We had a lovely and busy weekend. We celebrated our first Thanksgiving with my family. We all congregated at my aunt and uncle's house in a tony Hartford, CT suburb. There we were joined by my parents, my 3 cousins, their spouses and all eleven and a half children and an adorable Cocker Spaniel dressed up in her Angela Moore doggie collar. (This is so my aunt Dee!) It was delight and chaos and joy! Most of the time the children were in the basement playing with the toys from my generation... the original Fisher Price Little People, Legos and whatnot, working out on the gym equipment and watching the game in the movie theater. (I aspire to have a basement like my aunt and uncle's!) We dined on wonderful and perfectly cooked food. My aunt is a fantastic chef. And didn't stop until our waistbands got too tight for comfort. I met a new nephew. It was a picture perfect day!

The following day we headed to Massachusetts to celebrate Thanksgiving Number 2. We enjoyed leftovers at lunch with my husband's family. A crowd similar in size to the one from the day before. The kids hung out in the den playing Wii and with their Nintendo DSs while the adults never left the dining room and noshed on all the wonderful goodies all afternoon.

But Thanksgiving is not Thanksgiving without leftovers of one's own. I spent my Saturday in the kitchen cooking my own bird, relishing in the smells permeating through the kitchen and the rest of the house. There is nothing quite like that Holiday Smell! I would bottle it if I could! With the turkey I made stuffing (nothing fancy, just the Peppridge Farm variety) roasted carrots, roasted brussel sprouts and spicy garbanzo beans lightly sauteed in olive oil. My gravy came out perfectly! This was a slightly healthier Thanksgiving and delicious no less delicious than the unhealthier meals I have had in the past!

And then I realized something yesterday. I'm not the biggest fan of leftover turkey! I find it tougher and gamier than chicken. I feel the same about the turkey from the deli. So we'll have something else for our Christmas celebration with my parents. I'm putting my husband to work. He'll be making a paella. A delicious, mouth watering paella. Oh I cannot wait!

Yesterday Daddy and I headed out for a few hours. We poked around Home Goods and came home with two gorgeous white decorative pillows for our bed. The bedroom gets repainted this week. I've picked a Benajmin Moore color called Azure. Like the Cote D'Azur of my childhood summers in France. It's a stunning color. We'll need new bedding and it will have to go with our new paint color and my new pillows!

From there we hit Target and attempted to make a dent in the kid's Christmas gifts. And a dent we did make! I brought along the kids Christmas lists. Clearly written was that Christopher wanted a Cannon aqua digital camera. We found it. On sale! I got a big tub of pretty plastic gold ornaments and some gold ribbon so I can decorate the stair case in the foyer! I'm so excited to do this! We also stocked up on board games for all three. Alexander is getting a Leapster even though he didn't ask for it. He always feels left out when the other two are on their Nintendo DS machines. This way he'll have something too. We got all our stocking stuffers... toothbrushes, lip balms, hair accessories, cards, Lindt chocolate balls... Our stockings are never fancy. Just practical items that the children need anyway! Rebecca's big gift is a collectible baby doll that looks life like. It's been impossible to track down. It's insane what this doll costs. When we get it I'll head to Target and BabyGap (right to the sale section!) and find some newborn clothes. She wants a skateboard too. A skateboard and a doll! Makes me chuckle. I'll be headed to Angela Moore and Lilly. I want to get Rebecca a couple of AM charms and the Lilly pencils for her stocking. And maybe a dress to put under the tree. And some wrapping paper to cover the initials I will be hanging on her wall. We're well under way. Our purchases were snuck in and are safely tucked away in the basement. I hope to get all wrapped this week!

And the painters start today. I've decided on all my colors except for the kitchen. I've totally changed my mind and will try to get out to the Benjamin Moore store today! I hope it won't take more than a week to get the painting all done. Then I'll be able to have everything ready for the holidays. I'm so happy... I'm giddy with excitement. I just love this time of the year. I just love it!


Deitrich's like Alex P Keaton... loves to get dressed up!



Where the children can be neither seen nor heard... they must have gone in to the theater!



My cousin Alexandra and her son Noah... I covet her blouse and cardi!
How cute is Noah in his suit?!!!



My aunt's amazing food....




This place card is over 30 years old! Replicas have been made for the newer members of the family!


Can you see these magnificent carrots? My aunt found them at a local farmer's market. They are stunning!


Two of the newest members of the family with their Daddies...



My beautiful aunt and my cousin...


My aunt cooking and my uncle opening the wine... we drank this year's Beaujolais Nouveau. Complimented our turkey perfectly!


Mimi is 100 years old! She wasn't really sleeping here... these days her life amounts to eating, sleeping and drinking! (Sounds good to me!)

Molly and her Angela Moore doggie collar...



and another picture of Noah... totally want to gobble him up! (Pun intended!!)