Much to be thankful for

I love, love, love the holiday season and most everything about it. I start getting excited in October and it continues right through the New Year until the post holiday blues kick in! We look forward to traditions, being with family, baking, and everything in between. This year I feel more grateful and at peace then I have in years past. We have been really trying to live in the moment and not take the little things for granted. I am most thankful for my family, our health and all the tender merices our Heavenly Father shows us.
It's been a few years since my side of the family has been together for Thanksgiving and we were really hoping to get all of our Utah peeps down here this year. Life kind of got in the way and none of them were able to make it but the rest of us (our family and my other 4 siblings, spouses and kids) still planned to get together for dinner and games at our house and we were all looking forward to it!
Eric and I and a friend of ours signed up to run a 10 mile Turkey Trot Thanksgiving morning. This was our first real race and neither one of us felt like we were totally prepared but we were committed and going for it and truthfully it was kind of exciting. It was fun having something to work towards. We all did pretty good (of course you always wish you did better) but for our first one we were pleased to have done it and finished!!!
After the race, it was race number two trying to finish getting everything ready before everyone got there. It is so nice having kids that are old enough and willing and able to help out! We are a good team!! It was such a relaxing and mellow Thanksgiving and I enjoyed every minute of it. I love that all of our kids love each other so much and enjoy being together! We played some kickball and had a Turkey Hunt and played games and ate a LOT of really good food! I am so thankful to have such an awesome family. I am thankful for the progress we have made as a family and for the trials we have endured that has helped us grow closer and appreciate each other and our diversities. Unfortunately I was a little to mellow and did a stinky job of taking pictures but I love this one we shot of the kids. Shadows, funny faces and all, I love these kiddos!!! We really missed the ones that weren't here but hopefully after Christmas!!

It's no easy task getting 16 kids all looking and smiling at the same time!!
This is as close as we got!!