Thanksgiving (Part 1)

Wow. What a week!  We left out Wednesday afternoon once RDB got off work, and made it into Cedar Hill State Park around 8pm (traffic from Houston to Dallas was a mess, to be sure).  Since I hadn't had a chance to preview this park, I had to rely on the knowledge of the local park staff to guide us to a good spot.  Ranger Bennett was the man!! He recommended site #329 in Coyote Crossing camping loop, and when we woke the next morning, we were right on the water. And the site was huge!  There was so much to be thankful for this trip...

 

 

 

I'm really, really thankful for Mom. RDB and I woke up Thanksgiving morning and realized that we didn't have a skillet to cook breakfast on.  Mom saved the day! I called her and asked if she wanted to come have breakfast at the campiste (we were heading to Dad's on Thursday and her place on Friday).  Of course, breakfast was contingent on her bringing the electric griddle!!  It was a wonderful and pleasant start to the festivities.

 

 

I am thankful for our State Parks.  And for the staff, and hosts, and Rangers who are willing to dedicate their lives to preservation and education.  I love my State Parks Pass and make the most of it - seriously, 5 nights in this amazing spot and it was only $80.  We couldn't have stayed in a dog friendly hotel for one night for that, much less the entire long weekend! 

 

 

 

 

I'm glad for having Dad and M.o.M. and all the family up North - and that soon we'll have my Grandparent's G up there right next door.  After breakfast at the campsite with Mom, we went up to Dad's for Thanksgiving day.  It's so much fun to have the big group over every year - and to have Papa and Grandee there as well. Of course, it becomes a yelling fest, not out of anger, but love - half the family is hard of hearing and between the Cowboys game, the kids, and the 10+ adults, it can be a little loud at times.  The food is always amazing - and the desserts this year were out of the park! Big Bro cracked me up as I was getting a slice of the coconut creme pudding pie: "That's the best one," he said. "Trust me, I tried all of them." 

 

  

 

 

I know it's crazy, but I'm thankful for the internet and technology this year. Our Weatherbug App gave plenty of warning that a cold front was coming in, so we could bundle up before going to bed.  Pinterest provided me with a really awesome banana pancake reciepe: one banana, one egg - mix well, and cook like a regular pancake.  (Sounds crazy, but it's crazy good).  We watched a downloaded movie from the comfort of our bunk, and, we got to do our Black Friday shopping right from the camper.

I appreciate the atmosphere at Mom's.  It truely feels like Thanksgiving at her place (I think has something to do with the home-made bread and turkey gravy.  Oooooh, the graaaavy.) It was a smaller group over at Mom's: just us, Big Bro and his girlfriend and her kids.  Kinda nice to have everyone at the same table.  Mom asked each of us what we were thankful for this year - jobs, good bosses, life, camping, and family.  We really are a blessed group. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Life is truely precious and amazing - and there's so very much, when you stop and look around, to be thankful for.  Just sitting here at the kitchen table this morning, having a day off from work (having work to have a day off from), having the technology to listen to Christmas songs on one device and update my blog on another - to even have a blog! - I've got so much that I'm greatful for this year.  And this post is only the half of it - look for another Thanksgiving post to finish out the weekend trip.