Happy Thanksgiving Everyone

Thanksgiving Day is
a day to gather with family and friends
cook and cook and use those kitchen items stored away for this occasion,
watch Macy's Thanksgiving Parade see who is hot this year like M. Cyrus,
do more cooking and dish washing,
get a ton of ads in the newspaper and thru email about Black Friday,
finally eat and eat,
watch a little football on TV,
eat again and again,
think about the holidays approaching, especially Christmas and Hanukkah, talk about past and future holiday adventures,
think along the way of all the things we have to be thankful for this year,
think of all the things in the past to be thankful for,
eat some pumpkin pie
and go to bed very stuffed just like that turkey when he went to bed in the
oven!

News Flash: Click on my recommended blogs at the left. Brush Strokes From The Heart has a nice prayer with her photos of homemade desserts. And Heirloom Gardener has a prayer with her photo of her garden leaves centerpiece.

Our Tuesday Adventure With Santa

at Fair Oaks Mall

in Fairfax County

Fairfax County has a pretty amazing Santa Visitors Center. The theme is the children's book, The Polar Express, by Chris Van Allsburg. I used to read this book the week before Christmas to all the kindergarten classes when they came to the school library to check out books. The kids really loved the book for the magical trip to the North Pole. Well, you can go to Fair Oaks Mall and hop on the train and pull the cord and blow the train whistle and hang out on the caboose porch rail while waiting for a visit with Santa. Big Jack and Little Jack were doing just that when Santa called them over for a visit and little lap time.



Jack enjoyed getting his little present from Santa but he didn't crack a smile when his photo was taken. I think he thought that man looked a little odd but then he must have decided it was OK because Mom put him on Santa's lap.Here's a last look back before we toddle down the mall halls with our gift from Santa to find our lunch.

And here is where the Polar Express Train deposits the little ones at the North Pole. It is a beautiful make believe winter scene complete with snow covered trees and snow covered pathways. Now Jack liked this the best. Watch the little video as he headed down the pathway. This video ends with Grandpa yelling at Grandma to catch him he is cutting in line! Joann!