Thankful for family

We are thankful for the gift of family

My godmother, Rita, and I at the Tischer Creek (frozen) falls

The holidays are a busy time of year but we are so fortunate to be back in the midwest where we can spend time with family for the holidays. This year, we hosted the Pastorius Family (now Benziger and Weber) as well as Rita Rocheford and Colleen Convey to our home for an early Thanksgiving dinner. The kids made the name cards and helped with other turkey-related decor. Seth did all the cooking and prepared a spectacular turkey and mash potato-free meal. Marit's preschool sold the famous Betty's Pies for a school fundraiser just in time for our party, and they didn't last long! We went around and wrote something we were thankful for on an acorn or pumpkin notecard and then we had to guess who wrote each item.
Any guesses who might have said, "Mommy and Daddy and Elsa (from the Frozen movie)?"
How about, "Food, water and shelter, and friends and family?"
We had many wonderful things to be thankful for this year: good doctors, good health, good friends, good jobs, wonderful neighbors, our loved ones, family pets - Louie and Winnie, and the late Uncle Jim, among other more materialistic things, like the new Q7. We enjoyed a hike along Tischer Creek and a visit to the Duluth Depot and North Shore Railroad as well. Our home was filled with love, laughter and joy and we all comfortably fit under one roof (that's what 6,000 sq. ft. is for, right?)
(Answers to the questions above: Marit and Theo, respectively)

The table is set for our feast

Ready to dig in! Appetizers included smoked salmon, deviled eggs, cheese and crackers, dinner included prime rib, wild rice salad, chestnut stuffing, cranberry relish, sweet potatoes, green bean almondine and rolls and pumpkin and mixed fruit pie for dessert!

Blowing out 60+ candles for Rita's birthday

Then for the actual Thanksgiving day, we flew to Chicago to visit the Benziger family. Seth and the kids went to the Kohl's Children's museum with half of the school age population of Chicago but the kids had fun. Thanksgiving day we drove to Aurora to visit Keith, Nicole and family. Maya was back from college at Bates where she is learning about the "Politics of Soccer" and singing in an acapella group. I went for an "easy" 5 mile run around Patterson Lake with Zach, who recently received his first varsity letter in cross country running this year and received all-conference and academic all-conference honors. Danika is also killing it as a Soprano in the Young Naperville Singers Chorus and is hoping to get a lead role in the middle school musical this year. Theo and Marit enjoyed playing with all their old toys, like the giant bin of barbie dolls, closet of nerf guns and table full of legos. We enjoyed hiking in the Morton Arboretum where we went on a garden gnome hunt in the lovely Children's Garden followed by hot cocoa and then a short hike to find the giant trolls. We only found 4 but they were pretty awesome! I think Hartley Nature Center needs a few of these! Luckily we were able to fly home before the blizzard hit Chicago. Surprisingly there is more snow in Chicago than in Duluth right now!

Going on a troll hunt

We are thankful for many things but mostly for the gift of family. As we get into Black Friday and Cyber Monday and all the material things that consume us this time of year, it is easy to forget how important it is to have family that love and care about you. Not all families are as close as ours and to some we seem a bit odd. However, my experience is that friends sometimes come and go but family will be there no matter what. Thank you also to all our loyal readers and good friends out there. I am so thankful to have met you and please know you can stay with us any time!

Benziger family

Turkey and turducken?! Yum!

Climbing on the playground at the Children's Garden