Oh my oh my, it’s the Monday after Thanksgiving and as I’m sitting down to put in writing this recap I’m considering I ought to have carried out it sooner. My head is already abuzz with the happenings of a brand new week upon us (and cyber Monday offers to peruse, as nicely), so I finest refill a second cup of espresso and recap whereas it’s all as contemporary because it’s going to get.
This weblog (particularly the non-public life recap part) has turn into such a private diary/file e-book so when you would possibly encourage me simply to maneuver alongside, I can’t do it. I like having these life occasions to learn again on! So let’s time journey again to per week in the past (cue dream sequence music…)
The women and I headed right down to Georgia on Monday and met mother at her property. When my Nannie handed away final yr her cozy dwelling and acreage in rural Georgia was cut up between mother and her siblings. Whereas they offered the home (to a very nice couple which eased the ache of realizing it’s now not Nannie and Pawpaw’s farm), mother is holding onto her 35+ acres of lovely meadow, woods, and creek that additionally holds the household pecan tree, from which Nannie gifted us shelled, frozen pecans from annually. We walked the property, chatted with my uncle (who lives adjoining), and picked up pecans. It was very nice to have a bit of of our conventional Thanksgiving really feel in a yr during which we’re beginning a brand new custom.
Way back to I can bear in mind, Thanksgiving has been at “the farm” however this yr mother took on internet hosting and the women and I had been excited to return down early and assist the place we may. After our nation tour, we headed to mother’s home for snacks and drinks on the dock.
The subsequent morning we walked the canine, walked by the Thanksgiving sport plan, then walked some retailers earlier than ending up on the movie show to see Depraved 2. The theater was PACKED, children in costume and all the things. I had low expectations concerning the film primarily based on some evaluations I learn, so with that, we had been pleasantly shocked and really discovered it fairly pleasurable.
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We had been all excited Wednesday morning as a result of my brother and his crew had been up and on their manner vibrant and early. Whereas the women and their cousins instantly took off to catch up and play, the remainder of us set to work baking pies, getting the parts prepped for Nannie’s stuffing (Kris took this one on which I admired as a result of it’s an outdated vogue household recipe with instructions like “one can of broth” and no actual measurements), organising tables, and dry brining the turkey.
David arrived within the afternoon and he and Kris put in a brand new TV downstairs for mom- an even bigger, flatter display screen for extra optimum soccer viewing and permitting for extra flooring house, which the women took full benefit of after they offered us with a Thanksgiving play during which the acted out, comedically, our lengthy standing household Thanksgiving traditions and tales from the time the children bought misplaced within the woods to David being requested by Nannie to say the blessing. It was all very candy.
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Kris grilled up some fabulous ribeye steaks and all of us loved catching up over a scrumptious dinner earlier than calling it an evening to get some relaxation earlier than the primary occasion.
Mother pulled the turkey out of the fridge at 6:00 AM and it was baking and filling the home with a scrumptious aroma inside an hour or two. The children sleepily trudged upstairs and had been greeted with Nana’s scorching chocolate and “Nana” nut bread to take pleasure in whereas watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. It made such a festive background as the remainder of us bustled round to prep the meals, the tables, and ourselves for the primary occasion.
By the point 11:30 rolled round, household was starting to reach. It was a good looking day and the afternoon unfolded in such an natural and pleasurable manner, one would have thought we had all the time had Thanksgiving at mother’s home. The principle occasion was my cousin’s new child boy, who all of us ceaselessly fawned over. Natalia was so gracious in permitting us to take turns holding him, and I feel it was the spotlight of Hailey’s complete day.
We feasted and sipped wine and cheered the Packers to a victory and watched the children all placed on one other wonderful Thanksgiving play for our complete group of 25, which I assumed was admirable as a result of that’s a fairly large group to carry out for. Within the late afternoon into the early night issues started to wrap up. Hugs had been plentiful and the normal group picture was snapped. Mother likes to say that internet hosting isn’t her energy, however I don’t know of anybody else that might make everybody really feel so welcome and so comfy and so fortunately fed. She made this primary yr of a brand new custom really feel as cozy and heat as one which’s been carried on for many years.
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With all of the serving to arms issues had been largely cleaned up by the point we went to mattress that evening, fortunately exhausted.
The subsequent morning after sipping espresso we hugged mother goodbye and took to the street. We made a rapid cease again at dwelling for clear underwear and a coop verify (THREE EGGS! I feel we’re as much as three laying hens and it’s extremely thrilling) earlier than heading west to David’s folks’s home, which is a straightforward 45 minutes away from us now. Such a blessing.
We arrived in time to hug all our nieces and nephews who’re all so grown that even on my tippy toes, I’m hugging them across the waist, earlier than the kick off to the Georgia vs Georgia Tech soccer sport. 22 years in the past David and I met at a tailgate for that rivalry sport and it feels a bit of like an anniversary to us annually. An anniversary that’s fraught with aspect eyed glares of opposing groups, I suppose, however an anniversary nonetheless. 😉
The Dixon crew are all Georgia Tech followers, so it’s robust to be the lone bulldog (not lone, as Kaitlyn fortunately did pushups with me upon every rating). Rather less robust David assures me as a result of Georgia has just about dominated the collection for the previous 9 years. 😉 All joking apart, everybody is sweet sports activities and it’s lots of enjoyable (particularly so long as Georgia retains successful).
In between soccer watching and puzzling we loved Grandpa’s chili and snapped an image within the humorous elf outfits Mema procured for us all! I loved making the rounds and listening to what was occurring in my nieces’ and nephews lives, as I don’t get to meet up with them as usually as I’d like. It’s so enjoyable to listen to tales about school soccer video games, sorority rush, highschool basketball, and soccer tournaments. Youngsters positive do develop up rapidly.
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Saturday afternoon we made our manner again dwelling to the comfortable shock that… STAR IS BACK! That loopy elf put a brand new star on our tree and bought himself all wrapped up within the course of. That may solely imply one thing- it’s Christmas season!
The remainder of the weekend we spent doing laundry, watching soccer, maintaining Christmas motion pictures rolling, restocking the kitchen, and getting our toes again beneath us. What an exquisite whirlwind Thanksgiving week is. Did I cry within the automotive with the emotion of lacking people who aren’t with us anymore? Sure, sure I did. However does that make me much more understanding of how treasured every season is and to not take something as a right? 100%.
I hope you had an exquisite Thanksgiving and be a part of me in leaning into the Christmas season beginning now- play these tunes, sip that peppermint bark creamer, and light-weight these candles. Completely happy December! <3
