Thanksgiving Was Perfect! Except...

FOR MY KIDS!!!! Hold up, I will get to that in a sec. Indulge me...

The entire weekend was perfection. The weather was beyond ideal, unexpected visits with friends and family were exceptional and surprise drop off's from parents were appreciated. Drift wood...HOLLAAAA!!!!

I woke up Sunday morning so excited to entertain, cook and have our family over to spend some time just hanging out, watching the kids play together. The sun was shining, the breeze was cool. The scent of turkey wafting through the house. The Caramel Apple Martinis were chilling. It was absolute perfection. Also, it has become kind of a thing to see how many family members can fit on the couch so that everyone is the most comfortable they can be. Let's just say it's like a yard sale of limbs on one big brown couch. It's one holiday that everyone gets to truly relax and be thankful for each other.

Except...

If you have my 2 kids.

One of whom wakes up super cranky from her nap (Hazel) and by the time we are about to present the most beautiful meal ever she starts to feel a bit overwhelmed at the festivities and decides the only logical thing to do is make the absolute saddest face a human can make so that we immediately give her whatever it is that will make that face go away - EXCEPT - she can't (or probably more won't) really tell us what she wants (breathe...long sentence). So one parent is out of the game due to high stress and emotional injury. It's then decided that she can sit in the kitchen just far enough away from all the noise, watching the iPad and eating chips for dinner (that's right, no turkey at all) but she's calm and somewhat happy. WIN! Oh yes, and then she's given a popsicle cause that sad face will get her what she wants EVERY. TIME.

AND...The other daughter who used the fact that it was a holiday to play the jerk card (Nola) at every given moment of the day. Starting from the morning when she got her shoes and coat and demanded to go in the car. And would not stop said demand until I packed her up and took her with me (I know I said I don't negotiate with terrorists but that's a lie, sometimes I do). Demand met. Come dinner time she literally did every naughty thing a child could do at the table. Seriously, I am not going to list them, just use your imagination. Throwing, yelling, standing (in her high chair), demanding food and then not eating it but crumpling it up into tiny pieces and throwing it on the floor, eating MASHED POTATOES with her bare hands. Ok, so I list a few. Just a constant jerky, buzz in my ear the ENTIRE. DINNER. Oh yes, and she too was given a popsicle as a reward for jerky, terrorist behaviour. Cause yes, I negotiated and I lost. Side Note: she used the popsicle to paint and colour her high chair. HUGE FAIL!

UGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

There I am on the most thankful of days, feeling NOT THANKFUL AT ALL!!!! And the more NOT thankful I was, the guiltier I felt all day - cause that's what we do - we feel guilt (who is we? Italians, mothers, wives, etc.). So, I gave the thankful thing a solid effort and took a respectful pass. Maybe next time peace and gratitude. TODAY is not the day.

And then I thought, sometimes when you look at your life in one little tiny moment it seems there's nothing to be grateful for. BUT when you look at the family cuddled under blankets, bellies full, you hear the chatter of everyone together laughing, you can text pictures of your meal to those who were there in spirit, you hear kids laughing and playing and watching the IPad in their room like a broody teenager - and you just know that it didn't take only this one moment to create this beautiful dynasty. It took a lifetime. There's no single torturous moment that can ever take that away. 

"You WIN" peace, gratitude and thanks. Well played. I love my life and I am grateful for all those that are in it. 

When I see these sweet pics, I don't doubt my gratitude for one second. NOT ONE!

Hope all you Canadians had a great Thanksgiving!!!