I'm thankful

It's Thanksgiving Day in Canada today. A good day to stop and reflect on all the things that matter. I am so thankful for so many things. Here are just a few of them:

Adorable little boys (in fancy chef's hats) to bake with

Tasty pumpkin pie and sugar cookies (check out those turkeys!)

An appreciative husband to taste those cookies (how do you like my skulls? spooky, non?)

My lovely sister-in-law Linda who looks after one of my boys while I'm at work, and sometimes comes to clean my house!

My wonderful sister who I love more than anything. She always makes me laugh and isn't she just gorgeous? (Oh and by the way, Alan, we do know you're back there...)

Linda's amazing turkey cupcakes! Seriously! Look at them! She made them from melted caramel. That girl needs to go into the cake decorating business...

My awesome dad and Uncle Dave, quiet and kind and always there for you when you need them

A garden swing to sit on with my big boy on a sunny Thanksgiving Sunday

There's that husband again, always happy to do some taste-testing for quality control!

Big smiles and even bigger cuddles with this little love (you can't tell in these photos, but I am still suffering from laryngitis, along with a nasty headcold... uggh)

Cousins to admire giant pumpkins with

Oh boy, can you just imagine how long it's going to take to scoop that sucker out?

My sister and her little boy

Auntie Pat, the best aunt in the whole wide world (loving- and spoiling!- a whole new generation of kids)

My family. I am so thankful for the 4 of us and the love & fun times we share (and all the challenges we face as well... they help to shape us and make us who we are, individually and as a whole)

Quiet moments to reflect (here's Sawyer having a little rest from the festivities underneath a garden bench)

Cousins who are just a week apart in age, and who love each other and laugh together like this

My amazing Mom, and the fact that she'll go buy a bag of marshmallows just because the boys said to her how much they'd love to roast them (can you tell what a fun outdoor dinner party she and my dad hosted? it was pretty fantastic!)

Faraway relatives (here are Auntie Ann and Uncle Ron keeping warm by the fire) who drive all the way from Oregon to celebrate with us

Two gorgeous little boys at the end of an exciting, long and busy day, still full of smiles and cuddling up on the bed for a story before it's time for sleep

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Happy Thanksgiving to all of you, even if you aren't in Canada! I'm thankful for each and every one of you, stopping by, reading my words, and saying hello. It always makes me smile!