifts from family, so therefor there are a ton of pictures. Michael and I bought him a Tonka firetruck which has been zooming around the house for the past few days, along with the wooden helicopter from his Aunt Lydia. He also received an awesome pedal powered tractor from his Grandma Lorie, Great Grandma Mason and Great Uncle Stan. As if I already couldn’t keep up with him, now he has wheels! I think he is in love. They sent him the John Deer shirt to complete the look. (Now if we could just get a plow and tiller for it, I would never need to do yard work again…) Ivy received clothes and a huge singing plush hound (it sings “Blue Christmas”.) I have a video of her with said dog which I have yet to upload. We also received a wooden advent calender, a duvet cover and a camera (thank you Uncle Stan!) and a jigsaw. Come warmer weather and a little practice, Michael and I are going to try our hands at some simple wooden children’s toys. I am really excited about that.
Christmas was lovely and I am certain Damian was completely thrilled with his gifts (as he is still playing with them all.) The day had a perfect wrap up for him too, hot chocolate and a snuggle in his new red bathrobe (made with love by yours truly, with a pattern created by my mother-in-law.) I could make a tradition out of just that you know…
“For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.”
- – Ralph Waldo Emerson
We spent today at our friends’ Thanksgiving gathering. Peter and Andrea’s home is always so welcoming. Andrea’s sister-in-law, Laurie, surprised us with a couple of gifts too, a really soft adorable turtle plush for Ivy and a Kalanchöe, a tropical succulent, this one has orange flowers. I admit, I am a sucker for new plants.
Damian behaved as well as any 17 month old toddler can. He loved the food too, I was pleasantly surprised that he ate the turkey since I have the hardest time getting him to eat any form of protein, animal or plant. He stuffed himself silly (very silly indeed) with it in fact. The only problem with going elsewhere for Thanksgiving is you don’t have leftovers, however my turkeys would not have been nearly as good anyways. Ivy even left me some room for seconds!
So what is your preference? Barbecued turkey or oven baked? They had both! And tons of sides of course, yams, mashed potatoes, dressing, gravy, cranberry sauces, rolls… Everything was delicious, but more then that, the company was wonderful. (I think it is impossible to feel like an outsider with the Parrish family…) I have been spending an exuberant amount of time recently feeling rather nostalgic about my mother’s side of the family (with whom I spent nearly all of my childhood holidays with.) Andrea’s family reminds me of them quite a bit so it was extra special and a bit therapeutic to spend Thanksgiving with them.
I hope you had as lovely a day as we did and have hearts as full of gratitude as we do. Happy Thanksgiving!
