The day after

Thanksgiving was especially sweet yesterday for us. No big reason, just a nice morning at home with our little family then dinner at my parents with a total of 21 (I think) at the table. A random smattering of interesting people, my cousin Katie who is attending Baylor University in Texas, my parents’ friend from Nigeria, a family from Belarus and their new baby, in laws, an old friend of our family who always has a place at our table for holidays and just over a handful of kidlets too (most of which I take full responsibility for). We shared an incredible amount of good food and an array of 7, yes seven, dessert selections to choose from along with sharing our ‘thankful lists’ around the table as we ate.

Two thankful cutie’s who look SO much like each other!

Today we headed out to the aquarium downtown then wrapped it up with some fish’n’chips on the Pier. Rainy, windy and cold but it was great fun anyway. Our kids are totally enamored with their super cool 19 year old second cousin, it is fairly darling to watch them clamor for her attention.

My favorite aquarium creature-the sea otter

Shivering in the windy cold on the Pier

Before the aquarium adventure I discovered a new world, the fabric store. After having received my Christmas present early, a sewing machine-my first one, I headed to Joann Fabrics for their sale today to get some supplies for my new hobby. On the way there I had to stop by the mall, at 6:30 AM to get one small, quick purchase. Craziness. 50% of the people were teenagers and the other 50% seemed to be women in their 30’s or up who had showered, put make up on and dressed up nice-to shop-before the sun had even risen. They were hurried and rude and driven. I so do not fit in with that crowd. Not to mention people eating giant cheeseburgers from Kidd Valley. At 6:00 in the morning. Seriously?

After trekking to Joann’s (with Audrey in tow for all of this mind you) I discovered that I fit in much better there. Few people had dressed up for the occasion. Few had showered or put on makeup. Some were even still in pajama pants, how refreshing. Best of all, every time I had a question I didn’t even feel the need to ask a clerk, I just found ladies (usually 20 years or so older than me) who looked like crafting veterans. They would answer, chat with me, walk me to where I should go, picked out items for me…asked what I was making. It was slow, there were 30 people ahead of me to get fabric cut and as many to check out in the front, but surely time well spent. Now I have what I need to start making Christmas things and learning how to sew, how fun!

-Karissa