Happy Thanksgiving!

I decided yesterday that I love Thanksgiving. I love the good food and being with family and friends and having a day to think about all that I am thankful for. This year was a little different since we didn't have other family around. Our day began when tornado sirens went off at 5 am, waking all of us up. As Cameron gave Benjamin a bottle and put him back to bed, I lie in bed thinking how grateful I was for the roof over my head that was keeping out the pounding rain and wind and for the warm bed I was curled up in.

That afternoon we went over to Cameron's officemate, Dennis' house for Thanksgiving dinner. His other office mate, Kaitlin, also came. Kaitlin is really nice but has the personality of a stereotypical physics grad student. Not a problem since there were three of us to fill in conversational gaps. Luckily for me they left all astronomy talk at the office. There was great food, and a lot of it. We were in charge of pies.

I love taking this. . .

. . . and turning it into this.

After dinner we played some games. Benjamin did pretty well but wasn't able to get a good nap in which made him a little cranky. We went straight from there overto some ward member's home where we ate more desserts and played games. They have a little girl that is a month older than Benjamin. We laid them down on the same blanket and they just stared at each other and then held hands and started crying together. It was kind of hilarious and I wish I would have had my camera. It was a lot of fun to talk to our new friends and I am now a part of a book club and a ward playgroup. We got home late and Benjamin was cranky but it was a wonderful day.

Now, there are few things that could entice me to get up early and join in the Black Friday craziness. However, one store made an offer I couldn't pass up. Yes, it was insane. Yes, it was crowded beyond belief. But when these are all going for a dollar each, the crowds don't matter. Let the holiday feasting begin!