i don't think i can eat ever again...except for maybe leftover pumpkin pie.

oh, i love traditions.

especially when it comes to family-related ones. i loved getting up on thanksgiving morning and grabbing a cup of coffee to drink while watching the macy's day parade with the family. i loved that we were all in PJs till about noon and then got dressed to prep and cook for our thanksgiving meal. i loved laughing randomly at inside jokes and calling our sister in iowa to tell her that we missed her and that we couldn't wait to see her in december. i just love being with my family - did you pick up on that yet?! 

i think i'm especially thankful this year about being home is because this is my first thanksgiving home with my family for a long time - 8 years to be exact. having lived in chicago, i couldn't afford to buy a plane ticket for thanksgiving and christmas, so i often spent thanksgiving in chicago or somewhere up north. it was a fun experience - but its definitely a different kind of experience. thanksgiving for me is just not the same without my family.

and i feel very blessed to have my family. we are not perfect. no family is, but my family is perfect to me - there is a lot of love here and i'm so thankful for that. 

oh, and one more thing. we were stuffed silly - like the rest of the america - after our delish thanksgiving meal! after lounging around for a couple of hours while watching football and taking cat naps in the living room, we plugged in my itouch to the living room speakers and blasted some dance music...and yup, danced away some of those calories. probably not a lot since we ate so much but it was fun and we felt a little better after sitting on our butts all day. 

[not the most attractive picture of me but i think you get the idea of how much fun we were having!]

no, dad did not join in dancing to black eyed peas and christmas music but he was a good sport by joining in on our FLIP video (which unfortunately, according to the family-code, is NOT to be blogged, face-booked or tweeted like all other crazy, dance family videos we have. they will go to the grave with us.) 

what would have made the day complete was to have ryan, kristine and her ryan (did most of you know that my sister is married to a ryan, too?) here with us. but it's alright - ryan and i have next year to look forward to (we'll be married by then - eeeek! can't wait!) and then my sis and her hubby will be here in less than a month. so looking forward to it!

anyone else as excited about me for the holiday season?

and did everyone have a good thanksgiving?

what are some of your family traditions, thanksgiving or not thanksgiving?

much love.

[happy friday, friend.]

p.s. 

don't forget that my shop 

is having a black friday sale! 

FRIDAY: Buy 2, get 1 FREE 

(of equal/lesser value; include in msg to seller which item you'd like)
SATURDAY-MONDAY: 20% Off of your order
(use coupon code at checkout: BFLOVE)

and one more thing...

don't forget about the Much Love, Illy Black Friday Shopping Guide put together early this week for some amazing discounts and sales from my beautiful sponsors! 

you won't want to miss it!