thanksgiving

"this corn is like an angel." -steve carell

it really is though. i know the thought of creamed corn makes a lot of stomachs churn and gag reflexes go off. however, i believe it has a lot to do with the fact that they have never tasted this "angel corn". it is one of my favorite thanksgiving foods. how can you go wrong with half and half, parmesan cheese, and cayenne pepper?

now on to the day of thankfulness. i love the nostalgia of this season, specifically the nostalgia of this blessed day. thanksgiving dinner was at the petersen household. mom, in her oh-so-endearing way, went over the top with food and fun. kip, ginny, chelsea, and jocelyn came on wednesday night to help out and spend the night. it was so much fun. we stayed up until 1:00 a.m. preparing for dinner the next day, gabbing, laughing, and decorating napkins. the napkin decorating turned into a lot of fun. mom wanted us to stamp the napkins and make them real pretty. that worked for while. however, kip got a hold of a few markers and he and i started having fun. he drew a few cute cartoons of turkeys with captions saying things like, "how about some chicken?"

i loved just being home and enjoying the presence of my family. there is something special about my parents house. the moment i walk through the doors i feel at ease. life seems simplier. happy times are happier. trials seem easier to face. the spirit of love is definitely felt. don't get me wrong - we don't have a flawless family. we definitely have our vices. things aren't always perfect at the petersen's. however, home is a haven. i think both my brothers and i would agree that home has always been a place that we know we will be loved, even when we do stupid things. mom and dad have really created an enviroment of peace and comfort. i love being home! i love the feeling, i love the smells, i love the voices, i love the work that needs to be done, i love the feeling of acceptance. it's a good place to be.

something to note - i moved up from the kid table to the grown-up table this year. it has taken 29 years. i think it was by default, nonetheless, i feel it a rite of passage. i feel like i'm kind of a big deal now....