Giving of Thanks

Our Thanksgiving started out with a traditional 5k. This year we did the Greenbelt Gobble Wobble. It was much more family friendly than the one we did in DC last year (KC’s parents were hear to watch the kids while we went downtown). The kids were so excited to “go the the race!”. I wasn’t at all concerned about my time, but mostly just wanted to have fun with the kiddos. They took off on the path, while I hung back with some work-out buddies Lisa and Dana, and Becky, another great friend of mine, and did some warm-ups lead by the Head Sarge  from my boot camp. Then the race started and I ran ahead to find KC and the kids on the trail. It was so fun to see their little faces all snuggled up on a bench. They then joined me and we “ran” together for a couple minutes until they saw the playground, and then I was on my own again. I did a little running back and forth on the trail until I saw my gang again (the course had us go twice around the lake, and I was meeting up with them on their second lap), and ran with them for the last half mile or so. It was a great, relaxed, fun race. I loved that I had family and friends there to make it festive. After a quick post-race snack, I picked up the family at the park, and we headed back home feeling great about our fun morning together.

When we found out Elise and her fam were going to be out of town, we decided to brave going to a  friend’s house this year. I say brave, because a big meal with my kids around is never much fun for me. But I realized they are a little older this year, so we took our chances and planned on feasting with the Stromsdorfers. As time went on a couple more families joined us, and we ended up with a great crowd, all with kids around the triplets’ age. So although our kids did cause more of the ruckus, as least they weren’t the only toddlers running around.

After the race, I did a little last minute food prep (most was done on Wednesday while the children played happily, which was lovely ), put the kids down for what we hoped would be a nap, but turned into two hours of craziness in their beds, and headed over to the Stromsdorfers around 2. We set up the cheese ball and the veggie tray and deviled eggs, and snacked on those as got everything set up. Soon the spread was out and after a  prayer full of gratitude, the feast began. We all filled plates for our kids, and finally got to eat ourselves. The kids were way too busy having fun jumping on the tramp full of leaves and playing in the big back yard to think about all the delicious food (except when it was on my plate, of course), which made it even easier to enjoy it ourselves. We ate outside in the gorgeous weather, and everything just tasted amazing. I was in charge of the stuffing, pretzel Jell-O, the peas, cheese ball, and veggie tray (and the pies that are coming up). We had a very full car.

Soon we migrated inside to lounge and play games, or at least try to while the kids were all over the house. The triplets were getting crankier by the hour without a nap, but we made it through the afternoon without too much frustration. We pulled out the pies around 5, and stuffed ourselves a little more. I brought four kinds. I couldn’t help myself. Banana cream, pecan, pumpkin, and pumpkin ice cream (pictures aren’t the greatest. We were in a hurry to eat!). I really put myself over the edge during dessert. The kids just loved the ice cream, of course.

I was definitely done dealing with them after that, so we dispersed the leftovers, packed up the food and headed home around 6:30. It definitely wasn’t a relaxing holiday for us. With three toddlers, you just come to expect a bit of chaos wherever you go, especially at a meal of any kind. But I will say that we never would have attempted eating at someone else’s house until this year, so I’d say we turned a little bit of a corner. We take whatever progress we can get! It was their fourth Thanksgiving, and definitely the least crazy of them all. Not that I wasn’t incredibly exhausted by day’s end. I fell asleep probably 10 minutes into whatever wind-down show we were watching, and slept and lovely deep sleep. It was a wonderful, low-keyish Thanksgiving with great friends.

I’m thankful for so many things every day of my life. It’s nice to have a special time of year to reflect even more on those things. I am a blessed girl.