a thankful weekend

As far as thanksgivings go this one offered up a whole lot to be thankful for. 

There was feasting, and game-playing, and visiting with family.

We went bowling, and tasted pies, and walked beneath the christmas lights at temple square.

It was a weekend of late nights and late mornings.

And even an intense family workout to make us feel better about it all. 

And then of course more feasting, more games, and more visiting & laughing with family.

We feel especially lucky because it's our second thanksgiving of the year, the first being back in October,

when we celebrated Canadian thanksgiving in Canada.

So two thanksgivings a year? Just another of about a billion things to be thankful for.

Canadian Thanksgiving:

Thanksgiving U.S. Style:

A day of thanks.

It's seems strangely natural for me to be pessimistic.

I think the fact that I have an eye for detail allows me to see even the tiniest blemish in any situation.

So I try on a daily basis to train my eye to see only the good.

And overlook the bad.

Basically to be more optimistic.

Some days it's easier than others but today I couldn't feel more grateful.

Everything looks perfect today - not a blemish in sight!

I attribute this partly to the numerous blessings I've received in my life.

But mostly to my ever increasing ability to recognize those great things when they come.

Yep, this gratitude conditioning is really working.

I'm an optimist in the making! 

And just a few things that made today a really fantastic one:

- sleeping in until 8 

- fresh blanket of snow

- Harry Potter matinee

- christmas tree & lights

- cooking with hubsy

- turkey dinner

- homemade cranberry sauce

- hubsy doing dishes

- christmas music (courtesy of pandora)

- no class or bedtime

- fresh flowers

- holiday phone calls from family

- warm socks

I'd like to think that even without all these things I would have found the day to be just as lovely.

Because I truly believe this little gem:

"The greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances."

-Martha Washington

Hope both were good for all of you today.

Happy Thanksgiving!

october is for thanksgiving.

last monday was canadian thanksgiving.

and as per usual we ryan prepared cornish hens for the celebratory feast.

(i just showed up at 7:30, right after class.)

table was set, dinner was made, and canadian thanksgiving did not go unnoticed.

somehow this has become the tradition - cornish game hens for october thanksgiving.

-the one month that for me always feels like, seems to be, reminds me of traditional thanksgiving-

and don't these tempting little birds just scream "it's a feast"?

something turkey-ish but also different enough to distinguish between my canadian roots

and ry's american heritage. 

they seem just the perfect thing.

as do the teeny pumpkins with which we decorated the table.

so happy thanksgiving!

a smashing thanksgiving weekend indeed.

yesterday we enjoyed thanksgiving in slc with my maternal grandmother,

as well as so many much-loved extended family.

today we celebrate thanksgiving with our brother rick at our own cozy little abode.

tomorrow? who knows.

but there are certain things i most want to remember,

things i am most thankful for in this moment.

1. laughter that lasted all day long yesterday.

2. a guest room that is finally clean {if not yet cute} and finally getting used.

3. a husband who is more adorable than words.

{as my little 2nd cousin ivy also discovered this weekend.}

as we were leaving she lamented to ryan:

"i so wish you weren't married to her, {pointing to me.} so when i grow up i could marry you!"

it's been a lovely thanksgiving weekend,

and is sure to only get better, as we have big plans with christmas decorations tomorrow!

Thanksgiving

Look how happy Ryan is!

Being that I am from Canada, we are subject every year to two Thanksgivings.

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So, with our first celebrated back in October, as evidenced above, and the second fast approaching, naturally we have been pondering on those things for which we are most thankful.

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Of course there are those most obvious blessings for which we thank the Lord daily; food, clothes, family, freedom. But Ryan and I have been realizing more and more, recognizing more and more, the infinite blessings that enter our lives every single day for which we frequently forget to express thanks.

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This has been the topic of many late-night discussions.

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Just last night we had fresh out-of-the-dryer sheets on our bed. Could anything be more wonderful? It seems more than we deserve to be able to snuggle together under cool crisp sheets that smell faintly of detergent, and just feel so cozy and clean.

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Leading me to #2 - hot showers. After spending 18 months living in Romania where hot water was a luxury during the winter months, not a shower passes me by without reminiscent thoughts of those all too frequent cold early morning showers, reminding me of the luxury of hot water.

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There are so many things. Innumerable things for which we are thankful. Mostly, I guess is just this spirit of thanks that teaches us how to be contented and happy in whatever situation we find ourselves.

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Right now we are both working students with very limited financial resources, no spare time to speak of, no family close by and nearly nothing in the way of material goods, but we are perfectly happy. Can you believe it?

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All because of this Little thing called gratitude. I think that's pretty incredible.