Thanksgiving 2009

We have so much to be thankful for, but this Thanksgiving we celebrated the fact that MY parents finally made the decision to have a home in Indy. My dad plans to continue working in Pennsylvania and there are exciting business opportunities on the horizon for them locally (more on that in the future), but for now, they needed a place here to call home, as this is where they plan to retire (eventually) and spend time with the two ladies that bring such joy to their lives (yes, I've realized I am no longer one of those people)...They closed on a condo a week ago and my mom quickly set out to create a space for Addy & Lilly, complete with big-girl-beds and safari print sheets! They had their first sleepover and Addy was WONDERFUL while Lilly wanted Daddy to come pick her up, but they made it through the night and did well considering it was their first attempt out of cribs and pack n plays...(DON'T THEY LOOK LIKE BIG KIDS?).

Growing up with relatives who were an ocean away, I am ecstatic that my girls get to see their grandparents so frequently. We are spoiled with Jeremy's parents and grandparents right down the road, not to mention extended family all within driving distance and now my parents so close. I would regret later if I forgot to mention that my kids LOVED the beds and bedding and toys, but the icing on the cake is Ga-Ga Linda and Ga-Ga Ian's neighbors:

Because at age 2 it is so much more about wildlife than interior design!

To celebrate, we gathered 4 generations for a Thanksgiving meal at the new place and christened with good food & drinks. We were missing some pieces of our family puzzles as they spent time with significant others and my sister traveled the world to catch-up with my relatives in England. We gave thanks to be right here in the heartland!

R-L in relation to Addy & Lilly: Lilly, Grandma Jody, Addy, Grandma Linda, Great-Grandpa Bill, Uncle Jon, Grandpa Dave, Daddy, Great-Grandma Mickey & Grandpa Ian

So, to summarize, when asked today, Addy & Lilly are MOST thankful for: moo-cows, play-dough, new toys, cookies, Teague's tiny Tina dog, books, blankies and french fries.

We are off for round 2 tomorrow up at the lakes with Jeremy's extended family and can't be more excited. On a different note, we began to decorate the house for the holidays today and already have a broken ornament, stocking hanger, Santa figurine and wooden reindeer. This will be an ongoing tally through the month of December--so, stay tuned.