A White Thanksgiving!

We were blessed with an early winter snow storm the day before Thanksgiving, resulting in a day off from school for Sarah and a yard transformed into a winter wonderland.  It was lovely, indeed, but the heavy snow bent small trees right over, and the top snapped off the alternate-leaved dogwood behind the house.

It was great snowman-making snow.

My snow angel

My mom joined us for Thanksgiving Day again.  We watched the parade and some of the dog show, then enjoyed a yummy turkey prepared by Chef Don.  We rounded out the day with A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and This Is America, Charlie Brown -- The Mayflower.  I had never seen the latter, and Sarah did not enjoy it.  It seems she watched a movie about the Pilgrims in school and now has "bad thoughts" about them.  She's sad that some of them died.  I guess I won't bring up the fate of the Indians until she's much older....

On Sunday, we celebrated again at my mom's house, with all immediate family in attendance.  Sarah learned how to play checkers from her cousins.

We had a special house guest over the Thanksgiving break.  Brady Bear, who has been spending weekends with various first graders, got a full five days with us, much to Sarah's delight.  He came with a journal for the host to chronicle his adventures.  Most kids had written a few sentences, possibly a full page.  Sarah filled four pages.  There were tears Sunday night and Monday morning (with the plea, "But Mom, couldn't I just forget him at home?"), but he returned to school and will accompany another student home on Friday.