Thanksgiving

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Dear Holly: Thanksgiving Break Begins!

4 years, 7 months.

Dear Holly,

As the holiday season has now begun, you have had so much fun already, spending time with your cousins. You got to spend the night with your cousin Darla, who just turned 5.

I know that whatever the two of you got into, you were having a blast.

I am really looking forward to the holidays and all the time we will spend with family; this year, more than ever. I’ve even packed board games for us to play during Thanksgiving.

However, I noticed all the character pieces are missing in our Monopoly set. I think you might have something to do with that…

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Jack: Your Thanksgiving Lizard

8 years.

Dear Jack,

When I think back on what seemed to make you the happiest over our family’s extended Thanksgiving weekend at Nonna and Papa’s house in Alabama, I would definitely have to say it was when you caught a lizard in a pile of leaves in the back yard.

You loved him so much, that it made leaving quite difficult.

First, Mommy and I had to explain to you how unlikely he would stay alive if we took him back home to Tennessee.

Then we explained to you that he couldn’t simply live as a captive pet in the garage either. It was very sad for you to have to say goodbye.

Yet still, he brought you a lot of joy- and that’s what matters more.

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Holly: Your Thanksgiving American Standard Toilet Box

2 years, 7 months.

Dear Holly,

I assisted Papa in installing two new toilets at his house while we stayed there for Thanksgiving:

One upstairs and one downstairs.

By the time the one upstairs was finished, I came back down to see that Nonna had cut out a hole for you to stand through.

If only we had unboxed the toilets at the beginning of the holiday weekend… now I wish we had.

That’s because the toilet box made the perfect little house for you.

Not only could you peek out of the top, but you also were able to pretend to sleep inside of it.

To think- not just a box…

but a toilet box!

Love,

Daddy

 

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Father and Son Road Trip to Target to Buy Board Games for Thanksgiving in a 2019 Chevy Traverse

With Thanksgiving just a few days away, my wife suggested we pick up the classic board game Monopoly for when we visit my side of the family in Alabama. That gave me the green light to carry out my own related agenda: to also buy the classic game Crossfire, from my own childhood.

Speaking of agendas, my son had one of his own, as well. He still had a few bucks leftover from his birthday, on a gift card to Target that he was eager to spend.

So he and I hopped in the 2019 Chevy Traverse that our family still has from our trip to Destin, FL. (More on that in the days to come…) Exactly 3.8 miles later, we had arrived.

I couldn’t have known this, but it just so happened that Target had just started a special 20% sale on family board games.

I feel really good about this. My wife’s idea was spot on.

Classic board games are a great way to unplug for the holidays while the family is together.

It’s easy to forget how great it is to break out some board games after the meal and have some mandatory fun.

My son ended going with a Squish-Dee-Lish. It’s funny how big he is into those “don’t know what you’ve got until you’ve opened it” toys.

I think it ended up being a sleep-deprived alien jet pilot?

Once we got home, I admit it took my longer than it should have to assemble Crossfire while my wife finished preparing dinner.

To my surprise, my daughter actually seemed more into the game than my son.

Good call, though. Stock up on board games for Thanksgiving, especially while they’re on sale this week at Target!

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Dear Jack: Carving the Halloween Jack-o’-lantern for the Thanksgiving/Hike at DeSoto Falls with Uncle Joe and Aunt Rebecca

7 years.

Dear Jack,

After having ventured to Gentry’s Farm to get our family’s pumpkin to carve for Halloween, we just didn’t get around to actually carving it in time. So we took it to Nonna and Papa’s nearly a month after Halloween… for the wrong holiday.

Papa then built a bonfire in the backyard to extend the feeling of pumpkin carving season.

Since your Uncle Joe and Aunt Rebecca were visiting from Pensacola, we also spent part of Thanksgiving break to introduce them to DeSoto Falls; not that far from where I grew up.

I’m fortunate to be from such a cool outdoorsy town (Fort Payne, Alabama), as it is not the average hometown to spend the holidays in. I was very proud to be able to entertain your aunt and uncle by showing them the giant waterfall up on the mountain.

It’s especially neat because we were able to get pretty close to the water, but kept from certain danger thanks to some guard rails.

While we were enjoying the views, we looked up and saw a few drones flying above us. I imagine it must be an awesome place to fly one around; as long as it doesn’t get caught in the rapids.

I have to assume in a just a few years, you’ll be asking for a drone for your birthday or Christmas, as compared to just Pokemon cards like you are currently obsessed with.

Turns out, your Uncle Joe and Aunt Rebecca enjoyed their Thanksgiving visit so much, they decided to drive back up from Florida again for Christmas- and this time they are bringing their teenage daughter who you enjoyed spending time with at Uncle Jake’s wedding in San Diego last year.

Whatever we all end up doing during our 5 days in Alabama for Christmas, I know we’re all going to have a great time!

Love,

Daddy