I am so looking forward to it. Our holidays, Thanksgiving and Christmas, were always such big family times. Since Mom lived here, everyone came here. She died in 2011. That Christmas we had a baby being born and one family couldn't come. Last Thanksgiving we had a baby having open heart surgery so that family didn't come. This year everyone is OK and will all be here with the exception of one of the teenage boys that is in a heap of trouble and in a detention center awaiting a bed in a mental institution for a court mandated 3 month stay to adjust medicines. We will be glad when he turns 18 and be held responsible for his actions. The juvenile/ family court is just kind of slapping him on the wrist and leaving the parents to take care of most of it. The Mom is 4'8'', rheumatoid arthritis, Addisons disease and the Dad is getting bad knees and can't chase him down anymore. He was a military lifer and knows only military discipline. so he would get off his sub after months at sea and come home expecting to be the DAD, changing everything Mom had had to do on her own all those months. Then when he left again it was back to Mom. So this boys mind is confused. All he knows for sure is rebellion.

I'm glad Mom isn't here to see the trouble this 17 year old has been and continues to be. This family lives the farthest away and doesn't come for Thanksgiving, just Christmas. But it was his brother that always comes and they were the ones who had to stay at home because their grand baby was having open heart surgery. So looking forward to a very nice,joyful and thankful Thanksgiving in our house. There will be one addition. My sister in law's father died this year and her mother has early dementia and they live with her now. So she will be here with us but she is a jewel and wonderful cook.I guess that makes 21 for Thanksgiving and then 7 more for Christmas more or Christmas. This is why I want a big remodel of our kitchen and didn't want light tan carpet in our family room where we put all our tables and buffet tables.