Twas the Saturday After Thanksgiving...

... and I am still full.

One of my favorite parts of Thanksgiving are the days and days of leftovers. I can eat stuffing and mashed potatoes every day of the week. I love food. I love Thanksgiving food. I just love sides so much and Thanksgiving is all about the sides.

It's Saturday morning and I'm sitting at the breakfast table in Grant's parents' house. We've had such a nice, relaxing few days here. I remember coming here when Grant and I were dating. The first time I came here was about seven years ago. I slept in a different bedroom, would say goodnight to Grant in the hallway before bed, and would get tours of New Orleans during the day. Now that we've been married almost 5 years (mercy!) this house feels very much like home. Thankfully, I now get to share a room with that handsome man, and take naps during the day at my leisure. The boys still go fish all day and the girls still chat and visit all day, but now there's 3 babies added to the mix!

When I met Grant, his family was just adults. Mom, Dad, Chase, Ronda, and Grant. And then I joined and we had a great time, just the six of us. But then the real fun started :)

Evan, Emmy and Olivia have turned this family upside down, but in the best possible way. I love their sweet faces, their big hugs, their loud exclamations when they see something exciting, and even when they start to crash. I love Olivia's curls. I love Emmy's big eyes and her ever-present "Pincess Cown" (princess crown). I love Evan's laugh and how he always wants his Uncle Gant.

I love that this whole house is child-proofed and there's toys everywhere. I love that a lot of the time someone has to help me get into our bedroom since the child-safety door knob is in place.

The thing is, sharing holidays is one of the trickier things about being married. You have to compromise, adjust, and embrace your spouse's way of doing things. Yes, I still miss my mom's mashed potatoes. On the years we spend Christmas here in New Orleans, there will always be a moment where I'll miss my parents living room and the noises there. Over time though, I have found that I no longer feel like this is "Grant's family." It's OUR family. It's MY family.