Happy Thanksgiving!!! What a wonderful time!

I know it's a day late, but I just wanted to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving. That is probably self-evident by the title of this post.

I love Thanksgiving.  If I had to pick a favorite holiday, it would probably be this one.  Maybe it's because it is all about being grateful for what you have.   Maybe it's the amazing variety and assortment of pies and other delicious foods that bring a wonderful aroma to the entire house.  Maybe it's because of the huge family gathering and the laughter and excitement of all the children.  Maybe it's a combination of all of those.

This Thanksgiving was exceptionally wonderful.  My fiance and I decided to host, with the help of her sister and brother-in-law.  Her family came down from Boise, and my sister and brother-in-law came down from Logan.  I also had my three kids this year, my fiance's uncle here in Orem came with his wife and their three kids (who are basically the same age as my three), and another aunt came with her husband and daughter (who happened to be about as old as my middle child).  Altogether, we had 25 people in attendance at Thanksgiving dinner.

As would be assumed and appropriate for such a large gathering, there was an enormous amount of food.  We assigned everyone to bring something, and nobody disappointed.  We had two different turkeys (one seasoned with maple, one with rosemary), mashed and baked potatoes, two large crock pots filled with stuffing, vegetable trays, home made rolls, green salad, fruit salad, green bean casserole (which most people there actually enjoyed), deviled eggs, and probably 16 different pies!  After eating, we visited for an hour or so as the 7 children ran around playing with each other, their laughter filling the different rooms they ran around to and played in.  We eventually all came together for games of "What If?" and "Werewolves" (a more "complicated" version of "Mafia").  To say the least, it was an amazing feast of Thanksgiving.  Everyone seemed to have a very enjoyable time.  I, myself, am very grateful for everyone who came, helped out, brought food, or just enjoyed the day with us. 

I read an article in the Daily Herald newspaper yesterday titled "Gratitude is good for your brain."  Apparently, in the past few years, psychologists have started doing experiments to learn more about the science and brain chemistry behind "one of humanity's most powerful emotions."  According to the article, "One of the reasons why gratitude works so well is that it connects us with others."  Undoubtedly, the results of these initial studies do not teach us anything knew about being grateful: it is a "positive emotion" that can make us feel better, and it can help others feel better, as well. This is why Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays.  It is a wonderful time of year to slow down from all of the hustle, bustle, and distractions of daily life--the struggle to secure for ourselves our wants and needs--and to remember what we do have, what we have been blessed with. It is a beautiful time to let our family and friends know how grateful we are to have them in our lives.  I am, again, very grateful that I have had the privilege to spend this Thanksgiving with my children ( the light and joy of my life), my fiance (the light and love of my life), her family (an amazing group of wonderful people who, fortunately, feel like part of my family), and my sister and her broth-in-law (two more amazing and wonderful people). 

And I would also like to an extend a heartfelt thank-you to any and all of my readers, wherever you may be throughout the country or throughout the world. I hope you enjoy my writings, and I hope to be able to provide some more entertaining stories for your enjoyment.  Have a happy Thanksgiving weekend, and remember to be grateful as we transition into the Christmas season, the new year, and the business of everyday life.  Happy Thanksgiving!