"Are you thankfoll?"

I still struggle with being away from my extended family during the holidays. When I say struggle, I mean my heart still hurts and I still think about what we would be doing if we were there. I try to find a balance between re-creating life-long family memories, while digging for some creativity to create some new ones for our kids. The mix of it all leaves me with this strange emotion of "missing-loved-ones-and-traditions," along with "loving-making-it-our-own." So, instead of making our own thankful placemats {which my mom LOVED to do with us when we were little, and she STILL uses the laminated crafts to...this...day!!!}, we pulled out the white board and I told the big kids to write or draw what they were thankful for this year. Here's how it started...

And when I turned to see what she was drawing, my heart melted! I never said anything other than "write what you're thankful for." Gratitude comes so naturally to these innocent souls. Paige loves her little sister beyond measure. And then I chuckled when I saw her spelling. She tries so hard and doesn't want help. When all was said and done, she created a {small} space for her brother to use, then drew a picture for every sentence of her "thankfoll" things...
Obviously, we have a lot to be thankfoll for this year. We are enjoying a new warm home, we have had a year of great health, the Lord has provided financially beyond what the budget looks like on paper (because the numbers never add up when you see them on paper), and the most obvious...
We enjoyed a {quiet} day at home, then headed to Mike's folks for dinner. Nothing grand...nothing out of the ordinary, yet everything our hearts needed. And just for you NY'ers, here is how we spent part of the day...

And even though my blog seems to be "Samantha-heavy" lately, I just can't get enough of this girl. {And it's rare to have a picture of myself to share}The day after Thanksgiving brought the inauguration of a new Viele family tradition. We went to the movies. All 5 of us! I had never taken either of the other kids to a movie while they were babies. They were criers. Not Samantha Grace. That little cherub sat through an almost 2 hour movie without a peep! And in honor of mixing old traditions with new ones, this one is for my mom...

The benefit of carrying a rather large diaper bag with you is that it leaves room for contraband. My mom ALWAYS popped her own popcorn when we went to the movies. I remember thinking she was nuts. But, with the cost of it inside the theatre, I now give her props for thinking outside the box. I even through a few juice boxes in there and the kids were set! Thought they were in heaven, actually!
I have L-O-V-E-D these 4 straight days of nothing but family!!!! Tomorrow will be loooooooong!! As always, I tuck the overflowing memories in my heart for the hours that seem like days in my office and remember how much love these kiddos are getting at home. Not to mention how much they give to one another...
And before you get all "Oh, how sweet that is" on me. Look closer...poor Sammie Grace is getting her eye gauged out. But that's how he shows love! I think she has embraced it already!