Living Thanks

Fall is and since college has been my most favorite time of year.  The first day of fall is my decorate the house day.  I love getting out gourds, leaves, and this year a mini scarecrow.  In college I picked up or someone gave me a little harvest angel, with a corncob dress and acorn leaves for wings; it has been one of my favorite decorations to set out, but silly (trying to be minimalist) me didn't think to pack it to Ukraine, so she's somewhere stuck in storage like sleeping beauty just waiting for the perfect fall day when we decide that it's finally time to come home.
This year I tried making a Thanksgiving countdown on our door "Live Thanks"--I found the idea on a blog somewhere.  I had all these cut out leaves and my intent was to write one thing we were Thankful for each day, unfortunately double-sided tape stuck up my plans.  We made it as far as Rawly, Zoya, Dad, Mum, and Sani (our nanny Oksana) perhaps next year we'll be able to display our thanks better. 
But what Ken and I love most is Thanksgiving...Thanksgiving is family, food, and for lack of a better word--plain fun.  Our family's tradition in to gather with most of my mom's side at my aunt and uncle's in Kennewick.  There's ping pong, Cougar Gold cheese, card games, the annual Freddy's sock shopping on Black Friday, and just hanging out (the list could go on and on, but I don't want to bore you as walk down memory lane).  When asked to draw something about fall in elementary school it was Jim and Judy's house full of so many good memories.

It's a tie, I don't know who like whipped cream more, Rawly or Ken after he fills Rawly's mouth

So serious Nyellie and Rawly

Our Idaho friends

Carving and tasting one of the two turkeys

The Kerchers have arrived

We celebrated Rawls' birthday with this bunch

Nick can always get Rawly to eat, even when there's a bunch of commotion

Aunt Shell (Michelle) and Auntie Holly

Aunt Lyss and Kynslee

So although we haven't been home for the holiday in the past three years, we do a pretty good job of Thanksgiving with our extended "family" here.  We even busted out the Cougar Gold this year (thanks Mom!)