Family! Friends! 5ks! Dairy! and Puzzles! This year we gathered at my parents home again to celebrate the most thankfully delicious holiday of the year.
Tripp and I began our holiday on Tuesday, bringing David and his gear for one long sleepover. On Thursday, in keeping with tradition, Tripp and I suited up at 7am for a chilly 5k with Brock and Lindsay and the rest of athletic Naperville. It's exhilarating to hussle with fellow families before the big feast, however the exhileration only lasted about 1.5 miles before Tripp and I took a shortcut back to the car. Next year we'll win that thing!
Joined by the usual suspects, new babies and new loves, our thankful friends and family stretched two full tables. Having cooked a lot of the sides prior (and baker-square catered dessert) Mom and Dad were able to focus on the turkey and it was INCREDIBLE. Thanks to Ina Garten and her inspiring use of truffle butter, that Turkey was the best yet. Normally, I'd be restricted be restricted by David's aversion to dairy, but the boy is cured and I enjoyed everything to the point of stomach ache.
Aside from eating, the
re was some serious puzzling going on in the basement. Brock had picked up a 1,000 piece puzzle at walmart, but having had the sales associate get and put it straight into the bag, no one was to have the ease of looking
at the cover! With the collaboration of an engineer, analyst, accountant, teacher and manufacturer, the puzzle was complete that evening.
This holiday was also marked by David's first meeting with his Aunt Cayte and Uncle Jacky. I've never seen him warm up to a person so much as his Aunt Cayte, but since I believe they share the same eyes, that's just expected! Cayte and Jacky blessed us with 5 days of time together and whole lot of laughs.
This was our niece Grace's first thanksgiving as well, and she just gets cuter by the holiday. We're a growing bunch, making this holiday more joyful than ever. Also, mom has a new Keurig which Tripp and I both feel is the bomb.
This morning I reheated Monday's coffee, in a sweet cup from my friend Chelsey, to the trying sounds of a little CIO. According to baby lingo, CIO= cry it out. During David's 4 month visit to the doctor, we were informed it is now safe and maybe even helpful to allow crying in the crib. I've given it a go a few times now and so far it's most successful at naptime, crying lasts at most 10 minutes. Bedtime is still a challenge. He either goes down fast or pushes the bounds of CIO so much we've just got to hold the guy. As torturous as CIO sounds, I am glad when it works and stumped when it doesn't. And that about sums up baby tricks for you!
