Yeesh, next time I must rethink letting a crabby little softie take over the blog duties. Anyway, yes, it does appear many blogs are talking about Thanksgiving and Christmas now so I thought I would join the party today. Our family and my parents usually go up north to the cottage for Thanksgiving but we aren't this year so that will be different. If the weather isn't too awful, we may brave the crowds and go to the Detroit Thanksgiving Day parade which is actually called "America's Thanksgiving Parade", I'm not sure why. I suppose part of it is due to the fact that poor Detroit has such a bad reputation that they can't even put it in the name of the parade anymore. We are always out of town for the holiday so we never go to the parade, I think the last time we went Tess was only little, like not even 2 yet. I can picture her all bundled up in her fleece snowsuit with a little red nose, trying to clap with mittens on her hands. Lydia was 5 and seemed more excited about riding the city bus to get downtown than going to the parade, until we got there and she realized it was going to be a REAL parade with huge floats and gigantic balloons. Ok, enough reminiscing. I just told David we should go to the parade (btw, David, go to work already!) and he just sighed. Way to be enthusiastic, dear.

On to Christmas. So far, only Lydia has made a list, she wants a new Nano. An orange one with 8GB and video, they are very cool and also kind of expensive. New ear buds, an iTunes giftcard, a Barnes and Noble giftcard, clothes and a pair of black, low top Converse. Mostly gifts to keep her mostly solitary, which is how she mostly likes to be these days. Oh well, I remember being 14. As for the littles (I know, not so little, but that's how I think of them), they have been surprisingly quiet about it so far. I'm sure I will be getting a list from each of them soon enough.

They all have been sweet and thinking of others however and we all decided to pick an animal from Heifer International to give to a needy family from around the world. We can't decide on which one to pick, Kai is going for cute and wants to send a flock of chicks ($20). Of course, Lydia is thinking a trio of rabbits($60) is a good idea and Tess goes for the gusto with a water buffalo ($250), but I think a share of a water buffalo would be more our speed ($25). Maybe we'll do them all. It seems like such a great organization though, I'm excited that the kids are so willing and eager to get involved.

As for locally, they each buy a toy to give to the local Toys for Tots and we make fudge for our neighbors. We'll adopt a family this year as I dropped the ball on it last year and felt so guilty, so I better get on that early as I'm sure there will be even more families in need this year than usual.