Thankful

As you probably already know, we hosted Thanksgiving dinner at our house this year.  It was our first Thanksgiving as a married couple, and I really enjoyed having our families at our house.

Not everyone could come down, but my parents, Alan's parents, and his sister's family were able to join us for the holiday and we are so thankful to be able to spend time with all of them.

I set a really simple table, with the easiest place card holder. Ever. 

I told you there would be more pine cones, and here they are.  I simply cut out a piece of card stock, and slipped it right into the top of the pine cone.

I found these striped, colorful napkins at Pier One for a few bucks each (they were my favorite, and I knew our smallest guest would like the bright colors), and then, picked up the solid orange and green napkins at Target.

I decided to mix up the colors since we rarely feed nine people on a regular basis. (This way we have a few different colors to add to the others we use throughout the year.)  

Our menu was posted

And little ones scurried around the house, and had fun drawing. 

The dessert table was packed full of pies, cake, and cookies.

Pumpkin Chocolate Cake

Mom's pumpkin pie

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

and finally, apple pie.

Instead of passing out from food comas like most people do after Thanksgiving dinner, we all headed downtown to partake in our town's Thanksgiving Day festivities.  

I love Christmas lights of any kind, anywhere.  But, our town has the most magical lights ever. 

Our downtown is a large square, with the old courthouse right in the middle.  Lights drape from the very tip of the courthouse, all the way down and across the streets that make up downtown.

I think it's simply beautiful, and have found, after two years, that pictures just don't do it justice.

For the entire month of December, I go out of my way to drive under the downtown lights. 

We hope your Thanksgiving was as magical as ours!