​This was the easiest and most relaxing Thanksgiving I have ever had and that was mostly in part to the incredible help from Mike and the kids. While I was getting myself ready in the morning, Mike was already down in the kitchen peeling and slicing potatoes. Much of the morning was spent cooking and preparing for our Thanksgiving dinner. Madeline and Abby joyfully helped with the pies and the deviled eggs while Madeline and Emma helped to baste the turkey. We took plenty of breaks throughout the day to play games, ride on the moped outside, put together our new puzzle, and Mike and the older kids prepped and put the lights on the outside of the house. After dinner we just sat fat for a while before cleaning up the dinner. Everyone pitched in and helped with the clean-up. It was a Thanksgiving miracle to have so many helpers make this day so pleasant!

​It was so wonderful having Andrew home from college for Thanksgiving. We all missed him so much and were so excited to spend a few days with him over Thanksgiving break. He flew in the day before Thanksgiving and Mike and I drove up to the airport to get him. The weather was pretty bad, and it took us almost 2 hours just to get to the airport. Luckily, his flight was delayed so everything worked out. Since we ended up getting home fairly late, only the older kids were still up. On Thanksgiving Day, Madeline was all too eager to head down to Andrew’s room and wake him up. It was so sweet, and Andrew was so excited to see her. We spent the day cooking, baking, and having fun being together. Everyone pitched in and help in some way or another. Mike and the girls were happy to help with the cooking, and Andrew and Peter were happy to help entertain Madeline. We introduced Madeline to prepping the turkey, but she was not at all excited to butter the turkey. She did not like greasy hands and she actually got pretty upset at us and had a small temper tantrum. So, we washed her hands and let her help us stuff the turkey, She seemed to like that better. Her favorite thing of the day let her go play elsewhere until it was time to roll out the dough for the rolls. She grabbed her own cutting board and rolling pin and had a blast rolling out her own dough. This was definitely more up her alley.  To carry us through lunch we decided to make a cheese tray for everyone to enjoy. Let’s just say it was gone pretty quickly. That was a definite winner this year. Of course, Thanksgiving dinner is always the best and one in which we all look forward to every year.  It is not only a time to eat lots and lots of food without feeling guilty, but a time to be grateful for each other and the many blessings that we have enjoyed throughout the year.