by Denise Bell
My sister says that my Thanksgiving Day plans remind her of that movie that’s is just coming out. You know the one? Where the couple is invited to four family dinner parties and are obligated to attend each one! This year and every year, I am thankful to say we are invited to at least one dinner, and I also usually cook a dinner. This year is no different. We have been invited to my brother’s house, it is an hours’ drive, for a fabulous dinner at 12:30, and then we have been invited to another terrific dinner at my mother-in-laws’ back in our hometown at 5:30. Both cooks will make things so wonderful it will be hard to resist!
We have never had the “visit one family this year and the other family the next year” concept. 
We all live close enough that we try to visit everyone every holiday.
This is really the fun way to do it for us, except that I, the mom, ends up a bit exhausted, and of course because of all the great food a “little” overstuffed by the days end! I try though, to remain thankful, and I truly have so many blessings to be thankful for.
Because of the movie comment that my sister made to me, I began thinking about my Thanksgiving memories. I realized that I don’t have very many.
I remember waiting what seemed like an eternity fo
r my grandparents to show up for dinner when I was little. My mother cooked the most fabulous dinners and set the prettiest table. I also remember one Thanksgiving was absolutely a beautiful day and all the boys were playing football in the park across the street. Other than that, as a child I really don’t recall any particular memories.
As an adult I do have one Thanksgiving that stands out in my mind for some strange reason. We spent the day at my brothers’ house which at the time was quite a drive and so we couldn’t come back home in time for another dinner.
It was a more relaxed day. He had a huge backyard in a country type of a neighborhood. The kids were able to run, jump on the tramp, play with the pets, and be as noisy as they wanted. My sister-in-law cooked a beautiful dinner and was so excited to have us at her home. What great blessings to have a brother and sister like that, the kind of family that just makes you feel loved and cared for.
I guess that’s the bottom line, I felt so loved and cared for that day.
Anyway, I think it was my favorite Thanksgiving as an adult.
Oh, and one more reason I can remember the special things about that day, I took pictures.
I’m sure the pictures are the reason I can remember that day at all. I never take pictures on Thanksgiving, except for some strange reason, that special Thanksgiving I did.
I have the cutest pictures of my little boy hugging his cousin that is just two weeks younger than him like they are the best friends ever and he’s never going to let him go.
I have an adorable picture of my daughter playing Barbie’s with her cousin, their smiles are so big. I have a clear picture of what the weather was like because of the outdoor pictures. I also took a picture before we left home, of the three kids we had then, so I can tell what ages they all were because of their sizes relative to each other and because our youngest child isn’t in the picture. A picture is worth a thousand words comes to my mind in this instance.
So, my goal for this Thanksgiving Day is clear to me. I am going to be thankful that we are invited to and will attend both dinners, that I get to sample so many wonderful dishes at each of the houses! Forget counting calories for one day! This year I plan to relax more and live in the moment, having fun and create lasting memories.
I WILL take PICTURES!
I also came up with a great Christmas gift idea. I am going to take pictures of my kids with the same cousins that I have Thanksgiving pictures of from years ago. Then I am going to make copies of the pictures from years ago, make a scrapbook page with the old and new pictures, give my kids one and send their cousins one. Maybe I will make a puzzle instead.
Whatever I decide, I know they will all feel loved and cared for, and will have a Thanksgiving memory to cherish for a lifetime.
Have a Happy and Memory filled Thanksgiving!
Denise
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