We’re having our Thanksgiving just as a family of four this year, which means we could have ordered a pizza and the toddlers wouldn’t have even noticed. But my mother always made sure our meal was special, even when it didn’t involve dozens of extended relatives and I wanted my kids to have the same – despite their skepticism over everything from mashed potatoes to pie. But I’m so thankful we get to spend the day together, that we are all healthy and blessed, and that there is more pie for me.

If anyone needs leftovers, PLEASE come over ASAP!

Watching the parade

Warm cider-rum punch

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Today I am thankful that NaBloPoMo is DONE and I DID IT and I will NEVER DO IT AGAIN. I am both proud of myself for posting every single day (MORE THAN ONCE if I had sponsored content, because I felt like that was cheating) and annoyed at myself for posting every single day (because I am not that interesting). I think I ended up annoying people more than anything – my comments dropped significantly, which for me defeats the whole purpose of blogging. Not because I need constant reassurance that I’m awesome (although that sure is nice TOO) but because hearing YOUR stories and thoughts and advice is a huge part of why I bother to write my thoughts here on the interwebs instead of in my journal. So, dear friends, if I promise to write less crap, will you come back now? Pretty please?

Things I WILL be blogging about in December: cookies, Caroline’s first birthday party, how much I hate cleaning my house, knitting, my fight with myself over possibly weaning the baby, Little Evan’s inability to control his own strength, house plants, tattoos, traveling with kids and Christmas decorations. I will also be taking more naps, eating too much and dedicating a LOT of time and energy to finding the perfect bubble bath.

Today I am thankful my blog can go back to being whatever I want without feeling like a quitter.

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Oh man, I am SO HAPPY to be home vegging on my couch and staring into a long, boring afternoon of regularity. No more traveling, no more driving, no more pack-n-play, no more guest bed, no more unbaby-proofed houses, no more stuffing my face with pie, no more long afternoons with no naps, no more rushing around to get thing unpacked and Christmas decorations up. I love spending time with our families but everything about traveling with kids is stressful. It’s hard to be “on” as a mother constantly – sometimes I just need to lock myself in a bathroom and scream, but in a house full of people there’s always someone knocking on the door to make sure you’re OK. I have trouble explaining yet, I’m fine, I’m just GOING TOTALLY CRAZY for a moment. It will pass.

Instead of letting Nick Jr do all my parenting today, I managed to get the kids out the door to Stroller Strides and the playground for a few hours. We’re having that week of insanely mild temperatures where all the New Englanders run around in shorts and tank tops and say “This is crazy! I can’t believe how warm it is!”. I think this happens every November – I definitely remember wearing flip-flops to my OB appointments at this time last year – but it still feels SPECIAL. I’m determined to take advantage of it as much as we can before I have to deal with winter coats and hats and mittens and blankets and running out to start the car at 7 am so it defrosts before we leave the house. And the snow. There’s going to be so much snow.

I’m already sad about Christmas being over, which is CRAZY because it is NOT AT ALL OVER. It’s not even December. Why am I letting myself get depressed about taking down decorations while I am putting them up? It just feels like the month is so full of things that I can’t possibly enjoy all of them enough. And I WANT to enjoy them, especially because Caroline’s birthday is coming up in 3 weeks and I’m trying to throw together a tiny party for her. Of course, by “tiny” I mean I’ve already started decorating, made a lace garland and I’ve bookmarked seven different kinds of cake to try making. I SWEAR it’s going to be low key though, if only because I won’t have time to clean up before we have to get back in the car and travel AGAIN for the holidays.

So excuse me while I go take a nap. Today I am thankful for easy, quiet, boring afternoons like this one.

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I am thankful for my nice warm house. I am thankful to be home in my house and on my own couch. I am thankful my couch is so super comfortable. I am thankful there is a giant TV in front of my couch that is playing a weeks worth of recorded TV. I am thankful for my giant king sized bed, where there is plenty of room for a tiny baby-shaped barnacle to cling to me all night without causing a crick in my neck so painful I considered REMOVING MY HEAD. I am thankful I did all the laundry before we left so I only have 7 loads to do now that we’re home. I am thankful I have a full day tomorrow with E before he goes back to New York so we can get started on all the Christmasing. I am thankful I labeled all the boxes so I know where the Christmas decorations are. I am thankful I have a house to decorate. And BOOM, full circle of thankfulness.

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You better go put on your Thanksgiving bib, cause I’m about to spew rainbows and sunshine all over you. This post is the literary equivalent of a unicorn frolicking with sugar-dipped kittens while eating an ice cream sundae topped with rock candy. Your teeth might actually rot from your head before you can even eat your pie. Better have the pie first. I can’t handle that on my conscience.

Today I am thankful for you. YOU. Reading this right now. You are my thankful today and every day. I am thankful for every single person who has ever read my silly words here on my silly blog. I am thankful for the amazing advice I’ve gotten, the friends I’ve made or reconnected with, the support, the encouragement, the happy thoughts, the prayers, and the nudges back from the edge on the days I don’t think I can take it anymore. I am thankful for the people who read every day and the ones who have only read one post. I am so luck to have found a village – even if it’s a virtual village – in my journey as a mother.You have supported causes important to my heart with your time and your wallet. Because you read I get to call myself a blogger (when I’m feeling brave) and a writer (when I’m feeling REALLY brave). There truly are not enough words for me to express how much I love my corner of the internet and it is ONE BAZILLION PERCENT because of you.

I am not the best blogger or the funniest or the coolest or the most generous or the kindest or the most fashionable or the healthiest or the most creative or any sort of superlative at all. But I would like to try to be better at being a friend. If there is anything I can ever do for you – YOU – please let me know.

I hope you’re having a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with as much food, football and family as you can possibly stand.

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