Grandma Penny went to Japan on a Textile Tour this month, so we have been studying Japan also, living vicariously. We added a little Japan to our Thanksgiving in the form of haiku.

Matthew
A question for you
Watch Wiggles for ten minutes?
I am the baby!

Jared
Thankful for Ethan
I am thankful for myself
That is all I got

Ethan
The first baby is best
Thank you for giving me life
happy thanksgiving!

Mommy
Thanks be for fam’ly
And also for friends. I love
Turkey Day. Amen.

Daddy
First, thanks for the food
The company is what counts
Thanks for being here

Honored Guest and Featured Chef, Rachel
With friends and good food
we dine tonight much better
than alternatives

And finally, a little rhyme giving credit where credit is due:
Thank you to Scott
Who made the food yummy.
He worked really hard,
Even with a bad tummy!

We missed Claire Bear and Molly terribly. It was hard being so far from all of our family. But it was a lovely lovely day. The boys played tennis, baseball and scooted and biked in our park. There was a seasonal nip in the air but it was lovely.

And we all worked on a puzzle of Rockefeller Center with the GIANT SOLSTICE TREE; Grandpa Jim got the hardest (last) piece. We had to do a NYC puzzle, since Rachel and Scott are from NY and missing their family there, Ethan was born in NYC and Grandma Penny used to visit NYC every winter when she was growing up.

And the food… well, it’s nice to have a trained chef come over and cook for your family!