Giving thanks!

We had a good day giving thanks to all of our many blessings! As I am sure most of you did, we ate too too much but it was oh so yummy! My favorite dishes are the squash casserole, my grandmothers homegrown cream corn, and the dressing! I really like stuffing also and have enjoyed this from time to time with my Yankee relatives but you cant beat southern dressing with the turkey. Yum, I am getting hungry again just thinking about it. Another favorite of mine that I am sure is only popular at the Neal house is homemade pimento cheese to be used as a dip for celery. I dont even know where this started but as long as I can remember it has always been a staple at the Neal Thanksgiving table. I could eat and eat this stuff!
I wont lie, this year was a very emotional one for me as both sides of the family have lost some very special people this year. This was the first year without my Pawpaw at the Thanksgiving table and of course the Thompsons are still mourning the loss of Aunt Susie from only a month ago. As we speak, Connor is pulling out Christmas decorations out of the box lying in the floor and both things he has pulled out have been things given to us from Susie: a ornament given to me a long time ago and a Santa stocking that she gave to Connor just last year. I am still giving Connor Halloween candy little by little out of the Halloween treat bag that she gave to him just a month ago. It just doesnt seem real. There is also a picture that has been on my end table in the living room with Pawpaw holding Connor and it was taken exactly a year ago yesterday. I still cant believe that he is gone. It seems like the missing him and sadness had gotten easier over the last few months but this holiday was especially hard for me because I cant remember a Thanksgiving spent without him. It truly was his day. He always fixed the turkey and several other dishes at the table and no meal was complete without him making you feel like you should feel your plate to the max and then go back for seconds. Brett and I still laugh about that one. I am wiping away the tears even as I write this because I know it will be no more but I am very thankful for the time I had with him, that Connor remembers him, and all of the family that I do have. Connor continues to amaze me with his memory and as we drove by the cemetery on the way to Grandmas house Thanksgiving morning he said, "Where'd Pawpaw go?" I couldnt believe it. Of course I started crying immediately because I was trying not to focus on this fact, but it also reminded me how lucky I was that Connor got to be with him for his first year of life.
Brads parents came down to spend the night with us yesterday and that was certainly a special treat! We got up this morning and went shopping. We werent the earlybirds that is for sure! I had to wake C up at 9 so we could get going. He was so tired because of no nap yesterday. He did great though and was in a great mood today despite my thoughts of having a cranky toddler in the stores today. We didnt go to too many stores just Toys R Us, Best Buy, and Kohls. We got Connors birthday and Christmas shopping done, bought for our Angels (Angel Tree) and a few other people. Kohls had all of their toys 50% off! I love that place, we just got one in SH and it always has great deals on everything! It is going to be a crazy week at work and home. Connor's party is next weekend- I cant believe it! My baby is going to be 2, well not till the 18th really. We moved his party up since it is so hard to get family together this time of year. We will be celebrating C's birthday on his Daddy's birthday weekend! He said he didnt mind, but we will have to do something special for him since he was so gracious to let us celebrate Connors day on his birthday!
Tomorrow will be spent cleaning my very messy house and putting up the Christmas decorations. It is finally that time of year!

NOTE: The below pictures are the ONLY pics of the day taken before we left for my grandmothers for Thanksgiving. Connor and I were being goofy as you can see so I wanted to share!