Thanksgiving Traditions

Can you believe it’s Thanksgiving tomorrow??! I’ve been busy having fun with family in town but wanted to at least pop on the blog today for a little bit to talk about Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving ranks up there as one of my favorite holidays. I don’t think anything can quite top Christmas for me, but Thanksgiving is really special in a different way. Thanksgiving for me is just such a happy, family day and I have so many memories of fun Thanksgivings from past years.

My freshman year of college was my first Thanksgiving away from my family. My aunt, uncle and cousins lived in town though so I got to spend a few days with them – we had a blast of course and they really helped keep me from missing home too much.

Junior year I also was unable to go home, but my sister Hannah and I were invited to the home of a local family for a few days, along with several other college students. That family made us feel SO welcome and spoiled us rotten. I will always have extremely fond memories of our time with them.

Our first Thanksgiving after getting married Pablo and I got to host two of my sisters who couldn’t go home for the holiday. It was my first time cooking the turkey myself!

Of course, most of my Thanksgivings have been spent with my family. Sometimes it’s been just our immediate family but often we’ve been joined by extended family or friends, at least for Thanksgiving dinner.

Just for fun I thought I’d share a few of our Thanksgiving traditions. Some are pretty, well, traditional, and some more unique to us.

Family walk

In Texas it might be warm one Thanksgiving and freezing the next but no matter the weather we love our tradition of taking a walk together on Thanksgiving day!

Fun pictures together in the same spot

{2008 and 2011}

{2008}

{2011}

{2015}

Food!

What we eat (hint: we’re pretty traditional): Turkey (big surprise right?!), stuffing/dressing, rolls, baked mashed potatoes (they are the BEST by the way), gravy, green beans and/or corn, cranberry sauce (the canned stuff and the real stuff), zuchinni bread, SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE (the kind with nuts on top), and of course dessert – pumpkin pie, pecan pie and the last two years a chocolate bundt cake that I like to make.

Say things we are thankful for

We usually all have three kernels of corn by our plates and before we pray and eat dinner we go around and all say three things that we are thankful for.

This turkey

This turkey has graced my parents’ table at Thanksgiving dinner for many years now… I can’t quite imagine Thanksgiving without him haha! 😉

Board games + a family game of football or soccer

Goofing off

What’s a good family time without a little silliness?

Plan our shopping

We aren’t hard core Black Friday shoppers, but we enjoy the tradition of getting out and shopping together! Some years we’ve gotten up super early and some years we’re more laid back about it. It’s a little harder to manage now that I have kiddos but last year I still made it out for a little bit… we’ll see what happens this year. 😉

Writing this blog post and looking through lots of my old pictures has reminded me once again of how blessed I am. Wow… I have it SO good compared to so many others.

This year I am especially thankful for our sweet little girl who will be enjoying Thanksgiving for the first time! I’m excited to take a new Thanksgiving picture with her included! But for now here’s a picture of our little family from last year. 🙂

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

Psalm 100