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Joy in my heart….IT’s MY SITs’ DAY, again…

(Yes, I’m having another SITs’ Day due to an error.  If you made it to the last SIT’s DAY take a look at my latest post THE OFFICE – TOTAL MAKEOVER!)

For my regular readers, this day is a treat!  It is my SITs’ DAY!

For visitors – WELCOME to the blog of chaos – just like our house!  Chaos in a good way – where there is love, laundry and Lego’s  EVERYWHERE!

Copy of IMG_1990

This is me  – my name is:
Lana like BANANA.

(The paragraph below is about my blog…if you are in a hurry just keep scrolling down and find out what your objective is – yes, I have an objective for the comments. 
Please do NOT write – Happy Sit’s Day!) 
{If you write that – everyone will know that you have not read this post.}

At my refuge aka blog – I like to write about:   

  • our crazy remodeling that we are doing to our house, including our kitchen re-do.
  • Easy Easy Easy Recipes (did I mention EASY?)
  • Ways to spend my money wisely (in fact I have 77 ways)
  • our home education adventure (with special rules and hints)
  • Family Trips (we are on a quest to visit The World’s Largest everything.)
  • Did I mention my sweet hubby loves to make things?  He just finished this fort, this cat jungle gym, and even cornices for my living room.  He’s all mine!  🙂IMG_0246
  • I also Twitter – it is pretty new to me – so I’m still in learning mode.  Okay, I really don’t write about twitter – I just was passing on some information…
  • Mostly, I write because of  and for my kids.  Yep, I have 5 of them babies.  (That is so funny because I really didn’t want any kids.  Maybe that is not really funny – maybe it is just poetic justice.  I’m truly thankful for God changing my heart and giving them to me.  Yes – everyone of them is a gift and I’m so grateful that God has blessed my husband and me with them.IMG_2203
Just if you liked my blog:
My Follower Buttons are at then end of this page or you could subscribe to my blog by emails in the sidebar. 
That would just bless my heart.

Okay, enough about me….

For those in a hurry STOP Here!  This is the objective!
I want to know what you are thankful for, why and where you celebrate Thanksgiving!  

If you did this the first time around, tell me what is the perfect gift you have ever given or received
. 
(Yes, I need new ideas.)

My hubby’s family has the neatest tradition for Thanksgiving and since we are not going to be with them this year, I’d like to do it here.

About 2 weeks before Thanksgiving, Aunt Debbie sends out invitations for Thanksgiving day.  It all starts with an early Turkey Bowl game (it is usually COLD and rainy) where men and women of all ages go and play “flag” football that usually turns into CONTACT sport.  I think that Tylenol and Ibuprofen becomes a sweet friend during this time of agony.  Then everyone goes home to clean up.

Around 2:00 or so, everyone comes back and meets in the tight-fitting  but warm and cozy basement.  Before ANYONE eats, everyone goes around the table and tells of something that they are thankful for.  Usually many tissues are needed from birth announcements, to wedding plans, to simple love for a brother or sister.  I love his family and this tradition – it truly reminds me of an Hallmark movie.  (One year there were around 65 people who attended.  That year there were 2 eating sessions.)

Something else I truly love, is that everyone is made to feel like family no matter if you blood related or not.

So, back to the objective.

Tell me something that you are truly thankful for and why.  Then tell me something you do that makes this holiday special – if you don’t celebrate it – just tell me something you are thankful for!

ilovemy5kids feet

BTW – Next week, I’ll be posting our Thanksgiving decor including the Thanksgiving Tree and ideas we have –  to truly be thankful in all circumstances.

 

Did you notice I got a new header?  

Sharon at

  did it! 
I absolutely love it. 
She just wanted to give something out of the
abundance of her heart which is filled with the Love of God.  

Right now, she is hosting an awesome blog party, which is Just the JOY of it.  Just spreading some JOY around!

That’s all folks!  Thanks so much for making my SIT’s DAY so special!!!

Blessings to you!!!  You are loved!!!


Related posts:

Moving Christmas to January, who’s with me???
MARCH 4th!!!
Events that should have warned you – it is one of those days!

Comments

  2. I missed you yesterday, so when I logged in today I got a little sidetracked by the Black Friday post. Now I can read, though, since I am finished purchasing the MITER SAW on line for the hub (who is dying for one.) THANK YOU!!!!! I’m a terrible bargain hunter so you totally made my day! This year I am thankful for my family and my husband’s job security, and that my parents will be with us for the holiday. We don’t really have a Thanksgiving Day tradition, but towards the end of the weekend, my husband and my son dig out the movie The Santa Clause (every single year) and we watch it together. It’s like our Season Kickoff tradition!

  3. Sorry your SITS day got screwed up – but glad to see your site! I am thankful for my family – my two boys especially! We are spending thanksgiving at home with friends!

  4. I am thankful for my kids because they teach me what it means to be inspired by the world around me.

    The best gift I ever got was a CD of photos of my daughters first year…my friend new I was so busy being a new mom, she made it for me

  5. I’m thankful that Canadians have Thanksgiving in October. I’m way too busy for holidays in November!

    Howdy from sits, and hope you enjoyed your day.

  7. I am thankful for my loving and amazing husband who has truly define “for better or worse” in the 9 months that we have been married. I am thankful for my Mom, and the way she raised me, and I hope that I make her proud. And I am Thankful for Jesus, and God, and that they have opened their arms and hearts to me, even though I walked away from them at one time…there are so many things to be thankful for this year…but these 3 are the most important

  9. Wow, you have so many wonderful comments already!

    I am thankful for so much. My husband was very sick for so many years but has had an operation that has made him much more healthy now. We have four beautiful children who I love so very much and I’m just feeling very blessed these days which is a welcome change from the very difficult years.
    This year we will celebrate Thanksgiving with family at our house and I’m thankful for that too.

  13. I am most thankful for my rock, my best friend and confidant; The Hubs. He inspires me to be a better person all around and accepts my quirks (and 20+ extra pounds) as more to love. We spend Thanksgiving Day and the day after at the In-Laws. P.S. I love your blog!

  14. It is cracking me up that you wrote not to write “happy sits day!”

    And believe me, I am noting who obviously didn’t read your post….

    Hope you are enjoying the comment loving! Second time is a charm….

    Tiffany

  17. I’m thankful that the stores around here have started carrying Crispex cereal! Yum! It’s one of the cereals I missed from the US. And it’s on sale right now!

  18. You’ve already gotten over 200 comments. I feel so late to the party. I hope you enjoy your SITS day!

  19. I am thankful for Nutella, Clive Owen and Chris Isaak.

    We usually celebrate Thanksgiving at my parents’ house where my mom still does most of the cooking.

    Stopping by via SITS.

  20. I am thankful for my brother, Cpl Patrick Tanner who is serving with the United States Marine Corps in Afghanistan (and all the other troops who protect our country).

    Every year my special part of Turkey Day is my grandmother’s homemade rolls. mmmmmm yummy!

  21. Hi there sitsta!! I’m thankful to have met my perfect match. My husband and I have been together for 10 years now and I’ve never been more in love. I may want for a lot of things (mainly more money and a baby), but i know in my heart that I found true love and I couldn’t be more thankful for that!

    You are so blessed to have so many angels in your life! Beautiful, beautiful babies, they are!

    Take care.

  22. Congrats on your SITS day! I am thankful that my husband got the medicine he needed for his arthritis. Now we’re just waiting for it to start working. This year for Thanksgiving we’re taking a little family vacation with my husband’s family to San Antonio. Turkey will be provided by a restaurant. It may not be as good as we’d make it ourselves, but we won’t be doing dishes!

  23. I am thankful for my health and that I can see and hear and walk and run. Why? It’s one of the greatest gifts you can be given in this life. Spike, Bulldog, and I are spending Thanksgiving in Florida with . . . Joyce, of course.

  24. Lets see.. what am I thankful for today? Today Im thankful for Adderall… It means that my oldest comes out of his “fog” long enough for me not to kill him.

    We always pass around what we are thankful for at thanksgiving, its my favorite holiday and reminding the kids that is about being thankful.

  26. Happy Thursday!love the blog.We have the same kind of fun and love for everyone at Thanksgiving too!
    I am THANKFUL for my Family n Friends!

  28. Happy SITS DAY – (glad you had one again, b/c I missed it the first time around)
    and I did read!
    This year I am thankful for the roof over our heads – it has been a long tough year.

    I love your blog and am going to hit the follow button next
    😉

  29. Happy SITS day!
    Thank you Lana for welcoming us to your wonderful world. I loved you idea of making us ponder what we are thankful for.
    I am thankful for everything I have and I simply love it all.

    I’ll have a good read of the rest of your wonderful blog soon.

    Cheers!!

  30. Yikes, sorry your day got cut off last time! I’m back to wish you another happy sits day! I’m following you now on Twitter =) See you on the tweet deck.

  33. I know that you have had 2 million comments left. But. Here is one more.

    I am thankful for so many things. My family, friends, provision and of course Salvation. I have 2 little ones and have to draw the line at that.

    I hope that you have a faboo turkey day!

    Come by and visit, if you comment and follow I will return the favor! 🙂

  34. I have so much I am thankful for…Health, hubby, family & friends, our dog, work we love, I could go on but will spare you.

    This Thanksgiving we are having friends come for a visit and we are renting a mini van (if you knew me you would know this is NOT me) to fit everyone in, should be fun!

  36. Stopping by from SITS {see, I didn’t say happy in there:) I read what you said at the top}

    I am truly thankful for so many things! We are getting married in just 3 short weeks and we have gotten so much love and so many blessings from everybody. I am also thankful that we are both healthy and we have jobs that make it possible to support ourselves.

    What a fun thing to do on your SITS day! I’m thankful that you changed it up 🙂

  38. Stopping by from SITS, and have to say that I love the traditions that take place in our homes throughout the year, but especially at this time of the year.

    SOmething I’m really grateful for is my family!! I may get frustrated and ornery with them, but if I had to be stranded somewhere and I could pick who it was… definately my family!!

    And as far as new gift ideas for you… I’ve heard of people buying a nativity set, and then as an anonymous thing leave the person a new piece so that by Christmas morning, you have the baby Jesus to complete the set.

  41. Happy SITS day…again! The best gift I’ve ever gotten that brought tears to my eyes was an autographed book from my favorite author. Hubby went out and bought the latest hardback from this author and got an autographed copy. I’m not sure why that touched me so much but I treasure that book! Hope you have a very Happy Thanksgiving.

  42. Happy SITS Day!
    I’m very much excited about your EASY EASY EASY recipes. I could use that in my life right now!

    I’m very thankful for my family and health. I know it’s cliche but it’s true. I’ve been reading a lot about people who lose a loved one do to disease or a tragic accident and it reminds me of how delicate our lives our.

  43. Thank you for making me stop and think…I am truly grateful for so many things. But I think what I am the most thankful for is the knowledge that I will get to be with my family forever. And this comes through my relationship with my Heavenly Father and Savior.

    This year I am having Thanksgiving at my house so I have plans for activities for the kids and we are doing a thankful box. Everyone puts in at least one paper of what they are thankful for and then we read them and try to guess who’s it is. It’s fun!

  44. yay! this is such a great time of year to be grateful. i’m totally grateful for SO many things. i love the thanksgiving holiday because it actually brings everyone in the family together in one place to just be together and celebrate eachother. thanks for your post. great blog!

  46. Happy SITS day!!

    I am so thankful for my family’s health. To me it is the MOST important thing!!

    And this year, the holiday is EXTRA special because it is my last one living by all of my family. We are moving at the beginning of the year and I am so sad to be away from ALL of them!

  47. Happy Day #2! Thanks for the wonderful linky love Lana! I can’t tell you how awesome that is!

    you brought JOY to my heart today!

  48. I am most thankful for all the wonderful people I have in my life. My husband and children whom I adore, my parents, my in-laws, my grandmothers and my friends. My life is truly enriched by those around me.
    BTW, I love your blog!
    Tanya

  49. That sounds like an amazing tradition. He should indeed be thankful for that. I don’t have many people, or ANY stable family memebers, so such a tradition would not be possible for us BUT…I am thankful for them. I am thankful for the things they teach me, and for the things they teach me about myself. Wow, have I learned how strong I am through them. I am thankful for myself, and thankful for my own mind, sanity, beliefs, and ect. I am very thankful for my husband and partner of 9 years, who has completely devoted nearly every second of his life to me and us. I am thankful for our lessons we have learned through our very hard lives. I am thankful for life, in general (I think that encompasses everything, right? ha ha). And, most importantly, I am thankful for my brand new ROOMBA. The. BEST. Gift. EVER!!! ha ha! Oh my god, if you have money and love someone, get it for them!!! It is the most wonderful thing I have ever experienced!

    Happy Thanksgiving and all Holidays!!

    -Robin

  50. I got sidetracked for a moment about the fact that your husband MAKES things! So do I, and I wish my hubby made something besides gas and weird looks! LOL!

    I am thankful for the gift of sight. I have pretty bad eyes (I actually talked about it in my blog last post) but I am thankful that I CAN see! If I did not have my sight, I would not be able to sew, drive, or see my beautiful kids!

  51. I am truly thankful for my family and for all the blessings that the Lord bestows upon me. Thank you for letting me say what I am thankful for. I love Thanksgiving because its when the family gets together, reminisces, and plays frisbee football!

  52. HSD! I am thankful for the men and women who are deployed overseas right now. If not for their courage and bravery, this country would have an even bigger target on it’s back. The greatest gift I have ever given (so far) is that my friend Michelle’s house burned down right before Christmas, so I paid for a huge Photography session for her and her family to go take pictures because they lost all there stuff in the fire.

  53. I am thankful to have a beautiful, happy, close family! There are so many people that don’t have a family and that really breaks my heart.

    This Thanksgiving, and for the past 5 or 6 of them, we have spent the day at my in-law’s house. My family & my husband’s family join together on this day, so we get the best of both worlds! We start the day by taking our Christmas picture, watch football, take the kids to the neighborhood park, and end the day with a yummy dinner!

    This year is really special because my sister & her husband are expecting a baby the first week of December so it will be the last time I get to rub her baby belly before my niece joins our family!

  54. I love your blog…all these cool ideas and easy recipes too…Im sold! I will be following you.

    We recently adopted three kids, so we are in the process of building traditions.

    I am thandful for my family, my job and that I live in the USA. I am also thankful for my three dogs, and one rotten cat, all of who make me smile when the humans in the house are driving me nuts!

  55. I’m thankful to God for finally sending me the love of my life, I’m also thanking him ahead for his safety while he completes his deployment in Iraq.

  57. Well, I DO love the idea of a full-contact game of “touch” football for the family. Perhaps that would lessen the amount of feuds that break out after pie? As for me, I’m thankful that my husband is home this year. Last year was tough as he was at Camp Arifjan and the year before that he had just received his deployment papers. So, I consider everyday he’s home to be a blessing. As for traditions…we stuff ourselves silly and then play cards and drink wine until somebody wins or passes out…whichever comes first. 🙂 I hope you all have a fantastic Thanksgiving! I just wrote a post on NOT putting up the Christmas tree until after Thanksgiving so I can’t wait to see your Thanksgiving decor!

  58. I shared the first time about Thanksgiving, so now I’ll share about the perfect gift ever given or received.

    Acceptance. It isn’t material, but it’s substantial. I’ve both given it and received it. It does a heart good.

  59. I am thankful for my beautiful family and our foodies adventures together. So for us beyond being thankful, T-day is all about the food! We have an amazing stuffed mushroom recipe we love and are always trying new stuffing recipes, if you have any great ones I’d love to try it!

  61. I am thankful for the people in my life loving me, and making me laugh on a daily basis. I am thankful that my husband and I both have jobs and we have a roof our head. Thanksgiving is a time for us to remember what we have even though others may not.

    Have a wonderful SITS Day!

  62. Congrats on your SITS day !! enjoy all the bloggy love 🙂 I am very Thankful for my family & health and i will hosting Thanksgiving at my home like i do every year I love it !! Enjoy your Holidays 🙂

  64. Congrats on your SITS day! So glad it was re-posted because I missed it the first time!

    I’m thankful for so many things but mostly it would be for my family. We are so blessed that my husband’s job hasn’t been affected YET by the economic downfall (knock on wood)!

    I just love your blog! I’m a new follower!

  66. I am thankful God put me in the USA and I got to know Him early in my life.

    At Thanksgiving my husband and I go to Hometown Buffet, then the Cleveland Zoo to see animals get special treats and then we watch some football.

    Love that Turkey Bowl idea!

    Congrats on your SITS day!

  67. I am thankful for Jesus and His love! Also, my family and my blessed life (I get to stay at home and not work!) Thanksgiving is a small family affair at my house with lots of love, laughs, and too much food!
    -Lela

  69. Happy SITS Day! You have such a lovely blog. The one thing this year that has so significantly changed my life is meeting my boyfriend. He’s so supportive and caring, and we have such a good relationship. I don’t think I would have made it through these first few months of grad school without his support (even if he’s on one coast and I’m on the other).

  70. I am thankful for the wonderful small town I live in, the great sense of community, and the fantastic people in it who selflessly help others.

    Of course, I am grateful for my hubby and 2 sons (age 4 and 9 weeks) as well. I love our little family!

    No traditions yet…unless you count the fact that hubs always thinks the turkey is done and tries to carve it when in fact it is still raw? 😉

    Happy SITs Day!

  72. Happy SITS Day! HA! Just kidding! My family loves cheesy “World’s biggest” type stuff too! You’ve got to check out Sac City, Iowa’s largest popcorn ball in the world. It’s on the internet… We drive by it when we’re enroute to Gma & Gpas house.
    As for Thanksgiving plans. We’re hosting my hubbys family, as always, at our house on Thanksgiving day, then the day after, we’re hosting at a hall nearby my moms side of the family. We’re expecting about 82+ people for that one. Should be fun. We even have a talent show with all the kids there! I’ll be taking pics and posting them.
    Congrats on your special day! I think mine is coming up sometime soon too…

  73. Hello. I’m glad that I found your blog through the SITS connection. It looks like it will be a valuable resource!

    I love Thanksgiving for the fact that it means togetherness as a family. I came from a big family—7 kids, two wonderful loving parents—and we always had the best holidays together. Of course being that our family was large and we always invited our extended family too the Thanksgiving gathering was usually at least 30-40 people! And I loved every second of it! Now that I have my own little family and live too far to visit my mom and dad’s we are hosting our own Thanksgiving with my sweet husband’s family. The gathering won’t be quite as large, but it will still be full of love as we enjoy the day together and remember how much we have to be thankful for…the most important being how much God loved us…enough to send us His Son—which of course will be the main focus of the next big holiday, Christmas!!! Have a blessed day!

    -Grace

  75. What a fun blog! I especially like the 77 ideas to bust boredom and to do without spending a ton of money. I have 3 kidlets and any boredom busting tips come in very handy. 🙂

    I’m most grateful for my husband. After long days at work he happily comes home to take the kids off my hands during “The Witching Hour”. You know that fussy-baby time before they go to bed.

    Jesslyn
    http://www.imageinterpreters.com
    Helping modest dressers fight the Frump!

  76. The best gifts I receive, the ones I am most thankful for, always come from my loved ones hands or hearts. Whether it be a knitted hat or a thoughtful letter, as much as I love having beautiful ‘things’ around me, it’s the homemade gifts that touch me the most.

    Enjoy your SITS day!

  77. Hi there, nice to meet you. Love your blog! I am most thankful this year for God’s love first and that He has blessed me with 4 beautiful children and an awesome Hubby to call my own. God is Good! And I know we’re not supposed to say “H-S-D” :0) so I’ll just say I’m stopping by from SITS and have a great Thursday and Happy Thanksgiving (coming-up)!

  78. Hello! I am thankful for cozy beds which I plan to hibernate in ALL Thanksgiving weekend. 🙂 We usually go to my grandma’s house in Yosemite every year. We are spending the holiday in Southern California this year at my parents’ house and honestly, I’m a little bummed out. However, we’ll make the best of it. 🙂 We have a tradition of doing a Jack Horner pie. If you’re doing a small-ish Thanksgiving it works out well. Everyone gets a small present (it can be candy, socks, something silly and SMALL) then you tie a long string to it with the person’s name. You put all of the presents in a big bowl and cover it with a towel. That is the Jack Horner pie. 🙂

  79. Happy SITS Day, and yes I read your post. I am grateful for my family and home. I have to say the best gift I ever got was when we were young and poor parents. My parents gave us a gift card to go out to eat and another to the theater along with a handmade gift certificate for free babysitting. That one meant the most. Time with my husband.

  80. I am thankful for my family. If it wasn’t for them I think I would be living on the street right now.

    We celebrate thanksgiving with my mother’s side of the family. This is the one time a year we get to see each other. They live kinda far from us. I love going there and the food is always great. It’s a big feast with all the family.

    It is so great and I can’t wait.

  81. This is a very sweet blog. I look forward to reading more about your domestic bliss, handy husband, and 5 babies. I think I am most grateful for my husband and his family, who have given me a support system I have never known before in my life. Came over from SITS.

  82. I am thankful for my new baby girl! She was born a week after Thanksgiving last year.

    One thing we do that makes Thanksgiving special is just getting together with my entire extended family in Texas (we are in Alabama).

  85. I just popped in thanks to the Sits girls but I find your blog lovely and inspiring. You live a simple happy life! That is the SECRET…And your kids are a blessing! I have got 4 kids we can almost make a soccer team together

    XXX Lorenza (I am Italian living in South Africa since 3 years)
    If you have time I d love you to visit my blog

  88. Ahh! I did read you last week. How long were you up on SITS last week? How many comments did U get? You have an awesome blog…I don’t think I followed last time and that was a mistake. So I’m following you now lady! 🙂

    Number 188 makes me. Cool! what a FULL mailbox you will have today!

  90. I am Thankful for my 5 kids and the one that is on the way! Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday! I just love being together with my entire family, making a meal with several generations in the kitchen side by side. We watch the Macy’s parade together and even secretly throw candy to the kids during it! The little ones really believe that it is coming from the TV! LOL!

    Have a Blessed Thanksgiving and enjoy your special day today!

  91. I am so thankful for my Hubby as well… he loves to build things too! Over at my blog you can go back a ways in posts and see the Library/office that he built for me. I am still in the process of making curtains etc for that room. I can’t wait until I am done!
    Thanksgiving is my favorite Holiday wih all the family getting together. My grandson will be 2 in December so he will enjoy it more this year! I love that your whole family tells what they are thankful for… what a wonderful tradition! I think I will incorporate that into my Thanksgiving… so thanks for the idea.
    BTW, Congrats on being the FB!

  92. Hi again! 🙂 I commented on what I was thankful for the last time I visited, but I have another one! I’m thankful for my husband and my best friend (who happens to be my husband’s cousin lol). Without them, my life would not be early as fabulous. In fact, it would be downright boring.

    Glad you got to have your *full* day of SITS GLORY! 🙂

  94. I don’t celebrate thanksgiving, but these past few days I am once again remembering how lucky my family is. How lucky my husband and I are to be healthy, and to have two healthy wonderful girls, living somewhere not torn apart by war, or struggling to find enough food.

    Sometimes when you’re having a bad day, you forget how lucky and privilege you are just being you.

    btw, I saw “easy easy recipes” and I thought – I’ll be back for those!!

  96. 5 kids? I have 3 and I feel like it’s chaotic as it is!

    Going to have to watch for some of your easy, easy, easy recipes, since dinnertime is crazy around here and easy=sanity saving.

    I am thankful for….a husband who puts his family’s needs ahead of everything else. I forget and complain about him, in the little things, but when it comes right down to it, his main goal in life is to ensure that he takes care of me and the boys.

  97. I am thankful for Diet Dr Pepper, my 2 boys, my lovable husband, People magazine, good friends, the perfect shade of lipstick, a full night of sleep, Project Runway, and the list goes on and on.

    It’s so nice to meet you.

    XO
    Leigh

  98. Happy SITS day.

    Kidding, just kidding.

    I’m thankful for my husband and (almost) 6 kids.

    We have a thankful box that we write in throughout the year. Whenever we feel thankful we write it on a piece of paper and at Tgiving we read them all.

  99. I am thankful that my kids are resilient and that there is still so much happiness in our home despite current challenges. 🙂

    Happy SITS make-up day!

  100. Congratulations on your day.

    I’m so jealous of the family tradition that your husband’s family has and I think it’s amazing that you want to continue it. My family has slowly (through death and divorce) dwindled down to my parents, my brother and I, 2 aunts and an uncle. There’s little hope that my brother or I will get married and/or have kids, so at some point there will really be no more “family” holidays.

    Consequently, I’m thankful for the friends that I have made over the last couple of decades. I am thankful they are there to support me and lift me up when I feel down. I hope I do the same for them.

    Again, congrats!

  102. Hi Lana! Great to “meet” you — I’m visiting from SITS!

    I LOVE Thanksgiving for many reasons–mainly because of the food and because it’s the kick off to what I consider one of the happiest seasons of the year. This year, we will be at my parents house with our kids, and then with my husbands mom the following day…so we get TWO holidays!!

    I am most thankful for my children. They are my WORLD. I really do not remember what life was like before them, nor do I care to try!

    (HAPPY SITS DAY! Sorry, just had to say it ’cause I am new to this!!!)

  103. I am so grateful for three wild and crazy kiddos, my handsome and wonderfully funny husband, my three sisters, my mom and dad, for my friends and family, and for good books, rainy days, and sweatpants.

    We celebrate Tgiving in PA, with my family, and we do the same thing as you–say what we’re thankful for before anyone eats.

    Great blog, Lana–I am looking forward to reading your homeschooling posts b/c I, too, am a teacher-mama. :*)

  104. Happy SITS day to you. 🙂

    I am thankful for my 5 kids. I am thankful for the blessing my 2 biological children are to me. I am thankful for my family and friends.

    We celebrate Thanksgiving at my parent’s house every year… it will be the same this year.

  107. I thought I was having dejavou!! How neat that you have TWO SITS days!! Sometimes the best things come from mistakes!!

    HAPPY SITS DAY AGAIN!! (You know I had to do that!! Haha!)

    I am truly thankful for my health and my wonderful husband! This Summer I had a pretty big scare and my husband was my ROCK!! I couldn’t have gotten through that week in the hospital without him!! Thankfully all is well now! It could have been SO MUCH worse! Thank you Lord!

    I think your hubby’s family tradition is wonderful! I love it!!

    Enjoy your day AGAIN!!!!!!

    Jen

  108. I am thankful for a loving husband and a caring family. We spend Thanksgiving with my side of the family. What makes our dinner so unique is…PIE! It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without pie, lots and lots of pie. Sweet potato, pumpkin, blueberry, cherry, apple, french silk, banana cream, lemon meringue, etc, etc. My sister goes all out! There is usually just about an entire pie for every person. My sister bakes all the pies. She’s awesome.

  109. I just discovered your blog through SITS… and I love your bluntness with the Happy Sitsday stuff…

    I’ve left that comment a few times myself, I will never leave it again lol I hear you!

    I READ your entire post and subscribed- cause I can use some easy recipe tips… and remodeling inspiration… and overall you seem fun!

    BACK TO your MAIN Question—
    Thanksgiving.
    The tradition is simply just to all be together. We usually do it at my moms but after the last 2 yrs of lights shorting out from too many appliances going at once (haha)… its at my house. WISH ME LUCK. … My favorite part isnt the actual day, its the day before when me and mom and sister and aunt get together and prep the stuffing and turkey.

    I cant think of a favorite gift at the moment- :/

    …o .. and
    “Happy Sitsday part2” 😉

  110. I am so very thankful that I have a God who loves me and forgives me.
    I am thankful for my husband and my 3 beautiful children.

    Happy SITS day!

  111. happy sits day – AGAIN! we don’t celebrate thanksgiving here in new zealand, but of course there’s always something to be thankful for – my 4 daughters for one!

    we lived in the states and DID hve one thanksgiving, and it was awesome! so was the shopping the next day too!

  112. Happy SITS day (awww just messin wit ya…I hate that too:)

    You lucky duck! TWO sits day! WOWEEE!

    I love your blog, and the fact that you have 5 kids makes me like you even more! ( I have 4!) I love the Thanksgiving story. Makes me wish our Thanksgiving was like that! Ours is SO small. 65 people…WOW! I think that is why my husband and I wanted many kids, to get that big family feel…

    I am Thankful for my husband, he is my best friend and I would be lost with in this life with out him. He is my strength and cheerleader and love.

  113. I have so many things to be thankful for this year. First of all, my hubby was in a motorcycle accident and I can’t even begin to express my thankfulness that he is here with us. I also have my first grandbaby this year. My family is the most important!

    Happy SITS day! Enjoy it!

  114. I am thankful for my baby boy. It will be his first Thanksgiving. We will be celebrating with his mamaw and papaw (my parents) and maybe his uncles. It has always been tradition to watch Macy’s parade while my mom cooks dinner and then we eat as a family. Hope you enjoy your day in the spotlight and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

  115. I am thankful for my wonderful husband, my five sons, and for God’s mighty strength, grace, and hope!

    We feast on Thanksgiving day after we have raked my aunt’s leaves and set up her tree for her. We have yum dressing, oyster casserole, turkey, and all the fixin’s. The guys watch football and, well, we women hang out in the kitchen, which is truly the heart of the family – cause that’s where the women are on Thanksgiving!

  117. Oh Happy DAY!! A Challenge!!

    Besides Birthday mornings, Thanksgiving is one of my favorites!

    One of the kid’s favorite things to do during Thanksgiving, usually after all the prep work for the food is done, it to get all the veggie scraps (carrot tops and peels and celery bits) and spread them out in the grass in the side yard where the neighborhood cottontails like to congregate (yes we are a bunny hangout spot)and watch them enjoy a special feast of their own.

    I also make sure that they get to set the table and we always use the place mats that they’ve made in school on the dinner table.

    This year we get to be extra thankful that my mom and dad are here to celebrate with us!

  118. I was here on your original SITS day and answered the Thankful question…so I’m doing the gift one.

    The perfect gift I have ever given someone is actually the annual Mother’s Day Gift that I give my mom. Each year, I give her a new handbag from snaptotes.com with my son’s photo on it. That way she can carry her grandson with her wherever she goes!

  119. I like that lol…don’t write Happy SITS day…so…how many people did it anyway? I have 4 kiddos myself so I know all about chaotic life lol. The thing I am most thankful for? My family. Without them we would have lost our house and gone hungry a lot this year. It’s in the valleys we grow though….;-)

  121. Your blog is so darn cute! I love the tootsie picture. I’m going to
    nose around a bit more on your blog and I also signed up as a follower.
    Come visit me sometime, I’d love to have you over.

  122. Together, my husband and I have six kids – five of them are adults – one of them wants to be, but he’s 17 – last one still in the nest!

    I am thankful for the crazieness and abundance my husband brought into my life when we got married in 2006. When we introduced our kids, we hoped for polite civility – what we got was long lost cosmic brothers and sisters.

    We have a fabulous Thanksgiving tradition – all the kids and their husbands/fiancTes/babies/puppies come over for Thanksgiving BRUNCH. We make a breakfast spread that is so yummo! By 11AM, everyone’s scattered and we have the house to ourselves =)

    SITS Rocks!

    Peggy

  123. Happy SITS Day….again :O)

    Love the Post about the Office makeover, the pix of the transformation are really neat. Looks like your gang had fun.

  125. What I’m really thankful for is the support of my family, friends and colleagues throughout my recent illness.

    We don’t celebrate Thanksgiving here in the UK, but my best ever Christmas present was my flute – still treasured so many years later.

  126. Congrats on your day in the spotlight! (again..and see I read the post, I didn’t write Happy SITS Day…clever eh?)

    Well being an American in the UK for the last 10 years, Thanksgiving wasn’t always in my mind to celebrate. Mostly because it was daunting and no one else would appreciate it. However, this year we are having friends over and tucking into some turkey! I have much to be thankful for, my children (3.5- .5 is due in April) my wonderful other half, friends who are totally amazing and I was blessed with a heart to love, and love hard I do. x

  127. But I WANT to say happy SITS day. If I don’t I don’t feel like you were properly recognized! 😀

    (I’m not a good rule follower, as you can clearly tell)

    But in the interest of following the rules, I’m very thankful for the last 15 months of my life. I lost my job last August, and while the road hasn’t been easy it’s brought me to a new level of understanding that I would have NEVER experienced otherwise.

    I had also began dating a wonderful Godly man right before the job loss, so that’s made the 15 months sweet and wonderful in an even different way 🙂

  128. Thanksgiving has always been one of my fave holidays, low stress, family and food (all my favorite foods!) It’s been a bit different the past few years..lot’s of changes..my Mom passed, my sister moved to Cali, I moved out of my exes on Thankgiving day two years ago. Working on new traditions but it’s still one of my favorites.

    Now that I’ve unintentionally been a total bummer I am also going to check out the easy recipes…

  129. Thanksgiving has always been one of my fave holidays, low stress, family and food (all my favorite foods!) It’s been a bit different the past few years..lot’s of changes..my Mom passed, my sister moved to Cali, I moved out of my exes on Thankgiving day two years ago. Working on new traditions but it’s still one of my favorites.

    Now that I’ve unintentionally been a total bummer I am also going to check out the easy recipes…

  132. First of all, you must have Scottish blood since you look perfectly happy in the rain! ;O) We don’t have Thanksgiving over here in Scotland but I’m thankful every day. I’m thankful for my health; I’ve never been seriously ill and, without jinxing it, I feel incredibly lucky. My husband has never been ill and neither have my children….sure, we suffer from colds and flu but that’s it. I’m thankful that I get to sweat the small stuff as there are so many people who would love that privilege.

    The perfect gift for my husband would be a week’s retreat at the Aikido centre in Greece or a new insert-anything-to-do-with-aikido-here! I’m unsure what my perfect gift would be but it would probably involve food. I love giving hampers and I think most people LOVE those, especially around the holidays. I try to make sure there are lots of useful things in there. :O)

    Oh…and happy 2nd SITS day… ;O)

  133. I’m so thankful for my family. I battled infertility and God blessed me with four children. I feel so blessed to homeschool them.

    Thanksgiving isn’t really about food in our family (although I can cook a mean Thanksgiving dinner) but I have picky little eaters and no extended family to share our meal with…so the focus isn’t on food. Just being thankful and relaxing together.

  135. I am thankful that God has sustained me after Hurricane Katrina. Things have been crazy since that storm changed my life, but for Him, things would have gone downhill fast, but He is good!

    Well, I hope you have a wonderful SITS day anyway, even if you don’t want us to say Happy SITS DAY!! 🙂

  136. well shoot, look at you with a 2nd SITS day you lucky duck! And YES I did notice the fab new header…so darling!

    Thanks for stopping by my blog the other day. I thought I signed up as a follower of yours but I guess I didn’t so how lucky for me that your sits day came twice as well!

  137. I am really thankful that I had a really great childhood.

    I great gift I gave someone was a hug in a bottle. I wrote a recipe for a hug on some paper. It looked something like this

    1. pinch of butterflies
    2. woosh of wind
    3. 3 kisses
    etc…

    Then I gathered all those things and put them in a bottle and stained the paper to look old. I then rolled it up and put it in the bottle along with a lot of little pictures and other little things and mailed it.

    I hope that helps 🙂

  138. I celebrate Thanksgiving as a way to come together with family. I don’t so much buy the story of the Pilgrims and Indians feasting together happily. =)
    I am thankful for my kids & hubby & my parents.

  139. I’m thankful for my wonderful husband. I know a lot of people say that (and mean it, of course!) but I really and truly am – he is absolutely fantastic, and I love him with all my heart!

    We usually do Thanksgiving with my family, but everyone is all spread out this year so we’re not all getting together.

  140. I’m thankful for these two beautiful twins I’m pregnant with. We had a loss earlier this year, and it’s just such a miracle that we’d be blessed with not one, but two babies!

    Even though I’m an American, I’m living in Australia so we don’t really do much for Thanksgiving. I have done it in the past, but since a small-medium sized turkey costs $65 (no exaggeration!), we often skip it. 😛

  141. I’m Canadian so we celebrated Thanksgiving last month. It was the smallest Thanksgiving I’ve ever celebrated – just my immediate family of 4 – but it was still a good meal! I’m thankful for my family. I’m so happy after struggling for many years I was able to successfully have two kids and although they make me feel crazy sometimes I love them very much.

  142. I’m thankful most for good health for me and my family (all of it).

    Nice to see you for the first time –over from SITS

  143. What a brilliant post. I am thankful for my hubby and child. I am tired with one, cant imagine five. I am british so thanksgiving was a new holiday for me. We always host but this year we are going to hubbys brothers and I just get to make dessert

  146. Today I’m thankful to have found your blog, but also thankful for the many wonderful veterans in our lives. I posted some wonderful pictures about the veterans in our family today.

  147. Hi Lana. I’ve been following you for a little while. I too have 5 children. LOL I honestly didn’t plan on having 5 either. It was actually a joke when DH and I went out on our first date. He ask me how many kids I would like to have…….as a joke to see what he said I said….eh…..5. I thought that would flip him out! Almost 14 years later and 5 children here w/us and one in heaven we are a family. :0)

    I loved the picture of all of your feet……mind you I really don’t like feet but that picture is so sweet!

    Keep up the blogging. I love reading. Bless you.

    I am Thankful for salvation, my family, our warm home, food, our needs being met.

    Angie

  148. I am so very thankful for my two beautiful and healthy children. I am also so unbelievably thankful that we have finally bought a home here in Tucson and have planted our roots. 2009 has been a VERY blessed year. I won’t say the whole thing…but Happy Day to you my blogging friend!

  149. I am so glad that you were a featured blogger. I found a great new site!! So excited.
    I am thankful for many things…I will keep the list short(or at least try to!!).
    -That I still have my mom. She has and always will be my best friend. She is my rock and I know that she is truly a blessing.
    -Although I have many illnesses, I am thankful that I am as healthy as I am and that I am able to do what I can do. Not saying it doesn’t get difficult at times, but I am glad I am as well off as I am.
    -I was able to be the caretaker for both my father and my Nana(mom’s mom) and that was an honor. It was difficult but I was able to be there for/with them in there last moments.

    As for traditions… things are a bit different, Dad passed away 5/11/08 and we are still getting use to that.

    Happy Holidays everyone!!

    xo,
    Tammy

  150. I am so thankful that God has kept me through 3 yrs of being a SAHM with one income. It may be tight but noone has ever gone to bed hungry. I am Thankful for my 3 girls, who drive me crazy but who I am not sure I could be without. I learn something from them. I am thankful for my hubby and m closest friends. I am thankful for my passion to be the best wedding planner, because it has kept me through these slow times , knowing that this is what I was meant to do. I am thankful for the path and the plans that God has for me. He says they are not to harm me but offer me a hope and a future. Love your blog will check in from time to time.

  151. Lana! Happy SITS DAY! Oh, just kidding! It looks like you are going to get TWO SITS days!

    I saw your button on the email and I immediately thought… wait? I know who that is. But then I went over to roll call and saw the glitch… Of course, I was a little bit glad because now I can fast and furious help you with your header so it’s super duper great on your big day #2!!!

    Check your email… Let’s see if we can pull this off!

  152. We are having Thanksgiving at my house, and I am cooking. So excited! I think it’s my 3’d time to cook a Turkey so I hope it goes well. I am thankful to have a loving happy family, and that we are all staying healthy so far this fall!!

  153. Happy Happy SITSday!! What am I thankful for? Today, my hubby, hopefully we can get to the bottom of a current issue we have:) Progress and Patience:) Patience and Progress:)

  155. Congrats on your SITS day! Okay, see I didn’t say Happy SITS day…oops…

    Anyway, I’m thankful for my family, my friends, my loving husband and children, my companion animals and basically my wonderful life!

    We always celebrate Thanksgiving at my parent’s house where all the children and many of the grandchildren and great grandchildren meet to eat, laugh, play together and share good times.

    Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

  156. I’m a newlywed, so I’m thankful for that! 🙂 We got married three months ago we are the busiest newlyweds ever! We bought a house that needs tons and tons and tons of work. I’m taking my biggest course load ever in school. He owns a business. I work. We’re newlyweds and trying to navigate that.

    And through all that, we try to remember to put God first in our lives. And we try to remember to put each other before ourselves. It can be hard sometimes, but we’ve got forever to learn. And I’m lovin him more and more everyday. I’m so thankful for my wonderful husband 🙂

  157. Hello SITSta! I am thankful for my family and friends. I am thankful my husband is currently in a safe place while serving in Iraq (if that’s even possible). I am thankful to be home for this Thanksgiving Holiday. The past 4 years we have been stationed in Germany (3) and Texas (1) and I’ve missed this special holiday with my family. I am actually not sure what they do for Thanksgiving back home now. We used to all go to Grannie’s and bring food, but since Papa died I think that tradition has changed. I need to ask my mom what the plan is. I wish my husband could be here to celebrate Thanksgiving with us. This will be our first Thanksgiving and Christmas not together as a married couple. *sigh*

  158. wow…i want to come with you to thanksgiving dinner!

    we do the typical stuff…eat too much, try to watch football on tv and end up falling asleep. after reading your blog, you guys sound like the kennedys. maybe it’s time for us to start a new tradition!

  160. I’m so very thankful for the beautiful feet in the picture above. Love those feet and pray for them often. Can’t wait to tickle some of those feet at Thanksgiving!!!!! Guess who?

  161. I am Thankful for my husband and that we actually have Thanksgiving off together! My favorite family tradition is
    girls pie night the night before Thanksgiving! 80) dropping in from SITS. 80)

  162. Happy SITS day! I love the Lord and love to write. I have four kids and I homeschool. Would love to follow your blog but can’t figure out how. DId I mention I’m a blond? Hop over to my blog and educate me. =)

  163. Hey there! I, too, come from a large family! There have been some years when we didn’t get together with my family for Thanksgiving, but it is usually a must-attend event! LOL. It’s a total “eat fest” ! Two years ago when my father passed away, we (My sister and her family, nephew and his family, neice and hers…) decided we shouldo take our mother away for the holiday. We went to the Dillard House in Georgia. I had prepared slips of paper…conversation starters really…with a “thankful” theme. We’d draw a slip of paper, read the question and answer as it related to us. It was really neat. I had forgotten about that, maybe we’ll re-institute that for this year thanks to your post!

    oh, and (can’t resist) congrats on your SITS day!!!

    sweetjeanette.blogspot.com

  164. My mother in law trys to get everyone to go around the room and say one thing they are thankful for. The boys always groan and complain……This last year has been a tough one for my husband and I. I am Thankful for him, his love and support the last year. I am also thankful for my friends and Family for everything they have done for us over the last year. Without them, I would probably be dead…..
    I sure hope you have a wonderful day and a Happy Thanksgiving. Happy sits day to you!!

  165. Hiya Lana!
    I am thankful every single day when I wake up. Seriously.
    My hubby says he just doesn’t get how one can be so happy on rising. I can explain it. Even before I open my eyes I realize that I’ve been blessed to see another day and everything it entails…good, bad, whatever. I’m just happy to wake up!

  166. Fun blog! I’ve got 4 kiddos so I know all about the chaos! Can’t wait to try the wassail recipe. And love the kitchen remodel. I’m jealous! I want one of my own.

  167. Hi there! I DID read your whole post so I WON’T say “Happy SITS Day.” 😉 😉 I think I like this blog!!

    Today, I’m thankful for Fall recipes. 🙂 I started a “27 Days of Thankful” series on my blog for this month, and it is really helping my attitude.

    Congrats on your Feature. 🙂

  169. I love your blog hun, it warms my heart and makes me smile! I am thankful for my hubby and my kids, especially my 2 youngest. The four of us just roll with the punches and have a way of making the best of less than perfect situations. We don’t have specific traditions but do try to spend Thanksgiving with extended family every year. Thank you for your post today!

  170. Such a found site! So glad SITs brought me here! Love that you share the blessings with your visitor 🙂 Your Thanksgiving sounds awesome!! Our is similar (though not quite 65….) my husband is 1 of 6 kids, so its a pretty family filled fun holiday! I’m thankful for that and thankful that we live so close to both of our families as it means all the cousins can grow up together. IT makes the holidays to see all those babes running around playing!! Blessing to you!

  171. So, I know this sounds “canned”, but this year, I am beyond thankful for my family and friends. I love that my Thanksgiving includes 28 people when I only have 1 “official” sister. I love being surrounded with those we love.

  173. What a cute blog! And YES, I read the entire post – I am thankful for my happy, healthy family and the fact that we will be sharing our Thanksgiving table this year with a friend and her 3 children while her husband is serving in Iraq.

  174. Well, Happy SITS Day anyway….

    I am thankful that I have my husband who has stuck with me through 28 years of marriage even though I have been sick for the last 13 years of them. A lot of men would have run off. He meant for better or worse…

  175. Love your blog… looks like you’ve got a WHOLE truckload of comments to be approving and smiling over. 🙂

    Happy SITS day…

    And here’s why I am thankful to God for… for a great hubby (it’s my third wedding anniversary TODAY! Woohoo!) and a smart almost-2 toddler. Life is good 🙂

  176. Hi Lana, love your blog. I am single and do not have any kids. But I am thankful for my friends who share their families with me. I am Aunt Stacy or LoLo to several little girls and boys and I just love it. They are so special to me.

  177. Hello Lana,
    It’s so nice to meet you! I am so happy for you and your SITS feature. Well deserved! Yes I did read your entire post. HeHe! You are a busy and blessed family. I’m going to take a look back at your kitchen remodel as well. How exciting!

    I am thankful for so many things this year. Most of them relating to my personal health issues and struggles. Everything is going well now and I’m beyond grateful. I’m also thankful everyday for my loving husband and wonderful family.

    Many Blessings and Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

    ~Warmly, ~Melissa 🙂

    PS I’m happily following along and you already follow along on mine.
    Thank you very much!

  178. Well of course I’m thankful for my family, like I’m sure everyone else is. But today I’m also thankful for a ped’s office that gets my kids in right away when they are sick, like every time. I think that is awesome. And I’m also thankful for a husband that can take them.

    I guess we don’t really have a tradition anymore. Since the kids were born we pretty much do something different every year. You will usually find us with a friends or family somewhere chowing down on some turkey.

  180. I am still going to say it Happy SITS day!!! BUT I did read…. it is so nice to “meet” you. Love your blog and I’ll be back! I am Canadian and we already celebrated Thanksgiving – we move from house to house – this year it was at my Ma’s and two hours before dinner I got struck with a flu…. very, very sad I tell you!! I am thankful that we are all healthy now though!!! See you soon!!!

  181. i love that you play flag football!!! i am thankful for being healthy and grateful for my family (immediate = hubby & pup for now). i am newlywed and excited to go to my grandparents home in sumter, sc (where i grew up) and be with my parents, brother, cousins, aunts, uncles….the whole bunch. thanksgiving is my favorite!!!

  183. Cute Blog. Sits picked a good Blog to feature today! (I didn’t say it!)

    Great Idea. On my Blog, I’m doing “Thankful Thursday” for the month of November, to share what I’m thankful for in my life throughout the month. I’m thankful for my Family. My job. And so many things. Thanks for the reminder.

  185. stopping by from sits…
    i am one of 5 kids…so it is appropriate to say…i am thankful for my mom who knew and still knows how to move each one of us along our individual paths. that is love! I am hosting thanksgiving this year…our only tradition is the food, where we go is always someplace different, but the meal stays the same. we will be at our cozy cabin in the mountains crossing our fingers for snow.
    have a wonderful holiday!

  186. Wow, I’m the first person to comment on your SITS day. Okay that doesn’t qualify for what you don’t want us to write. Could it be possible that I’m the first because no one else is thankful for anything? Well it’s none of my business so here is my thankful list.

    1. I’m thankful for my life – because three years ago I could have [but didn’t] died of having an ischemic stroke during my sleep in August of 2006, one week after my birthday. Praise God for second chances and praise God for salvation and the blood of his son Jesus! [I guess this is three for one.]

    2. I’m thankful for my family and friends – because they are all fabulous.

    3. I’m thankful for excellent cognition – because after three years of being virtually unemployed I’m still paying my bills and eating. I could have totally played the victim and opted to move back East to live with one of my parents but I’m pretty independent.

    4. I’m thankful that I’m in my right mind – because how else could I have entertained you with my “thankful” list if I weren’t? Here’s a related bonus’; finally I’m thankful for SITS – because how else could I have found and met such fascinating women bloggers? Including you my dear.

    Good job! Enjoy your day in the spotlight.

  187. happy SITS day! haha, i did read the post though!!!

    i am thankful for my daughter, trinity. without her i’d be lost and have very little to smile about. we’ll probably go to my mom’s this year for thanksgiving dinner.

    have a great day!

  189. I just joined SITS today and stumbled upon your blog there. I do not celebrate Thanksgiving, however I have lots to be thankful for. Right now I am most thankful that I have the privledge of being blessed with 5 wonderful children. I am also greatful that my 2 year old is being kept busy in his bath, giving me the excuse I need to just sit here so I can watch him and ignore the dirty dish mountain in the kitchen.

  190. Happy Sits day! I’m thankful for my wonderful husband and my baby who is due in 2.5 weeks! It is my first! Since we don’t know for sure when he will actually come, we aren’t sure what we are doing for Thanksgiving. We’ll just have to play it by ear!

  191. You sound like you have a very busy family.

    Twitter is great! It will take some time to get used to. I’ve been using it for over a year now. I’ve met some many people that I would have never met through Twitter. It makes the blogging experience more involved, and the networking, wow.

    I’m thankful that we have health (no more sickies for us) and our jobs. I know soo soo soo many people out of work right now, whom are losing everything.

  192. I’m thankful for so many things, but the first thing that immediately popped to my mind is my lovely dog that’s sitting on my lap. He’s one of my best friends.

  193. Hi!! I am stopping by from SITS! (I know you requested we not say this but I have to…I hope you have a great SITS day)…

    And I am thankful for my three wonderful kids. They are frustrating sometimes but they are just the best thing that has ever happened to me.

  194. I love that tradition where everyone goes around and shares something they are thankful for…and the need for tissues make me want to cry just thinking about it!

    I love Thanksgiving. Every year we try to invite anyone we can think of that doesn’t have family nearby. So we have a fun and sometimes random group of people. I love to decorate the home and make a huge celebration buffet to devour. Something I want to start this year with my family is a “thankful tree.” Leading up to Thanksgiving we will go around the dinner table each night in November and share something we are thankful for and write them on leaves. By Thanksgiving, our tree should be full and filled with things we are so grateful for! I think my son will love this little tradition!

  195. We do a similar thing of going around the table and sharing what we are thankful for. We alternate going to in-laws or my parents. But that is also starting to change depending on who’s in town. I’m thankful for my family – that is my biggest thing in my life & I don’t know what I’d do without them. And I’m thankful for my health, and that of my families. With so much bad news these days in the world, I’m just grateful to have that. Enjoy your day in the SITS spotlight 🙂

  196. Beautiful family. I love your photos and hearing about your family’s Thanksgiving traditions. Sounds like a big, wonderful bunch! We always celebrate Thanksgiving at my mom’s house, then over at my mother-in-laws about a week later. Both families are pretty small, but the gatherings are always full of amazing food, great company, and lots of love. What I am most grateful for are the people in my life: my husband and daughters, my parents & sibs, and all the amazing friends I have in my community and all over the country. I feel so blessed to have friends that are so warm, dynamic, creative, thoughtful, talented, and so different! Congrats on your you-know-what day (tee hee)~ had to slip it in there somehow 🙂

  198. Hey there Lana! Boy, I can so feel your passion in your writing and I can’t wait to read more about you and your family! You have truly drawn me in with your heartfelt sentiments, in just one post no less!!
    To read about what I’m thankful for, check out my blog. I just happened to write a little about that today as well. It’s at the end of a rather long post, but you can comment and get a chance to win an apron I’m giving away for the Thanksgiving Holiday!
    I wish you many blessings, friend and I look forward to reading more!
    Kelli @ Sustaining Creativity

  199. I’m thankful for my family. Every year I make a Turkey with colorful feathers and during the day we take a feather and write what we are thankful for. (Feather= construction paper) Then at Dinner, before we pray we go around the table and let everyone know what we are thankful for.

    I like your blog. You write? I joined Nanowrimo this year. I have 14,273 words thus far.

    I’m adding you to the reader.

    BYE!

  202. I have so much to be thankful for. My family and our health are definitely at the very top of my list.

    This year my son and I will be celebrating Thanksgiving at my parents house. It’s going to be good to be around a lot of our family but I wish my husband could be here, too. (He’s deployed.)

  204. I am truly thankful for my family. They are such a blessing and I thank the Lord every day for them! I love Thanksgiving! It’s a wonderful way to give thanks to the Lord and not have all the commercialized crazy stamping out the true message!

  205. I am truly thankful for my supportive parents and in laws. I’ve been going through A LOT personally and maritally (Is that a word?) in the past year an they’ve always been there for me. The special thing about THanksgiving lately has been that my parents actually go over to my in law’s house for Thanksgiving dinner, so we all gather and we all get along (talk about a blessing!) Happy–I mean congrats on being the featured blogger today!

    Anna

  206. Am I the first one to comment? Wooooow, what an honor!

    Well, since you don’t want me to wish you a “happy sits day” may I say “congrats on your sits day instead?” lol… I *did* read your post, I just love congratulating people lol.

    I am thankful to be alive. There are so many more things I could say I’m thankful for, but every time that I look at my life I am overwhelmed at the sheer amount of “stuff” in which to be thankful for. I have an awesome husband, a great family who loves and supports me in all my crazy endeavors, the sweetest dog in the world, the funniest cat, the best of friends, and a pretty good job. So, it’s easier for me to just say “I’m thankful to be ALIVE.” I guess I’m pretty lucky, when you think of it that way.

    We have flag/contact football too! On Christmas, though. For Thanksgiving it is traditional for us to get together and eat lots and LOTS of food (how original lol). We go around the table and each state one thing we are thankful for.

    Ok, may I congratulate you on your day now? Pleeeease? 😛 CONGRATULATIONS!

  207. I am so incredibly thankful that this Thanksgiving I get to celebrate being a mommy. After battling infertility for years I just wasn’t sure this was a dream that would come true but it has and I am so incredibly thankful that God has blessed me with a beautiful wonderful daughter.

    We don’t have anything unique really about celebrating Thanksgiving. Its just all about family for us!

    (BTW-Happy SITS day :)I am so glad that I found your blog!)

  208. Ok First Happy Sits Day!! I did read the post but it’s kinda like saying Happy Birthday– you need to I think! I am thankful for my family and friends. I am thankful that I am able to provide for them and that I also have the time to love and cherish them. We make our Thanksgiving Special by first spending time with our extended family…and then the night of Thanksgiving…6 of us get a jump on Christmas and decorate our tree…we have kettle corn and music…and Laughs!! Happy Sits Day again!!

  210. Hello! I am Thankful for my four beautiful children. We will spending Thanksgiving at my mother-in-laws house. She has a huge dinner every year.

    You have a lovely blog 🙂

    Beth

  213. What a great blog! How do you do it with five?I go crazy with 3. I wish my hubby would whip out a few projects. Maybe I need to take a few tips from you! Have a great day! Stopping by from sits

  214. Really? I’m the first?! Happy SSSsss… I mean, Happy Tuesday and I’m thankful today for my health and my family! Another beautiful autumn day. I am truly truly thankful for our normal, day to day, busy, crazy, noisy life. Mother of 4 here~ And I cherish each day, chores and all, because before you know it, our children will be all grown up and we would do anything to have ONE MORE CRAZY DAY. This year (heavy sigh), we’re DRIVING from MD to ND for Thanksgiving. . . and I’m trying to convince my husband NOT to take the dog with us! XO ~ Steph

  215. What a great blog! How do you do it with five?I go crazy with 3. I wish my hubby would whip out a few projects. Maybe I need to take a few tips from you! Have a great day!

  216. Happy SITS Day!

    I’m thankful for the opportunity to go to school – despite how much I gripe about it – as many people don’t get a chance to get where I am. Praise the Lord!

  217. HI! Congrats on this being your SITS Day! I had too say that!!!You have a beautiful family!
    On Thanksgiving I will be thankful for my health and my twins!(I had them a little later in life )God gave them to us and they are such a special blessing!He knew how much I would need them and love them and how much joy they would bring into my life!

  219. happy SITS day!

    I am sooo thankful for my sweetheart. I know he loves me no matter what, he’s always there for me, and he does so much for me. 😉

  222. I can’t believe I read this post this AM…I NEVER even click on the SIS web sites…I KNOW the Lord wanted me to read this. You see, this Thanksgiving we are w/o my precious FIL for the first time. It will be a hard one for everybody and I had the thought of inviting others to the Thanksgiving dinner…ie not just family…I am going to do exactly what your in-laws do at Thanksgiving…I LOVE the idea of a fball game then the food…SO what am I thankful for? Well, right this second I’m thankful I clicked on this post…I’m also thankful that I know Jesus Christ as my friend and savior…that sounds like a churchy answer but it’s not…if I didn’t have Him I have no idea where my life would be right now…SO I’m thankful for your post 🙂 and for Christ.

  223. We are really trying to focus on being Thankful this year as a family. We don’t really have any traditions associated with the holiday besides dinner with family. This year we are going to do some activities with our kids leading up to the date to change the focus.

    Today I am thankful for my family. We have been blessed with 3 healthy girls and I thank God for them everyday.

  224. I know you said not to, but Happy SITs day! What? you thought we wouldn’t say it? Ok, now for the objective: Surprising as it may be, this year I am thankful that my husband and I haven’t conceived after nearly seven years and that we’re not living an exciting, dangerous life overseas like we thought we’d be this time last year. I’m thankful because now I’m a SAHM to foster children. Children who desperately want mother love as much as I desperately want to love. What a perfect fit!!! And with kids we haven’t known long, each day is an adventure, and sometimes it even feels dangerous.

    Our favorite Thanksgiving tradition is sibling night Wednesday. All of us siblings(10 adults including the dating and married in) and children (I’m bringing some this year!) gather at someone’s house, stay up late, eat junk food, watch funny movies and enjoy each other. Then we share cups of coffee and muffins for breakfast before we all go to our other Thanksgiving gatherings. The holiday always changes for those of us that are older and married, so this is a chance to share some precious time with our brothers and sisters. We’re counting down the days already!!!

    Thanks for the focus for our comments!

  225. Good Morning, Happy SITS Day!

    I love your blog and I really love the what you are Thankful for part: First I must say at this time of year Tylenol becomes my friend also…lol lol.

    I’m Thankful that God has allowed us to see another Thanksgiving, Thankful for my mother to still be here and very Thankful for my hubby and family. Even though this year will be hard for us…. I just lost another sister to Breast cancer I’m still Thanksful that she is NO LONGER SUFFERRING!

    Blessing s to you and your family this Thankgiving!

    Enjoy your SITS DAY!

  226. How about “Congrats on your special day!”

    I am thankful for the doctor who (hopefully, please God!) cured my John of his Lymphoma once and for all with a stem cell transplant. Isn’t modern medicine awesome!!

  227. I’m thankful for my wonderful husband of 10 years and my 2 cute kids. Our Thanksgiving tradition isn’t very holiday like :). We let the kids spend the night with grandparents and we get up at 4 AM and do black friday shopping.

  228. Wow am I your first comment?!

    First of all, congrats on your SITS day and five kids!! Wow you must have a super hero cape hidden somewhere.

    I am most thankful for my family and good health. My husband is almost 12 years cancer free and my two lovely little girls are healthy and happy children. I feel very blessed to be a part of their lives and love my sweet hubby and girls more than anything else.

    Wishing you a wonderful day to shine and a very happy thanksgiving. I think we’re going to work on a small thanksgiving tree ourselves this year with fabric or paper leaves (depending on how much crafting time I get before then!)

    Fondly,
    pink and green mama
    MaryLea

  229. I am most thankful for how much the Lord has moved in my life this year. I celebrate Thanksgiving so that I can cook a big meal in my own kitchen :o)

  230. I am lucky enough that my partner’s family celebrates Thanksgiving on the Saturday and mine celebrates on the Sunday. It also means two yummy dinners (although I am now a vegetarian I still love it!). It also means that we get to spend such a wonderful time with both of our families. Being in Canada, I have already celebrated Thanksgiving, but I look forward to the American one because the best football is on then (aside from Super Bowl). Congrats on SITS (see it wasn’t Happy SITS day!)

  231. Okay, I just had to say “Happy SITS day” LOL.

    However, i’m thankful for my family, that both me and my husband have good jobs, and that we have a nice place to live. All very nice things to have at this time.

    We have rotating Thanksgiving. We celebrate one year with my parents and the next with my inlaws. This year we are supposed to be with my inlaws, but we may end up hosting it at our house.

  232. Congrats on your SITS day!!

    How much is the idea of Turkey Bowl? It reminds me of the Friends episode where they played football.

    What am I thankful for? My family & friends. That I have been the gift of knowing them & especially the gift of my children.

  233. Happy SITS Day! I’m realy pretty grateful about everything in my life! But most of all, my amazing children (4 & 9). Every single night before I tuck them into bed, I hold them tight and say “thank you, thank you, thank you.” The very best blessings!!

  236. Well done on becoming featured Blogger!
    We dont celebrate Thanksgiving here in the UK but i am truly thankful fr my two kids! I too didnt want kids but they have completely changed my life i wouldnt be without them!
    Enjoy today
    xxx

  237. Okay, why are there 0 comments showing? Anyway, I could have written part of your bio about having children-we have 5, too. There are so many things to be thankful for–I’ll choose Christ dying for me as #1.

  238. I’m thankful for a job I love and a family that is as large as yours!! I’m the oldest of seven and was homeschooled for a few years, so I’m excited to read and can guarantee I’ll be back!!!! (and, shh, happy sits day too) ;D

  239. LOVE you blog so cute!! I’ll be back when I have more time to read and get to know ya better!! Congrats on your Special day!! Enjoy!!!!

  240. I am already in love with your blog. Can’t wait until I get my OWN 5 kids settled down and have more of a chance to read it through. I’ll be back with my comments about Thanksgiving! See you then….happy sits. (Couldn’t help saying it!)

  242. Well, I found your wonderful blog thanks to SITS, but won’t say happy SITS day.

    I will say that this Thanksgiving and everything Thanksgiving I am thankful for my wonderful family.

    This year we will be celebrating in Sturbridge, MA. As some of my family is here in NJ and others are up in Maine, this makes a nice halfway point. Plus, this way no one gets stuck having to do all the cooking. Although it’s a little weird to spend Thanksgiving in a hotel room, it will be nice for everyone to be together for a couple of days for this mini-vacation.

  244. Oooooh Lana Banana…soooo happy you are the SITs gal today…Yippee!!!

    Back in India we don’t celebrate Thanksgiving so I’m only actually 2 Thanksgiving years old. But what we do is meet up at a friend’s home and have a traditional Thanksgiving meal but before that we all talk about what we are thankful for and yes…lot of choked up voices n all!!

    I’m soooo thankful to God for my beautiful family….it’s such a blessing to have a patient loving husband and a doting loving dottie (and now a little dot inside ;>) I’m also so thankful for God’s Protection and Grace upon our lives…each day we find a new reason to thank Him and be grateful for something…that’s just so awesome!!

  245. Congratulations on your SITS day! This looks like a great blog. My husband and I can barely take care of ourselves, I have NO idea how you take care of 5 children and a husband. You are a superwoman! Okay, I’m going to go and brouse a bit more. I want to check out your recipes! Have a great day!

  246. I am thankful for this being the first FULL year that the husband and I get to spend together…. He was in the Military so deployments or traing took him away. January 28 will be the first time he was home for a full year, and did NOT miss any birthdays or holidays. I am so thankful for the military and all they do but I am also thankful that he is all mine this year {and the kids too:) }

  247. Good morning! Congrats on your SITS days! Love your photos and what a beautiful family!

    I just spent 5 weeks traveling around India by myself and got back home a few days ago. I am so completely thankful for EVERYTHING I have in America. I am thankful for my home, my family, my friends, my dog, everything! It was an amazing experience and I would not trade it for the world but it is wonderful to be home and just in time for Thanksgiving with my family.

  248. We are an Army family, so we aren’t usually near family to celebrate with them. I make a big, big dinner with all the trimmings and we invite single soldiers over so they aren’t stuck eating at the Chow Hall alone. (How depressing!!). We start the morning off with the Macy’s parade (I’m from NY!), and after we eat around noon, we start setting up the Christmas tree and decorations. Weird? Maybe, but it’s what we do!

    This year I’m so thankful that my daughter wasn’t seriously hurt in the car crash she was in in September. The car was completely totalled and to see it you couldn’t believe ANYONE survived. She pretty much scared me half to death!!!

    Happy SITS Day!!

  249. Happy SITS day…….bye! HA! Just kidding!!

    What an adorable family. You have stolen my <3!

    I am thankful this year for my daughter Sydney. It’s the last year before she drives, 15, Thank God she is not on the road yet!!! HA.

    For real, I am thankful for my boyfriend and his two daughters, what a blessing that they have come into my life. This is our second Thanksgiving together and I couldn’t be happier.

    Great post! I loved your husband’s family traditions. Awesome!

  250. I’m very thankful to be in good health and for my family. I know it sounds cliche but in the last year or so there were some serious health scares and my family has had a few rough times. I thankful we are all there for each other.

    This year I am going home to celebrate with my brother and sisters, my parents and my grandparents. I’m looking forward
    to 5 days of relaxing and being with family.

  251. This Thanksgiving, I am truly thankful that I have a happy and healthy three-and-a-half year old, that both of my parents are alive and well after a brain tumor and a massive stroke, and that my marriage seems to be on the upswing these days. I am SO thankful to be HAPPY and settled! To celebrate this year, we are just having a quiet Thanksgiving at home, watching football and maybe going for a nice walk as a family if the weather isn’t too bad!

  252. Hi from another mom of 5! I’m off to the grocery store soon but I can’t wait to come back and read your blog!

    I have a lot to be thankful for especially with the economy being so bad. I’m thankful for my family and their health for one.

    We usually celebrate Thanksgiving with my husband’s side of the family but we don’t have any special traditions.

  254. Hmmm. I’m thankful for my children! And this will be our first year to celebrate Thanksgiving on our own. We’ve had family around for the almost 6 years of our marriage and now we live far away and are going to be just us. I’m actually looking forward to it. 🙂

  255. Oh my goodness! The first comment! I celebrate Christmas at THanksgiving with my parents and immediate family, because my mom and dad go to Florida for the winter. I celebrate Thanksgiving with my husband and his parents; he’s an only child, so it’s just us.

    What am I thankful for? You don’t have enough room on your blog, sweet pea! I am thankful for Jesus. I am thankful for my amazing husband, who slept on the couch for 6 months, only 2 months into our marriage, to take care3 of me, in a hospital bed in my living room.

    I’m thankful for being married for 9 years. I’m thankful that God blessed me with a miracle child, whom I physically should not have been able to have, because of my severe myasthenia gravis. I’m thankful that Jacob (my son) is healthy and smart and beautiful and crazy wild.

    I’m thankful for some dear, dear friends I can call any hour of the day or night who will be there for me unconditionally.

    And I’m very thankful for technology that keeps me connected to the outside world. Because of my health I don’t get out much, but through blogs like this, I get to meet all kinds of awesome people!

    Have a blessed day!!!
    Kerri
    http://www.sickofmg.blogpsot.com

  256. Wow – did you scare them all away by taking the go too comment off the table? I’m thankful for my beautiful little family (only one kiddo here) and Thanksgiving is an opportunity to share a lovely meal with my parents, sister and our families. I love stuffing, so much it hurts!

  257. I am truly thankful that I get to spend Thanksgiving with my hubby (as well as our daughter, of course) and he is safe at home with us. He is in the Navy and could be so many different places right now, but we were able to move with him ovetseas to this station. We will unfortunately not be able to spend it with other family, but they are always in our hearts. 🙂 This year we are spending Thanksgiving around our dining room table in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

  258. Happy, Happy SITS Day Lana! I hope your day is fabulous!! That is a wonderful tradition. I can’t wait to read more and more:)

    I am truly thankful for my wonderful family. We don’t have particular tradition at Thanksgiving. We just look so forward to being at my in-laws with the whole family for a day of fun.

  259. I found your blog today via SITS. And I’m thankful for lots of different things. We don’t have Thanksgiving here in the UK, (which is a shame!) I’m thankful for my home, family, friends and pets. Sending smiles. 🙂

  260. I am thankful for my wonderful husband who has been my rock through a difficult year of losing jobs, getting jobs, moving, and trying to sell a house! Normally Thanksgiving is at our house and due to our transient lifestyle we are doing it our my grandmas this year (oh and because we have 5 groups of people we have to do Christmas with we are staring then. I know, I know flame me now!)

  261. Well, firstly, Happy SITS Day to you (I know you said not to say it, but I’m saying it anyway). I am thankful for the silly things my toddler says – last year at this time, he didn’t speak and I worried constantly about it, and now he won’t stop talking, and he often cracks me up.

  262. I, too, didn’t really want kids – but I’m SO glad I had them. So, I’d have to say I’m most grateful for my family. This Tday, I’ll endeavor to make homemade everything, which isn’t easy for moi!

    Found you through SITS!

  263. Okay, I can’t resist- Happy SITS Day 😉

    Since I can’t be with my family at Thanksgiving, I’m really thankful that there is a group of other Americans that I can get together with and celebrate together. Kinda like a proxy family! The food is great, but I really think Thanksgiving is about family so it’s nice to be able to still have a little bit of that.

  264. I really, really like your blog. I especially like that you say how you put your beliefs into practice, like the thankful tree(awesome idea, by the way!) and the giving challenge. Since we aren’t living by family right now, we usually find some families that we can invite to our home for Thanksgiving, and always love spending the day with them. We are not very good at establishing a lot of traditions, so I’m grateful when I can get ideas like yours for proactive traditions. I’m truly grateful for God’s tender mercies, especially that He continually surrounds me by wonderful people who are blessings in my life.

  265. Happy SITS Day! Oops I guess I did not read the post. LOL! But if I’m saying that I guess I did read the post. (O.K. that was my attempt at being funny!)

    I am truly thankful for God’s grace operating in my life in such an awesome way that I am blessed with a wonderful husband and two boys and everything I need.

    We don’t have Thanksgiving here on the island but since our boys were both born in New Orleans I am thinking of starting to recognize it for their sakes. So to answer you other question – as of today I’ve not done anything to make it special.

    Happy SITS Day! (Here I go again! I should have read through the post. :)) Just had to try being funny again. Enjoy your day in the spotlight!

  267. Doing nothing special for thanksgiving here, but I am going to visit my family for Christmas – way excited about that!! I’m thankful for my family and my husband because they love me.

  269. Happy SITS day…JUST KIDDING! I’m thankful for my 6 kids! I only wanted a small family since I came from a family of 7. BUT after having my three boys & divorcing, I met the man of my dreams who had three kids also.

    So I guess, never say never! We are the Brady Bunch family & celebrating our 10 year anniversary on Dec. 31st.

    I’m also thankful for my Savior, Jesus Christ who died for my sins!!

  270. Oh, I forgot to write what I’m thankful for. First and foremost, God!Then my family and friends because I am a firm believer that our relationships are the only important things on this earth! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and Christmas!

  272. I just dicovered your blog–we home school too. I am now a follower and I won’t say Happy SITS day–oopsI hope you come by and follow me too-you’d tickle me pink.

    Cheri

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