thanksgiving – Say Yes to Happy

I grew up loving Charlie Brown and watching it at all the holidays so I couldn’t resist with this pic. But back to what everyone is talking about this week: Thanksgiving of course!

I’m 28 and this is only my second year being away from my family, but that also makes it my second Friendsgiving. Last year Dave and I were in California with our roomies (one of them being my brother.) This year Dave is away working in Alaska so I’m having dinner with our Seattle friends. I hope wherever you girls are and whoever you are with, you have a wonderful holiday filled with yummy food, football, and stretchy pants Joey Tribiani style 😉

I love this quote. (And JFK!) But he makes a great point. It’s easy to get wrapped up in this holiday about being grateful and #blessed (that hashtag cracks me up, with people on social media and their humble brags.) But I think it’s important to remember everyday how lucky we all are to be living the lives we are. Life can and will throw a lot of things at you but it helps to get some perspective and remember what’s most important to you, like our family and friends!

I’m thankful for so many things:

My family- they are all spread out over the US and Vietnam and I love and miss them all. Families support, encourage, and are there through thick and thin. They shape who we are and allow us to fly away from the nest and still come home anytime. Families really do love one another unconditionally.

Friends- Living away from home, gives me major FOMO (fear of missing out) at times but it also puts my relationships in check. Friends who want to be in your life will make the effort. I make a very conscious decision to celebrate my besties with their engagements, birthdays, and other special occasions. Who doesn’t love getting care packages in the mail? I also love hand written notes and postcards. And friends really go become your family you get to choose, as you grow older and move away from home.

Good Health-We don’t realize how healthy we are until we get sick. Ain’t that the truth? So many people and families have to deal with disease and sickness and it’s heartbreaking. Let’s all be aware and grateful of our health and continue to stay healthy and be there for the people who aren’t.

Blogging World-Allows me to express myself and remember my travels. It’s also been so fun getting to know you girls. I appreciate your feedback and am flattered that anyone reads and comments. And I have this amazingly supportive blogging community and new (blogger turned real life) friend Katie for my new job!

A New City- For anyone who reads my blog, you all know how much I love travel. It’s a huge part of who I am and what I am passionate about. I jump at the chance to travel every time it comes up. And living in a new city is so much fun! New friends, new adventures, new towns to explore, etc etc. It’s so refreshing and exciting. I already love Seattle.

I could go on and on about the things I’m thankful for, but these are the main ones in my life right now. Thank you all for reading, for being my blogging friends, and your constant encouragement and feedback. Happy Thanksgiving kids! 🙂

It is that time again friends! It’s Mattie and I’s third link up! With it officially being November yesterday that means that Thanksgiving is right around the corner! Now that we have officially moved to Seattle (which is why I’ve been so MIA in the blogging world) it finally feels like fall. The leaves are beautiful, I love the colors up here. I’ve missed having seasons living in sunny Southern California for the last two years. I’ve worn my Hunter rain boots more in the last week of living here than I ever did in California. 🙂

But I digress. I know that we have some silly Hallmark holidays like Sweetest Day and how not everyone is a fan of Valentine’s Day. But I love that as a nation we have an entire holiday dedicated to being grateful. Life happens so fast and

we easily get wrapped up in the everyday busy-ness. I love that this holiday is about eating lots of food and pie and being surrounded by loved ones.

This year’s Thanksgiving will be another Friendsgiving because sadly my family doesn’t live here (yet!) My mom and brother are in California still, my sister is in Chicago, and my dad and stepmom are in Georgia. We are all over the map! But having good friends to share the holiday with will fill the void of not being with family. Last year was actually Dave and I’s first year to not be home with our families.

Our Thanksgivings have also worked out so nicely when we used to live in Chicago. Dave’s family would also have late lunch gatherings instead of dinner time. And my family would have later eating times. So we were always able to go to both sides of the families to stuff our faces twice! 🙂

We usually play games together mostly charades, occasionally video games, sequence and cranium or pictionary are our go-to. We also watch the Macy’s day parade and watch football (which reminds me of the friends episode!) I’m pretty sure those are normal traditions that most families have, but I’m excited to read your rituals and see what fun things you guys will be up to come Thanksgiving.

Be sure to link up by clicking below and the link up will be open until Froday night if you missed posting today. And next month we are talking about our favorite holiday traditions!

Lastly Mattie, Katie, and I are all going to meet up tomorrow somewhere in Seattle! We are all super excited to get together especially before Mattie leaves us for Portland. Yay for blogging friends becoming real life friends. I’m constantly in awe of this awesome little blogging community. We will for sure take a pic and blog about it later!