Thanksgiving recap and Christmas kickoff

Thanksgiving is great. Is there any other day of the year where you can sit and marvel at how thankful you are for everything you have, and the next day shamelessly rush to the mall and wait for it to open because you need everything inside? I don't think so. This day is not only for giving thanks but for being overindulgent.

We went out to Katy for Thanksgiving and had quite a feast. Violet was quite taken with all the cousins and spent the day chasing them around (only when she wasn't stuffing 3 servings of cranberry salad in her pie hole.) Between the delicous turkey, potatoes, pies, and other commotion, I managed to snap this cute picture of her: She barely had time to pause for the camera. After the festivities, we went to mom and dad's apartment and waited for the sales to start. When it was apparent that Violet wouldn't go to bed there, Mom offered to take us on a drive so that she would fall asleep in the car. It worked, and on the way back, Mom spied a Jack in the Box with a "2 tacos for 99 cents" sign. So obviously we stopped. Brandon was a good sport and let me run to the mall with Mom at midnight to look for deals. It was fruitful, and after that, we headed home.

In the true, non-commercial spirit of Thanksgiving, I feel that this would be a good place to list out what I am thankful for. First there's Brandon, who I have come to realize is very brave. First of all, he married me. He was also brave enough to change his course of study four years into his program and do what he really loved. That resulted in 2 extra years of schooling and a move to a city that has no rocks within 100 miles, which is a pretty big deal for him. But through every change he has remained supportive and hardworking, and I love him very much.

And then there's Violet. She always makes sure that I exercise, because when I get too lazy and don't go outside, she finds her shoes, my shoes, my keys, and my purse and throws them all at me in that order. She is so fun to go on walks with because every time she sees an animal she sits up and points at it. She even hugs me when I ask her to. How could I not love that little girl?

Now for the Christmas kickoff. Two years ago, Brandon and I literally went into a snow-covered forest and chopped down a wild Christmas tree with his family. This year was a little less romantic. We hiked across Kirby all the way to Kroger and bought a tree. Being the lumberjack that he is, Brandon slung it over his shoulder and carried it home. What a man.

Violet thinks it's the coolest thing she's ever seen. We still haven't decorated it; that will be done tomorrow. But I have a really cool idea for it that was inspired by my blue snowflake pillow and sheepskin rug. I know you're all excited to see how that interpretation turns out on a tree.

Later that day, Mom took me, Bethy, and her girls to see the Nutcracker performed by the Houston ballet. It was a truly amazing performance. I was concerned that the little girls wouldn't make it thorough the show, but the only problem they ran into was deciding if they liked the snow queen or the sugar plum fairy more. I can't wait until Violet is old enough to come with us.