Life Is Beautiful.

Oooooooooh.

I'm full.

I've done a lot of eating in the last 24 hours.

A lot.

But when you come from a family full of Kitchen Geniuses,

I suppose it comes with the territory.

Back in my blogging days, I made a yearly list of gratitude. It was always so fun to look back at my year and think of the silly and not-so silly things for which I was grateful. This year my heart is full of the silly and not-so silly things that I hold dear (from my kids to my coffee grinder to fat quarters and everything in between).

At dinner, Joe had us share something we were most proud of from the year that has passed since last Thanksgiving. For some, it was a new job...for another, it was getting new teeth. I liked the idea of sharing our proudest moments--it was a truly happy conversation. Ian was proud of his progress in reading and reverence at church (when you're a 4 year-old boy, both things don't always come easy, you know). Blake couldn't share, but if I'm intuitive enough, I'd say that his proudest moment of the year was taking 8 months to gain as much weight as it takes most babies 2 years to do. Joe was proud of his 180-mile bike Tour de Cape this summer with the boy scouts. And me? Well, I am pretty proud that I had a baby in my living room that late night in March (a 60+ degree day...a gift).

It's been a good year, saturated with things for which to give thanks.

For Thanksgiving Day, we celebrated in Maine with my extended family--

both related by blood and by friendship.

And it all started off with crafts for Ian.

We had to do hand turkeys. It's the law.

And Sean and Joe got a start on the 20+ pounds of potatoes we brought.

(we ended up having races to peel the things. I won EVERY TIME.)

And it still blows my mind how grown-up these kids are...

...And seating for 26 stretched through three rooms...

I'll be honest: Papa was already done with his carving duties when I went to take a picture. He was a good enough sport to pose for me. I love my Papa.

We forgot what well water can do to a baby's digestive system.

So four outfits later we decided to let Blake go au naturale

until his stomach calmed down.

Ahhhh. The Neighbor.

...wearing suspenders and a belt.

I reminded him that he should be proud of his sense of preparation.

He laughed at me.

The Spread.

Ian insisted upon having his first drumstick.

I'm 94% sure he wanted one simply because it was called a drumstick.

And then Megan got the sillies.

So did Sean.

A Mitchell Family Gathering would not be a

Mitchell Family Gathering if it did not involve

some sort of tech support.

Uncle Mike set up a mission-control-type arena to fix some sick computers.

I think this picture is hysterical. I'm pretty sure only my family would agree...

...I guess you had to be there.

And there are more pictures of our weekend to come. We head home tomorrow (Saturday), as Saturday is official GET THE CHRISTMAS TREE day. After a music downloading frenzy on Tuesday, we're all set for time to put on the brakes so we can soak in as much Christmas Spirit as humanly possible.

*sigh*