We're having Thanksgiving at my in-laws this year. It has become sort of a tradition for us, but mostly because I refuse to have Christmas anywhere other than my own house. I firmly believe that children should have memories of waking up in their own beds, running down the stairs and finding the presents Santa has left for them under their own tree. I want my kids to be able to stay in their jammies and play with their new toys as long as they would like. I want them to be comfortable, and at home, on Christmas. But my idea of Christmas breaks tradition with my husband's family's idea of Christmas, so I've had to do some negotiating. The compromise that we've reached results in my getting Christmas at home (with an invite to the inlaws to stay with us), but Thanksgiving with them.
As I've said many times, I like my inlaws, so spending Thanksgiving with them isn't any big deal. Plus, my mother-in-law and sister-in-law are amazing cooks. I do miss my family's Thanksgiving traditions, but marriage is all about compromise. And to be truthful, when I was little, my family spent every Thanksgiving at my dad's parent's house, so going to my husband's family's for Thanksgiving feels kind of right.
Going to my inlaws for Thanksgiving, however, has presented some interesting challenges in recent years. As my mother-in-law has gotten older, she is less physically able to handle making such a big dinner for so many people (but of course insists on hosting anyway). My sister-in-law and I would therefore help out, each bringing or making several dishes to ease the burden on my mother-in-law. And I think all three of us would say in years past, it worked out nicely.
This year presents a new challenge. My mother-in-law is still hosting Thanksgiving this year, but she's physically unable to cook. She had foot surgery a few weeks ago, and as someone who had foot surgery a few days before Christmas one year, I know she is in no position to be standing around cooking all day. Plus, my sister-in-law is no longer technically my sister-in-law, so she understandably won't be spending the holidays with her ex's family. Which leaves me to cook the entire dinner for my husband's side of the family.
Oy vey. I'm pretty comfortable in the kitchen and would have no problem making Thanksgiving dinner for everyone at my own house. But my inlaws can't travel (see foot surgery, above), so I'm going to have to make dinner at their house, in their kitchen. And I'm going to have to do it on the fly. Both Husband and I work the day before Thanksgiving, so we won't even be leaving to travel to their house - 4 hours away - until Thanksgiving morning. That doesn't give me a lot of wiggle room.
I won't lie and say that I'm not sweating the details a little bit. But, in some strange way I'm looking forward to it. I'm looking forward to being able to give my mother-in-law a break for a holiday. I'm looking forward to the kids, playing at grandma's house. I'm even looking forward to the challenge of putting together a Thanksgiving dinner with only what I remember to bring and what happens to be at my inlaw's house. Because being together, warm, fed and crazed really sums up so much of what we have to be thankful for: Thankful for our jobs, even if that means we have to get up at 4 am on the day of Thanksgiving. Thankful to have food, even if all the ingredients the recipe calls for aren't there. Thankful for a place to go, even if we are a little squished in that small house. Thankful to be together, even as we miss those loved ones who couldn't be with us this year.
Wishing you and your family a happy Thanksgiving.
Karen
Showing posts with label thanksgiving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label thanksgiving. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
Thankful
It’s that time of year…Thanksgiving has once again snuck up on us. I, thanks to my fabulous sister in law, do not have to worry a thing about Thanksgiving, as she hosts each year. So this time of year I can sit back, relax, and reflect on the blessings in my life.
I have so many things to be thankful for, not the least of which are my three beautiful, healthy, happy children. But this year, I am especially thankful for the man that gave me those three children, my husband Todd.
Todd is the one person in my life that I probably take the most for granted (not intentionally of course). Todd is such a constant rock in my life that I often forget to give him a well deserved shout out every now and then. I liken Todd to the foundation of a house…everyone may compliment the siding, décor, or yard of the home but no one ever comments on the foundation, even though that alone is what is keeping everything together. Todd is the foundation of my life.
So this means that most people see me as a Mom first and foremost and forget many times that I am also one half of a wonderful love story. My office is filled of dozens of pictures of my children, but just one of Todd and I, my facebook postings are almost entirely about the kids. And if they are about Todd, its most often me doing the typical wife complaining about a honey-do list long forgotten!
I always find it fascinating that the ones we love the most, we sometimes notice the least. Seems backwards, but completely true.
But I'm not blind to the fact that if it wasn’t for the love Todd and I share, none of this would be here. I wouldn't have been so happy to hear the words "It's a Girl!", I wouldn't get morning hugs from my 18 month old, I wouldn’t be a member of a working Mom blog, I wouldn’t be woken up by the sound of my son saying “Mom, it’s wake up time!”...I probably even wouldn’t have had the courage to leave my former job where I was miserable and start my career in my wonderful firm.
And although I am grateful for Todd himself, this year I am mostly grateful for the fact that after 8 years together, 6 years of marriage, 3 children, and 2 crazy jobs, our love remains solid. In fact I love him miles more every year. I am a child of divorce, every magazine and newspaper talks about divorce, from Kim K’s 72 day marriage to advice on sharing your children in a divorce. So, yes like most people I have a somewhat cynical view of marriage. I think every married couple would agree that in this day in age, society stacks the odds against you when you say “I do”. A marriage then becomes simply beating those odds everyday.
I am so grateful to have man in my life that helps me beat those odds everyday.
Now, you know me, I call it like it is…so I’m not going to sit here and tell you that beating the odds is always easy. My husband, like all husbands is well...a man! So there are always going to be the Mars v. Venus complaints. I still have yet to figure out how he can walk past Capri Sun wrappers dropped on the carpet all day and yet appear shocked when I get a soggy sock from stepping on them when I get home. I still pull out empty boxes of cereal or snacks from the pantry that he neglected to throw away. I still wonder how his socks end up by the side of the bed even though there is a laundry basket several inches away.
So I guess what I am thankful for is that even though Todd is a victim to the typical Husband actions and stereotypes, I can love him through all of that.
I think the thing I am most grateful for with Todd is that he is one of the few people that sees me as “just Mandi”. After three kids, mountains of responsibility, few hours, and sleepless nights we can still look at each other as “Todd and Mandi”. We still laugh till we cry, we still hold hands, we still try to sneak a kiss in the kitchen before we are busted by “EEWWWs” from our peanut gallery. We somehow can find the way to keep our love sheltered from the stresses of parenthood.
And that my friends, is something to be grateful for.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Mandi
I have so many things to be thankful for, not the least of which are my three beautiful, healthy, happy children. But this year, I am especially thankful for the man that gave me those three children, my husband Todd.
Todd is the one person in my life that I probably take the most for granted (not intentionally of course). Todd is such a constant rock in my life that I often forget to give him a well deserved shout out every now and then. I liken Todd to the foundation of a house…everyone may compliment the siding, décor, or yard of the home but no one ever comments on the foundation, even though that alone is what is keeping everything together. Todd is the foundation of my life.
So this means that most people see me as a Mom first and foremost and forget many times that I am also one half of a wonderful love story. My office is filled of dozens of pictures of my children, but just one of Todd and I, my facebook postings are almost entirely about the kids. And if they are about Todd, its most often me doing the typical wife complaining about a honey-do list long forgotten!
I always find it fascinating that the ones we love the most, we sometimes notice the least. Seems backwards, but completely true.
But I'm not blind to the fact that if it wasn’t for the love Todd and I share, none of this would be here. I wouldn't have been so happy to hear the words "It's a Girl!", I wouldn't get morning hugs from my 18 month old, I wouldn’t be a member of a working Mom blog, I wouldn’t be woken up by the sound of my son saying “Mom, it’s wake up time!”...I probably even wouldn’t have had the courage to leave my former job where I was miserable and start my career in my wonderful firm.
And although I am grateful for Todd himself, this year I am mostly grateful for the fact that after 8 years together, 6 years of marriage, 3 children, and 2 crazy jobs, our love remains solid. In fact I love him miles more every year. I am a child of divorce, every magazine and newspaper talks about divorce, from Kim K’s 72 day marriage to advice on sharing your children in a divorce. So, yes like most people I have a somewhat cynical view of marriage. I think every married couple would agree that in this day in age, society stacks the odds against you when you say “I do”. A marriage then becomes simply beating those odds everyday.
I am so grateful to have man in my life that helps me beat those odds everyday.
Now, you know me, I call it like it is…so I’m not going to sit here and tell you that beating the odds is always easy. My husband, like all husbands is well...a man! So there are always going to be the Mars v. Venus complaints. I still have yet to figure out how he can walk past Capri Sun wrappers dropped on the carpet all day and yet appear shocked when I get a soggy sock from stepping on them when I get home. I still pull out empty boxes of cereal or snacks from the pantry that he neglected to throw away. I still wonder how his socks end up by the side of the bed even though there is a laundry basket several inches away.
So I guess what I am thankful for is that even though Todd is a victim to the typical Husband actions and stereotypes, I can love him through all of that.
I think the thing I am most grateful for with Todd is that he is one of the few people that sees me as “just Mandi”. After three kids, mountains of responsibility, few hours, and sleepless nights we can still look at each other as “Todd and Mandi”. We still laugh till we cry, we still hold hands, we still try to sneak a kiss in the kitchen before we are busted by “EEWWWs” from our peanut gallery. We somehow can find the way to keep our love sheltered from the stresses of parenthood.
And that my friends, is something to be grateful for.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Mandi
Thursday, November 25, 2010
My Thank You's
Happy Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving is a time to look and reflect on all we are thankful for…and boy do I have a lot to be thankful for!!
Of course I am thankful for every day with my happy, healthy, beautiful children and wonderful husband. Of course I am thankful to have a job that allows me to be the Mom I want to be.
So this is not going to be a post about the large things that I am thankful for every minute of my life. Instead, I thought as this is my 32nd Thanksgiving, I would take time to reflect on 32 of the small things in my life…the things I always forget to be thankful for.
So here we go…
1. Thank you to Target for managing to design shoes that look just enough like the designer shoes at Von Maur to fool my 4 year old and allow me to avoid spending $100 on shoes she will out-grow in a month.
2. Thank you to the wonderful caregivers at my kids’ daycare who always remember to hug my kids and tell them “I love you” when they leave at the end of the day.
3. Thank you to Wal-Mart for restructuring your store so I don’t have to take my kids over by the toys when I just need soap or toothpaste.
4. Thank you to the Baby Einstein company for “Baby Beethoven” which keeps L entertained in his bouncy seat just long enough so I can take a shower.
5. Thank you to my Mom who always remembers to call me and ask me how I am…instead of simply inquiring about the kids.
6. Thank you Twizzlers for being the only treat my 3 year old son will go potty for.
7. Thank you makers of the DVR who allow me to watch my favorite TV shows at midnight when I finally have time to sit down and watch a show.
8. Thank you Strawberry Shortcake for making a comeback while my daughter is young so I can relive my childhood everyday.
9. Thank you to my best friends for loving my children and proving that you don’t have to be related by blood to be family.
10. Thank you to L for sucking his thumb instead of being dependent on a pacifier so I never have to have another moment of “Oh crap we forgot the binky and he’s tired!” in a crowded restaurant.
11. Thank you to Facebook for allowing me to reconnect with old friends and see pictures of my permed hair and plaid shirts posted for the world to see.
12. Thank you Crock Pot for making my dinners taste like I’ve slaved all day, even though it only took me 2 minutes to throw everything inside and turn it on high..
13. Thank you Glee for doing Rocky Horror Picture Show so I can teach my kids how to do the Time Warp!
14. Thank you Dodge company for putting automatic doors on my mini-van so I can open the doors while juggling groceries.
15. Thank you Gymboree for coming out with Gymbucks so that every now and then my bills at your store can be less than $200.00.
16. Thank you makers of spray in shampoo so I don’t feel gross if I don’t get to wash my hair every day.
17. Thank you General Mills for putting WHOLE GRAIN and VITAMIN D in large print on your boxes of cereal so I feel a little better as I pour a bowl of sugary Lucky Charms for my kids.
18. Thank you for multi-colored post it notes ( No reason really…I just love them).
19. Thank you Barenaked Ladies for coming out with “Snacktime!” So I don’t have to listen to Barney and Dora and can actually enjoy my kids’ music.
20. Thank you Nickelodeon for coming out with Team Umizoomi (a kids show about math) so I can work on my math skills while my kids enjoy their favorite tv show.
21. Thank you to Garmin for my GPS so I never have to juggle Mapquest directions while I look for a courthouse in some small county in Iowa.
22. Thank you for court reporters who can keep up with fast talking attorneys like me and after I am done make me feel better by saying “Oh, you don’t talk THAT fast”.
23. Thank you creators of “Just Dance” for the Wii, for coming up with a fun game where I can get in some exercise while I “Walk like an Egyptian”.
24. Thank you for briefs I have saved on my computer, so when a partner emails me at 10:00 p.m. saying they need a brief done by the next day I can simply copy and paste.
25. Thank you makers of the Bounce Dryer Bar so I never have to pull out another dryer sheet that got stuck in my pant leg as I sit in court.
26. Thank you online bill pay for allowing me to pay my bills without having to find the stamps I never have anyway.
27. Thank you for dark colored suits, which hide spit up stains beautifully.
28. Thank you Blackberry for allowing me to answer emails while I sit at a dance class.
29. Thank you Spaghetti Sauce for being the only “vegetables” my daughter will actually eat.
30. Thank you for the Tasks option on Microsoft Outlook which gives me my reminders that I have the appeal brief I totally forgot about due in a week.
31. Thank you Caffeine Free Diet Pepsi for making your pop taste just like the caffeinated one so I don’t feel so guilty about my 6 plus cans a day.
32. Thank you to the JD Moms blog…for giving me an avenue to vent and allowing me that chance to formally thank Post-it Notes!
Of course you know that this list is not exhaustive. A working Mom has so much to be thankful for in her life. But always remember to be thankful for the little things too…and if you’d like to share your “Thank You’s” feel free to leave me a comment!
On behalf of all the JD Moms Happy Thanksgiving everyone! We are so thankful for your support. Now go stuff yourself with turkey and stuffing and enjoy the extra days off with your kids!!
Mandi
Of course I am thankful for every day with my happy, healthy, beautiful children and wonderful husband. Of course I am thankful to have a job that allows me to be the Mom I want to be.
So this is not going to be a post about the large things that I am thankful for every minute of my life. Instead, I thought as this is my 32nd Thanksgiving, I would take time to reflect on 32 of the small things in my life…the things I always forget to be thankful for.
So here we go…
1. Thank you to Target for managing to design shoes that look just enough like the designer shoes at Von Maur to fool my 4 year old and allow me to avoid spending $100 on shoes she will out-grow in a month.
2. Thank you to the wonderful caregivers at my kids’ daycare who always remember to hug my kids and tell them “I love you” when they leave at the end of the day.
3. Thank you to Wal-Mart for restructuring your store so I don’t have to take my kids over by the toys when I just need soap or toothpaste.
4. Thank you to the Baby Einstein company for “Baby Beethoven” which keeps L entertained in his bouncy seat just long enough so I can take a shower.
5. Thank you to my Mom who always remembers to call me and ask me how I am…instead of simply inquiring about the kids.
6. Thank you Twizzlers for being the only treat my 3 year old son will go potty for.
7. Thank you makers of the DVR who allow me to watch my favorite TV shows at midnight when I finally have time to sit down and watch a show.
8. Thank you Strawberry Shortcake for making a comeback while my daughter is young so I can relive my childhood everyday.
9. Thank you to my best friends for loving my children and proving that you don’t have to be related by blood to be family.
10. Thank you to L for sucking his thumb instead of being dependent on a pacifier so I never have to have another moment of “Oh crap we forgot the binky and he’s tired!” in a crowded restaurant.
11. Thank you to Facebook for allowing me to reconnect with old friends and see pictures of my permed hair and plaid shirts posted for the world to see.
12. Thank you Crock Pot for making my dinners taste like I’ve slaved all day, even though it only took me 2 minutes to throw everything inside and turn it on high..
13. Thank you Glee for doing Rocky Horror Picture Show so I can teach my kids how to do the Time Warp!
14. Thank you Dodge company for putting automatic doors on my mini-van so I can open the doors while juggling groceries.
15. Thank you Gymboree for coming out with Gymbucks so that every now and then my bills at your store can be less than $200.00.
16. Thank you makers of spray in shampoo so I don’t feel gross if I don’t get to wash my hair every day.
17. Thank you General Mills for putting WHOLE GRAIN and VITAMIN D in large print on your boxes of cereal so I feel a little better as I pour a bowl of sugary Lucky Charms for my kids.
18. Thank you for multi-colored post it notes ( No reason really…I just love them).
19. Thank you Barenaked Ladies for coming out with “Snacktime!” So I don’t have to listen to Barney and Dora and can actually enjoy my kids’ music.
20. Thank you Nickelodeon for coming out with Team Umizoomi (a kids show about math) so I can work on my math skills while my kids enjoy their favorite tv show.
21. Thank you to Garmin for my GPS so I never have to juggle Mapquest directions while I look for a courthouse in some small county in Iowa.
22. Thank you for court reporters who can keep up with fast talking attorneys like me and after I am done make me feel better by saying “Oh, you don’t talk THAT fast”.
23. Thank you creators of “Just Dance” for the Wii, for coming up with a fun game where I can get in some exercise while I “Walk like an Egyptian”.
24. Thank you for briefs I have saved on my computer, so when a partner emails me at 10:00 p.m. saying they need a brief done by the next day I can simply copy and paste.
25. Thank you makers of the Bounce Dryer Bar so I never have to pull out another dryer sheet that got stuck in my pant leg as I sit in court.
26. Thank you online bill pay for allowing me to pay my bills without having to find the stamps I never have anyway.
27. Thank you for dark colored suits, which hide spit up stains beautifully.
28. Thank you Blackberry for allowing me to answer emails while I sit at a dance class.
29. Thank you Spaghetti Sauce for being the only “vegetables” my daughter will actually eat.
30. Thank you for the Tasks option on Microsoft Outlook which gives me my reminders that I have the appeal brief I totally forgot about due in a week.
31. Thank you Caffeine Free Diet Pepsi for making your pop taste just like the caffeinated one so I don’t feel so guilty about my 6 plus cans a day.
32. Thank you to the JD Moms blog…for giving me an avenue to vent and allowing me that chance to formally thank Post-it Notes!
Of course you know that this list is not exhaustive. A working Mom has so much to be thankful for in her life. But always remember to be thankful for the little things too…and if you’d like to share your “Thank You’s” feel free to leave me a comment!
On behalf of all the JD Moms Happy Thanksgiving everyone! We are so thankful for your support. Now go stuff yourself with turkey and stuffing and enjoy the extra days off with your kids!!
Mandi
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