A Thanksgiving First

We have always traveled to Hickory for Thanksgiving. This year, with the baby's due date being so close to the holiday, that was not an option. It was going to be a Raleigh Thanksgiving for the first time!

We started off our holiday morning with something neat to watch- the Ridgewood Turkey Trot. This 8K race has been going on a long time, and we have always been interested in doing it/watching it because the route goes right by our house. Running it was not really an option for any of us this year so we got our coffee and chairs and set up camp at the end of the driveway and watched the hundreds of runners go by. It was really neat!

 

Next on the agenda- the new All Children's Playground that the girls think is so cool. This was not an original idea because there were a ton of people there, but they had fun playing and getting some energy out.

I was determined that the day would have a relaxing feel so I went on a walk and was so glad I did. It was a beautiful Fall day (maybe a little on the warm side) and the trees were so pretty.

Next up? Baking. Thanksgiving meal is my favorite one of the year, and Donna was sweet to host at her house and prepare us a huge feast. But I was so happy to get to make a few of my favorite things. I contributed homemade rolls....

cranberry sauce...

 an apple slab pie...

 and a turkey cheeseball. :)

 There was a dance party at Donna and Marty's house and a whole lot of eating...

 which laid me out (and then invited Addie to crawl all over me).

 We had some silly turkeys on our hand that night!

 

I missed my family on Thanksgiving, but was thankful for the relaxing time spent in Raleigh with all of us Forks. And was thankful that the baby didn't come that night...surgery would have been nearly impossible with all that food in my belly. :)