Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving break sure was good to us. We saw so much of our family over the four days, not to mention ate lots of good food, too. Before all the holiday festivities began, the kids and I went to the Science Center on Wednesday while Boomer was at work. We explored all the indoor exhibits until it warmed up just a bit, then we headed outside for the barnyard, petting zoo, and all of the other outdoor animals. It was a special treat to see the tiger active and walking around his habitat. On Thursday, we spent our morning at home watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, and then around 10:30AM, we headed to Asheboro for our first of three Thanksgivings over the next three days. Goosie and Darby hosted this year, and with the Kennedys plus Darby's family, there were around 30 people. Emmy and Eli loved running around with their cousins, and there was no shortage of fun activities, with the trampoline and basketball court. The last few years, our Kennedy Thanksgiving celebration has taken place in different locations, but it is always wonderful to be together wherever we are.  

On Friday, we left Kernersville around 8AM to make the trip to Virginia. Luckily Emmy and Eli have come to love road trips, and they were so excited for the car ride and a night in a hotel. After driving straight through with no stops (!!) we arrived in Woodstock around 12PM. We had lunch at the Woodstock Brewhouse and stretched our legs and got some energy out at the park. The temperatures were quite chilly, although the kids seemed unaffected by the winterlike weather. After a trip to Walmart and checking in at our hotel, we met up with the rest of the Kennedy family at the barn. It had been several years since we have been back to the barn for Thanksgiving. With the passing of Boomer's grandparents, we weren't sure how some of the traditions would continue. Now that Boomer's Aunt KK and Uncle Doug are living in the house, they opened up the barn for the family gathering just as it has been for many years. I wish I had more pictures of our time together. I think Granny Kennedy and Tall Man would have loved seeing all the grandchildren and great grandchildren gathered there. It was a quick 24 hours in Virginia but well worth it for all the family we were able to see. 

We had our last Thanksgiving on Saturday. We got back to North Carolina around 1PM, and after unloading our things at home, we headed to Megan and Zack's for our Bakewell Thanksgiving. Zack once again outdid himself with the deep fried turkey, chicken wings, and sausage. After our meal, the kids played in the backyard while we cleaned up and watched some football. It was the smallest of our gatherings and a relaxing ending to the Thanksgiving holiday. 

On Sunday after church, we had a belated birthday celebration for Emmy. Like last year, she requested a movie with all of her girlfriends. At the time of her birthday earlier in the month, there weren't any movies that particularly struck our interest, so we waited until the release of Moana 2 over the Thanksgiving break. We met up with the girls and their moms around 1PM for the Sunday matinee. The girls were all so excited to see the movie in a big theater with reclining seats and snacks. Emmy was also spoiled with gifts from her friends: a jewelry kit, a Moana 2 Lego set, make-up, and cash. The girls and the moms agreed it is a fun outing that has started to feel like a tradition!

Ellie, Avery, Heidi, Emmy, Peyton, Natalie, Emma

On Sunday, we saw the return of our special Deacon friend, ...well, actually his brother. Emmy and Eli speculated that the Deacon would return on December 1st, and sure enough, we had a surprise guest that morning. He is a different Deacon than last year, but just like his brother, he has brought two days of mischief so far. The kids excitedly rushed downstairs this morning to see what new antics he got up to while we were sleeping. To add to the Christmas spirit, our neighbor has started his synchronized light show. We enjoy driving by it at night and stopping to watch a song or two.

There is no doubt that we have much to be thankful for. I am grateful for these days over the break to be with family and friends. I pray that we continue to have hearts of gratitude as we enter into the Christmas season.