Happy Monday! I hope your Thanksgiving weekend was as relaxing as ours. Mine was filled with everything Thanksgiving should be—time with loved ones (albeit only a few), traditional family recipes and traditions (some old, some new).

My favorite part of the weekend was waking up early with my little larks on Thanksgiving morning. Madelyn was up at 5:30 and Evan slept in clear until 6:00. We all made our way into the kitchen and put the finishing touches on some recipes while the rest of the house slept. Evan had the special job of mixing together the final layer for our Pretzel Raspberry Jell-o Salad. Watching him stir reminded me of my own childhood Thanksgivings and the way my mom always made me feel like an important piece of the puzzle.

I was always in charge of setting the table, which is probably why I still love doing it now. Our turkey handprint cards looked cute at each place setting. My aunt sent us the cutest turkey brownie pops that looked adorable on the table and tasted even better than they looked. I loved polishing up my great grandmother’s silver and dusting off her china. It really is a shame I don’t do it more often.

Our centerpiece was a lovely candleholder Evan made at preschool and some leaves he found outside. I couldn’t have loved it more.

We watched the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. My brother carved the turkey.

Thanksgiving gave Madelyn her first taste of sweet potatoes. Last year at this time I was trying to hide my nausea because I hadn’t yet spread the word I was expecting. It is amazing how much can change in a year. 

We spent the rest of the weekend watching movies, hitting the mall and enjoying family. On Sunday morning we reluctantly hugged goodbye to my brother who came in from Rhode Island and my cousin who was heading back to Georgetown. Then, I settled in trying to get this house back in order. We’re still in a bit of a shambles as I put off cleaning and organizing over the holiday. We have an eclectic mix of holiday decorations up—-a few Christmas things have made their way down from the attic, but all of the fall decorations haven’t made their way back up. I even saw a few rogue Halloween decorations that are still hanging out.

This afternoon will be dedicated to straightening up and putting away. Then, we’ll start spreading Christmas cheer from room to room. I’ve looked at our December calendar and the month is going to pass quickly. I want to start savoring the holiday spirit as soon as possible. I’ll be sharing some of my favorite Christmas gifts and holiday traditions over the next few weeks, and I hope to learn more about yours, too. So, tell me, what is your favorite tradition you carry on with your family?