Giving thanks for this year....

We have weathered, pun intended, many storms this year.  As Dave puts it, "it can only get better from here."  Looking back over the year, I have endured a torn ACL and subsequent surgery to repair it.  I have a cadaver replacement ACL in my body to prove it!  We, along with tons of help from our friends, family and neighbors, raised a puppy to the stage of a well behaved dog....we love you Kobe.  We have lived through a tornado hitting our beloved lake house and survived, the sometimes tedious and unforeseen, problems of repairing our house.  We've traveled extensively this year and lugged two children along.  The tooth fairy can attest to our travels.  I think she wants us to stay put.  Dave commuted from New Jersey to Atlanta to Alabama to the Pacific Northwest for three months to work and see his family.  I'm glad you have a reliable suitcase, dear.  Lest I forget our move, a BIG move, to New Jersey. As the song goes, "we loaded up the truck and moved to Beverly...", Bergen that is.....

It's been a wild year, and we are looking forward to a calmer 2012.  Our recent Thanksgiving break was a bit hectic, but then as we settled in, we realized that we all needed time to relax and be together as a family.  

Looking back to recent events, I am thankful for my children's school.  I am learning as they are, the nuances of the school, and I love it.  Recently, the school had the children's book author, Rob Scotton, visit and discuss his books and about being an author.  The kids came home with autographed books and wonderfully creative drawings of Splat The Cat.  Impressive...  O & Z are also impressed with their catered lunches from Simply Gourmet.  It's a bit of a change from the typical school lunch.....

I am also thankful to have new friends in the Northeast and for old friends that visit.  Recently, Eeva, from my Atlanta neighborhood, who currently lives in Connecticut, came for a day.  We had so much fun together and she was even able to visit on a day where we went into the kids' classrooms to observe.  Olivia and Zach were all smiles to have a visitor, well....and mom too.  Of course, Eeva being Eeva, she brought presents.  Olivia and I have gorgeous new scarves that she knitted and Zach loved his game.  You'll see me wearing my scarf often:-)

I'm thankful for our family to have attended our first NYC Rockette's Christmas Spectacular.  I'm thankful to have spent part of the holiday in NYC with our friends, Amy and Dave and to have attended the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade.  It was a holiday of firsts.

Radio City Music Hall 

Outside Apple Store in Manhattan 

Christmas window displays 

NYC dinner with Amy & Dave 

Olivia, Avery & Zach 

Macy's Thanksgiving Parade 

Amy & Jennifer - Thanksgiving dinner 

Olivia with curls...the girls were playing

I am thankful to have our holiday decorations and tree up.  I love enjoying them all month long.  The kids had all day (in pajamas, no less) to go through most of the ornaments and remember making some of them or remember who gave them a certain one.  It starts the holiday season off right.

I am thankful for being close to wonderful hiking trails and scenery and for having a husband that gets us out of the house to enjoy it.  We have hiked Ramapo twice over the last two weeks and we have many more trails to explore.  I am also thankful for the warm weather over the holiday to allow me to ride with the convertible top down.  Southern girls love their warm weather.  I'm soaking it in before the true NJ winter starts.