Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy, happy Thanksgiving, everyone! So very thankful for so very much...thinking a separate blog post about that might be in order later. :) In the meantime, though, I just wanted to pop in to wish you all a joyous holiday...however you may be celebrating it.

I'm off shortly to hang with my guys. We're just doing our "normal" low-key Thanksgiving here...just the five of us and some good downtime. While I definitely love time with my guys and the lack of stress and everything, I'm always a little sad at Thanksgiving because I have such fabulous memories of the holiday growing up.

My dad's whole family would always get together...sometimes at one of the eight sibling's homes, sometimes at our local church hall (named after my dad's dad), sometimes at the family farm, sometimes elsewhere. It was so much fun! I loved catching up with all of my aunts, uncles and cousins (about three dozen of us altogether). There was always an abundance of food...

And often friends were invited, too. :) While I was in college, I often brought out of state friends home to join us...

...and there was always a game of touch football. When we were younger, the uncles would all join in but, as we got older, my dad took pride in being the only uncle still participating. (Below, my dad's the one in the yellow hat...trying to lead my friends, cousins, siblings and me to victory.)

...and usually someone would organize some crafts...making ornaments with wheat, coloring, etc. 

Here are my high school friend and my cousin making something with wheat. (My dad's family has a family wheat farm so it's kinda our thing.) 

I remember, too, great games of hide and seek up at the family farm, pinochle tournaments, and just so much time laughing together.

Yup, it was just awesome. So many memories. Thankful for extended family...for friends...for Thanksgiving memories...and for getting to enjoy the moments all over again through photos like these.