Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is the best! We get to spend the time with friends, family, loved ones, and eat delicious food for 5 straight days! Who wouldn't love that! This year, my cousin Derek and his wife Christie were able to join us for Thanksgiving at our home here in Pittsburgh. I will be the first to admit that I love it when I am at a big thanksgiving with lots and lots of family, but an intimate Thanksgiving with Derek and Christie was just as nice. We played some games, watched some movies, ate lots of candy (Derek works for Mars Candy Co.), and enjoyed one another's company while our bathroom was being remodeled (post coming on that soon I am told).

I am grateful that we get to live in a country as great as America. There are great places to live all around the world, but there is no place I would rather live. I am grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and for his restored Church, namely the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I am grateful for a modern day prophet in Thomas S. Monson. I am grateful for my wife, Nicole. She chooses to stay at home to be with Caleb and help nurture him all day while I am away at school. I am grateful that she loves me so much, and always encourages me to be better, because she sees it in me. I am grateful to have a son and for all the joys that fatherhood brings. I am grateful to be in dental school here in Pittsburgh. I am grateful that we have a home over our heads and food on our table, and so much more. I am grateful for all of our family whose prayers are graciously offered in our behalf, and whose support we could not go without. I am grateful for all of our friends, and for their love and support, and the many laughs and memories that we get to share with them. And lastly, I am grateful to you blog readers, for your reading of our little adventures and being happy to hear about them.

Without further ado, here are all the pictures chronicling the fun adventures that we had!

The Set-Up

The Turkey in all it's cooked glory and perfection!

Butternut Squash!

Green Bean Casserole!

Mashed!

Sweet Potatoe Sufle!

Turkey, turkey, why do I love you so??

The Hostess and the Boss

Our Special Little Thanksgiving

Nothing says post-thanksgiving, start of Christmas like the Macy's windows downtown...

The day after Thanksgiving, and this is how out of control Christmas already is...and I love it. But anyone who knows me knows that I don't acknowledge Christmas 'til post Thanksgiving feast, but after that, everything is fine by me.

We thought that we could get a cute picture of Caleb with Santa during his first Christmas...not quite working out though...

And at this point, Santa was trying to put on a smile, because Caleb was in full tears and screams...

Sending off their wish lists...

And the belief-o-meter was already at full strength...

ME!!! through an ornament vaguely

It was then off to the PPG place gingerbread display and possibly some ice skating. It was freezing outside however, so Dunkin graciously accepted our money in return for hot chocolate.

Do you see how great it makes Derek feel?

It made him feel so great, he COULD picture himself leaner, sexier, flexible, radiant, and energetic!

The Tree at PPG (as good of a rhyme as there may be)

Derek and Christie feeling the holiday cheer

And digging the view of our beautiful city

Best Cousins

No captions needed for the next three pictures...

And to finish off Black Friday, we decided the only thing we were going to truly spend any money on was a Christmas tree. Even though we won't be here for Christmas, it just wouldn't have been the same without a tree. And we weren't going to get a Charlie Brown tree, though there is nothing wrong with those, if that is what you are into. I think this tree may be one of the most perfect trees I have ever seen, and here in the Johansen household, you will often find one of us three sitting, staring, and marveling at it's splendor.

Merry Christmas!