Images. Captured. Beautifully.....: Giving Thanks....

Thanksgiving 2010 has come and gone.... After all the planning, prepping, anticipating, cleaning, cooking and waiting.. it was here... and now it is gone. I have to say, I for one was so very excited for this year ! As my family knows, its been a very long time since I have been able to be off from work for this wonderful holiday. Finally this year, it happened.

The last time I had the holiday off, my precious mini-me was still a toddler.... yes a toddler, and now she is 8 !! Having her with me, being with her in our home, and surrounded by loved ones was my number one favorite moment of the holiday. There were so many memorable moments, and thankfully I was able to catch a few of them w/my camera... the rest of the time, I was doing one of the "ing's" listed above !

Of course, as with any holiday .. there has to be a little snag thrown into the cloth we weave of memories... and this year, right on cue, Mother Nature decided to cast her spell across the beautiful Pacific NW... aka.. SNOWmegeddon. Are you serious ??!!!! I think I said that phrase about 5 times in a week... bone chilling cold (8 degrees one night), heart dropping icy winds and tense driving conditions..left me, along w/my all so supportive amazing husband wondering A. if our families would be able to make it to us B. Is the power going to stay on in order to cook the food and C. Are you serious ??!? (oops, there I go again...), ok really C. are our pipes wrapped enough and is the well heater cranked up ? In the end, it worked out wonderfully... Family made it, power and water stayed on, and I didn't burn the turkey !

But of course.. when all you seem to see is the bad in something, and the fretting takes over.. something knocks you back into reality, and makes you say to yourself "ya know.. its gonna be ok" ... My little reminder of this, was our chicken..(yes.. I said our chicken). The warming light inside his coop, made for several funny conversations over several days in our home. We dubbed it the "poker house"... Vinny our Rooster, and several wild birds would hang out for hours together in his coop, all enjoying the warmth of the heat lamp, "playing poker"..It was an adorable sight, and one I wish I would of snagged more photos of... however, I'm pretty certain our Washington snow weather isn't over... im sure there will be some more "poker games" in the future :)

I hope all of you had a most wonderful Thanksgiving holiday...I look forward to many more years being able to have it of from work, and being able to spend it with loved ones .. Here are a few more pictures from the past several days..I wish I had more time to add more.. till next time, happy holidays !