This Thanksgiving I take pause to remember all that I am Thankful for. Don't get me wrong though, this is something I try to do often. I don't think gratitude should be relegated to once a year, but a way of life. I thank my God daily for my children, my job, my family and friends, my hardships and successes. I TRY to ...

Doesn't mean it always happens, but I humanly attempt.

Usually on Thanksgiving the kids and I take the train to Chicago for the Thanksgiving Day Parade. Before I had kids I would watch the parade on tv and wish I was there. Once I had children, I decided why not start our own tradition and go!? I wasn't big on cooking a huge turkey when it was just us, and LOVE the parade. So we usually get up and leave by 4:30 am, get to the train for the 5:55 and make it to a parade spot with time to spare for the start. We would bring along things to occupy the kids, snacks, etc. The parade was always great, especially the balloons, and afterward we'd get turkey sandwiches from Sub*way and eat while we waited for the return train.

Last year when we went we were not only met with the freezing cold we'd gotten used to, but also RAIN. Now cold is fine, you can bundle and layer and we weren't out too too long before we were warming up in the train station, but COLD and RAIN, not such a pleasant mix. We still had fun...

But it was yucky!

So, when it rained all day yesterday, and added in a little ice to boot, we rethought our plans for today. Instead of going to bed early, we opted to rent a red*box, stay up late, hop in our sleeping bags, and eat popcorn...

Today was a chorus of "Happy Thanksgivings" as I woke up. Lots of excitement in the air, and thankfulness too.

Of course the first thing on the kids' agendas... finding Tom (our Christmas Elf who comes on Thanksgiving).

And instead of taking an early train, eating junky snacks on the way, and freezing our tails off under a large umbrella, we opted for a breakfast of powdered sugar donuts...

Learning how to string popcorn and cranberries to drape on our tree...

Finding out what happens when we're not as careful as mom suggested and our thread gets tangled...

Trying to get Percy to cooperate and play "baby" (he was in here all of two seconds while I snapped the picture and then was GONE)...

Making some more of our Christmas ornament gifts...

Playing in a box...

Playing in the kitchen while mom cooked lunch...

And eating their FIRST ever, at-home, Thanksgiving meal!

Kids are napping now, and then we're going to be going out for dinner and to the theater to see Tangl*ed. A full day filled with fun and THANKFULNESS!

Cheers to you and yours this Blessed Thanksgiving!