Thanksgiving Is Over ...

How did you celebrate this year? We started a new tradition last year as a family and that was to spend the holiday away from home. We love Maine and it seems like we are home the second we drive over the state line. Thanksgiving is all about making memories, honoring traditions and making new ones, eating lots of yummy food and a time for being thankful for all the blessings we receive through the year. This year I am thankful for my husband and daughter, they love me unconditionally and give me more happiness than any one person should ever be allowed to have. I'm also thankful for both of my sisters and that my sister Sandy has finished her chemo and is on the road to recovery. I'm thankful for my home and health. I'm thankful that I have great memories from my childhood and that I have so many new memories to carry me through in the years to come. I'm thankful for all of my friends and the love and support they have shown to me throughout my life and last but not least I'm thankful that I live in a country where I can enjoy a holiday such as Thanksgiving openly and freely.

We planned our trip back in July and made our reservations early to assure that we would get a nice room in a good location before all the rooms were sold out. We tried a new Inn this year right in the center of Kennebunkport (yes, George & Barbara Bush have a Summer home there). We had our meal at the Inn where we stayed and though it wasn't "home cooked" it was still tasty and included all the essentials. Our main agenda was to relax, rejuvenate and shop, all three of which were accomplished. We spent a day walking around Freeport while shopping, then drove into Portland to check out Southern Maine University, then we headed over to Saco and Old Orchard Beach, the latter of which was more to appease me than anything else. I have sweet memories of going there when I was very young with my family for vacation, my though, how the area has changed ... sometimes progress isn't so great, but even with all the changes they can't take away the memories that I'll always carry in my mind.

Morgan posing by the L.L. Bean Boot
We had lots of fun shopping, though we are cutting back on our buying this year, it was still nice to spend the time together as a family trying to pick out presents for friends and family. We love shopping in Kennebunkport, the stores are all unique and since they're all small individually owned businesses we felt we were doing our part in supporting the economy. I think the only big store we shopped in was L.L. Bean in Freeport, it's a must if you're visiting Maine.

Morgan at The Stonewall Kitchen Store

Thanksgiving came and went far to quickly this year. We had originally planned to have my sister Sandy with us in Maine, but she had surgery planned for the Monday following Thanksgiving so her visit has to be postponed. She would have enjoyed the unseasonably warm days we had while there, with temperatures in the sixties we were able to walk around outside with no coats, crazy weather for Maine in November. She would have loved walking around Kennebunkport and she would have loved the sunset we were blessed to see in Cape Porpoise, it was just perfect.

Christmas is our next big holiday, a time to decorate the house, put up a tree, shop till you drop, gather with family and friends, remember days gone by and of course to celebrate the real meaning of Christmas. Everyone celebrates differently, some people don't celebrate at all and some go over the top in every way. I'm kind of in the middle of that group, some years I'm excited about it, some years it seems like a bother and some years I'm OK with whatever the family wants as long as I don't have to set up the Christmas Tree, I'm not good at it and I've never really enjoyed doing it, thankfully I have a husband who loves to put the tree up and decorate it. How do you get ready for the holidays? No matter what I know that at the end of December we'll be thankful for all we have and though I'm usually ready to pack away all the pretty baubles, I'll be ready again next year to do it all over again.