We are at my sister-in-law’s house today for Thanksgiving. It’s Jenn’s first time hosting the entire family for Thanksgiving and she’s done the most amazing job. Jenn (or “TT” as we all lovingly call her…..her nickname was “tattletale” when she was younger). Boo is well on her way to being “mini TT.”
Boo helped me with the place cards this morning (TT got the printables from Over the Big Moon):
We’ve all been adding things to the “thankful” tree:
The house and tables are all so beautifully decorated…..I hope I don’t have to host anytime soon because this would be hard to top : )
I want to sit at the kid’s table….why don’t the adults get crayons?
TT used “The Perfect Turkey” recipe….doesn’t it look perfect?
We still have an hour or so before we eat so everyone is resting and the kids are playing outside in the amazing weather. We have six cousins under the age of 5 and they are just in heaven playing together! We have a huge blended family and I just think it’s amazing that we have friends, ex husbands, step-siblings etc that all show up to every holiday and everyone gets along so well. The house is filled with laughter and fun. I’m sitting in the living room surrounded by napping adults…..writing this post while listening to the fun banter from the kitchen…..my hubby just got “fired” from helping because he was too messy. Life is good.
There is so much to be thankful for.
It’s been a month and three days since my surgery and start of chemotherapy and I’m thankful for every day since.
I’m so thankful to be here today.
I’m so thankful for my sweet daughter and loving husband.
I’m so thankful for all of my wonderful family.
I’m so thankful for my wonderful friends who have helped us out so amazingly and without hesitation over the last month.
I’m thankful that my father passed away peacefully this year and that my mother is such an incredibly strong woman of faith.
I’m so thankful for wonderful doctors and a doting father-in-law who are helping me get better everyday.
I’m so thankful for all of you. I have so many wonderful online friends that I’ve become so close to over the last 2 years.
I’m so thankful for the most wonderful, loyal and hardest working assistant ever: Lisa. I’d wither away without her.
I’m thankful for all my other Lil Blue Boo employees and helpers: Gicela, Dawn, Mariela, Irizima and Carolyn.
I’m thankful for Cole’s progress……getting just a little better each day.
I’m so thankful for health, a roof over our heads, and food on the table.
I’m thankful for the little things.
I’m thankful for spandex.
I could go on and on and on…..
I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your families today. I pray for anyone who is having a hard time today and needs uplifting. I pray for everyone to have tons and tons to be thankful for.
Love and thankfulness to all of you!
XOXO,
Ashley
Aw! I love all of the things you are thankful for! I try to teach my children these things. Don’t think it has set in for them yet.. And I love that Mr. LBB got fired from the kitchen. I could just picture it now! We are in our apartment this thanksgiving. We close on our house next week! We can’t wait. So we didn’t do a dinner, maybe for christmas when we have all of our things. Happy Thankgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving from Australia. It was lovely reading your list,
I am thankful for all the people in my life. And very thankful that I found you online, Ashley. God bless you!
Happy Thanksgiving! We don’t celebrate this in Australia but it seems like such a great idea. Everybody should spend some time occasionally writing out a list like that – there’s alot more to be thankful for than you realise. Hope your feeling better every day.
It’s not thanksgiving for me, but Happy Thanksgiving anyways! Having a special day to be with family and take stock of all we have to be thankful for is so wonderful. It’s always so interesting that your family is so blended, it’s great that everyone can come together for a special occasion, it reminds us that family doesn’t always have to fall into the conventional definition of marriage and blood. 🙂
Happy Thanksgiving. Thanks for sharing, I love the idea of a thankful tree, must do that next year, Love the kids table, Have a delicious gathering. We will be 27 members of my family together in a couple hours. Cuppy
Happy Thanksgiving and greetings from the midwest! Your blog is a joy to read and your journey is inspiring. Even in trying circumstances, there’s always plenty to be grateful for, isn’t there? I’m grateful for big-hearted people like you!
Your blog is beautiful and I thank you for it. As I looked at the photos, I became so homesick that I had to step away and cry (I’m at work today). I called my mom and she and your photos took me back and made me feel extraordinary. Again, thank you for a lovely reminder of my heart.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family and I am so glad that each day you seem to feel much better.
I am thankful for your inspirations. Have a lovely day.
Laura
So grateful for all your gratitude modelling. Please give your mum a big hug from me. I was parying for you in the shower this morning remebering it is your first time without your dad but you are still choosing joy. So glad you are able to be with such a loving group.
We don’t have Thanksgiving in New Zealand but my daughter is in Boston with special friends so she is enjoying the holiday season.
I will post some links on fb for you to explore when you have time but if the children want some special stories go to http://www.fablevision.com and read Peter’s books -especially Rose’s Garden and The Dot and -ish. They are really special books and there are plenty of activities and creativity starters. Happy Thanksgiving. (I posted some great Thanksgiving quotes on my fb page too.)
I too am thankful for so many blessings in my life. Today, I am thankful for you Ashley. Although I only know you through the computer you have reminded me about what is important in life. I continue to ready your blogs and gain such inspiration and perspective. When I feel like I am having a difficult day I can read your blog and always get a quick pick me up as you remind me of important life lessons or even just share the events of your day. It used to be your amazing clothes (which I love to buy) and your craft talents in so many areas that made me so in awe. These days I get as excited to hear about your day as i do to get more crafty ideas. Thank you for those three minutes of reading to brighten my day. Your strength and positive attitude is so admirable. Happy Thanksgiving.
I think everyone is thankful for Spandex on Thanksgiving! 😉
No, seriously, isn’t it crazy how much our Father loves us everyday…So much to be thankful for!
A wonderful post Ashley. I’m thankful for you…that you are here and fighting your way through each day with positive strength. I am thankful for my wonderful family, that my daughter’s MS is in remission and her tests show her colon cancer free, that her 9 yr. old son (our first grandchild who always has a kind, giving heart and sweet smile) does not have a serious heart problem, that his autism is being treated by a wonderful group of Dr.’s and that hopefully his scoliosis will not need an operation for correction. I’m thankful for our family’s strong faith in God. I’m thankful that I did not wear spandex today! Much love to you and your family during this holiday season.
Dear Ashley,
Happy Thanksgiving! I think we are all thankful for spandex, right? Especially after all I ate yesterday. 🙂 Many prayers and blessings sent to you!
I’m thankful for all the inspiration you give. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
I am thankful every time I read your blog. Your are amazing. Happy Thanksgiving. xoxo
This is very beautiful, I do not know you and I have not visited your site in a long time, so I did not know anything about the dark period you have been through. I wish you all the best for the future and especially a good health.
Beautiful thankful post…I’m thankful that I found your blog/lilblueboo site…your stories and testimonies have help me maintain perpective on a situation in my life. I have said, (ok maybe I’ve screamed it through tears a time or two) “CHOOSE JOY” more times that I care to think about, but w/o your story about your Dad and what you are going through so triumphantly, I wouldn’t have had that analogy to draw from. So, I am thankful for you Ashley, your ability to write like you, I’m sure, talk and for making your blog so personal that I feel like we are old friends. Keep the faith and remember you touch lives in more than one way!