the cousin show

Really, it's more like the Clara/Rory show.
Winnie was around and about, but was more interested in other things & crawling around,
though she'd give Rory a poke or two and a gummy smile sometimes.
(someday they will be friends, but Rory isn't quite interesting enough just yet)
But Clara- oh my, that girl could not get enough.
Thanksgiving morning, she wanted to crawl in Rory's crib when we went to get her up.
And after that insisted on bath time with "baby cousin" (she rarely calls her Rory)
There were a lot of full body hugs and silly faces and voices, and Rory loved it all.
She still smiles every time I play the video of Clara jumping (basically on her) in the crib
and singing something akin to "How-de-do" in a baby voice on repeat.

Cousins. are. the. best.
I can't wait to see these three little girls grow up together.

part II- magic dust and tiny footprints

Thanksgiving brought the magic kind of snow.
It was just enough to be real snow (instead of meltable flurries),
but not enough to make things icy and treacherous.
So I woke up and fed my baby, then snuck out to be alone in it.
The only evidence anyone had seen it but me
were Clara's excited footprints in the front lawn from the night before.
Oh, and if you could have seen that little muffin in the snow.
"Come wif me! I found somesing! It's ice!"
*entering the room in underwear and her rainboots* "I'm going to run in the snow. I am!"

I think too often I have taken for granted the place I grew up.
There was so much adventure and things to do and places to go all in my backyard.
(Mind you, I didn't grow up where these pictures were taken exactly, but we still couldn't see our neighbors)
The weather is mild and every drive within a 20 mile radius is breathtaking.
And now holidays with my family are so nice and I'm able to appreciate it all.
You can walk outside and be alone in the quiet, or go for a drive, or a run,
or play with the dogs, or ride a horse, or collect rocks, or shoot targets, and the list goes on.
It's a pretty unique thing to have what we have.
Thanks grandpa, and George Baber, and dad for keeping the ranch all these years.

Thanksgiving on Veater Ranch

Thanksgiving on Veater Ranch is such a dream. This year was no exception.
The air is crisp, but not cold, and there is this certain mix of  green and gold...

I never want to leave, and as soon as I do I want to come back.
Horseback rides, bridal showers, movie nights, and lots of kiddies.

Oh, and food. So much food.
When I think about food from home,
I often muse that all of my female relatives should have opened restaurants.
Seriously. All of them. Instead, we get their food all to ourselves.
Pies, Turkey, Tri-tip, sugar cookies (just the dough...)....
You name it, we ate it.

Thanksgiving is a time where it ends up I'm grateful out of pure instinct.
I don't have to try. I don't have to rehearse.
Gratitude just pours out of me with no effort.
When I'm in my favorite place, with the perfect combination of people,
it's the most natural thing to do.

So hurrah for good movies, and sunsets,
and hugs and kisses,
and gift giving and food and family pictures.
And Thanksgiving and sunshine,
and my favorite people in the whole world.

my wedding day: my people and the details

Ok, so I was blessed.
There will be no denying that.

I had a bridesmaid who told me after the wedding day,
"you just seemed so calm and happy"
Half of that was because I knew that if I started being stressed....
I would lose it.
Maybe selfishly, I decided that I just didn't care to be anything but happy.
So I was.
The larger half was because of my people.
If I can say one thing about my wedding day it would be that.
Guests, bridesmaids, family, family, family.
I was with my people, and because of that I was happy.

My bridesmaids came to my house early in the morning, and hair and makeup ensued.
The "thank you" succulents were thought to be lost and found dried out in an upside down box,
and bridesmaids came to the rescue.
I learned that mine were the best kind.
Helpful, never complaining, and standing by my side both metaphorically and physically.

My sister was my maid (ok, so she's a matron) of honor and everything I could have ever hoped to have.
She forced me to go to bed and laid out my pajamas and hung my dress in the window.
She did my makeup and was equally as giddy as I was [if not more. per the usual] about the day ahead.

I wore mom's tennis bracelet that I helped pick out with dad, 
and all the commotion happened in my hometown 
and in my very favorite place in that town: my home. 

My place, my people, and small details made for the most wonderful morning.
And the start to the most wonderful day.