Thankgiving

Thanksgiving was very nice and low key this year. I could tell you that the food was awesome, and that I pigged out, but Jeanne makes this kind of meal year-round, so while I loved it, I can't say it was super special. Yes my mother is a domestic goddess. Some day I do need to take a moment and express my gratitude for my children. I'm even going to try my best to not complain about them.I hope to be able to cook the way she does.

I am thankful for Ryan. I'm thankful that when he has an early morning game, he gets himself up and eats without a fight. In fact, we rely on Ryan to get the rest of us up! I'm thankful that he isn't a complainer or a whiner. I love that he usually tries his best in school and sports. I love that he is friends with so many diverse kids. I love that he doesn't just befriend fellow jocks.
Ryan is so good to Olivia and Brady. I said I wouldn't complain, so I will not comment on how he treats Kate. I love that of all my kids, he and I share one genetic trait: our eye color. Once again I won't complain, but you'd think after FOUR kids, there would be more similarities between us all.
Ryan will forever remain my mystery child, but when all is said and done, I feel like I get him. I think we are more alike that he realizes.

I am thankful for Kate. I love her dramatic flair, her bizarre sense of style, her kind heart, and spending one on one time with her. Last weekend, she and I went to the mall and dined together. She begged to try Chinese, and I happily obliged. Finally she admitted, she didn't care to ever try Chinese, she just wanted to eat the fortune cookie. Instead we dined on Taco Johns. There during our meal I learned that: she meets 20-30% of her friends in the bathroom, she thought Haiti was in the United States, she knows where it is because she had a map of it but threw it away, and countless other things that had me smiling to myself.
I love her beautiful dark brown eyes, the way she loves to draw, dance, sing, and play make believe. I am thankful that she lets her little sister play with her and her friends without complaining too often. She is such a sweet girl.

I am thankful for Olivia. Man if there isn't a sweeter little girl on the face of this earth. I love that she is learning to read. I love that she is learning to say her "r" words the right way. I love that she almost always goes with the flow. I appreciate how she doesn't really care about what she wears or how she looks. She's too busy being herself. She has been working hard all weekend making Christmas gifts for friends and family. She is such a good helper. She is a wonderful big and little sister. I love listening to her sing. I swear she knows the words to every pop song out there!

And, who can forget this little stinker? I love how Brady can take a clean house and tear in apart in under a minute flat. I enjoy watching go through countless loaves of bread 'cooking.' While I don't love his new fixation on flushing the toilet and putting things in it (including Thad's cell phone), I love how curious he is. I am thankful to finally have a boy who loves his mama. "My mama" is what he says. He is the best cuddler, gives the best bear hugs, and is also a pretty good little hockey player.
I am thankful for these four kids. Even though they fight, scream, hit, pinch, yell, scream, cry, push, shove, holler, and enjoy hurting one another, I think they are thankful for each other too.