Thanksgiving has never been my favorite holiday, but this year I fell in love with an aspect I’d never before appreciated about the holiday: family time simply centered around slowing down from the busyness of life to be together.

I clearly married into the right family, because at 7:30 on Thanksgiving morning we were all up gearing up for the 5K Turkey Trot. Michael’s cousin, Max, won 1st place overall and Michael came in 2nd. I’m still a little dumbfounded that a lady wearing a ‘regular bra’, tight pink pajama pants, and HER HAIR DOWN won 1st. I crossed the finish line at 23:18 beating my high school Cross Country record. (But who said I was competitive?)

I love going to Charlotte because it feels like a vacation. Mr. and Mrs. Dean always make us feel right at home. Mr. Dean and I share a sweet tooth in common and he stocks the  pantry with candy, cookies, etc. Mrs. Dean is such a great cook and she makes it appear effortless. Michael and I love being married and his family is such an added bonus!

My sister and law, Jordan, & I are good at many things:

one being ironing…

And another CRAFTING!

Unfortunately…the grass behind the Deans is now a little silver…because apparently the point of the cardboard was to avoid staining the grass. Oops.

I love The Deans. We’re back in Nashville and I hung the joy sign I made above our mirror.

And now Christmas is coming! Joy!

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