Thanksgiving is a favorite in our house. It is the beginning of the "holiday season" and has all the elements necessary to make great memories...family, friends, football, food, and yes...black Friday!!
Our Thanksgivings have evolved through the years. When we first came to Florida, we spent Thanksgivings with my aunt and uncle and all of their extended family. There might be anywhere from 12 - 25 guests depending on who wanted to spend the holiday in sunny Florida (and of course whoever my uncle had invited the day before while visiting with customers and friends who wandered through his gas station). There was always a football game on the TV and loads of people from several generations visiting and enjoying a great meal. Eventually, our family grew as did our circle of friends and we began hosting Thanksgiving in our home. Again it was a time of lots of family....those who lived in town and those who came to visit, as well as close friends who couldn't get to their families....and yes, my husband had taken to inviting someone who needed a family for the day. Those years, when our children were still young, hold some of my fondest memories....getting up early to eat breakfast and watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (dashing into the kitchen on commercials to continue working on some side dish or to pull the turkey out of the oven just to check on it?!). Honestly, side dishes are my favorite at Thanksgiving. Give me a plate full of stuffing/dressing, mashed potatoes swimming in gravy, sweet potato casserole, my grandmother's creamed lima beans, pineapple cheese salad, and CANNED cranberry sauce, and I am a very happy camper. I know that there are turkey lovers out there, so Mr. Turkey is the guest of honor and provides ambiance for the meal. The smell of the roasted turkey and the sight of it sitting at the head of our table awaiting the lucky man chosen to tackle him with a carving knife and fork (after being prayed over of course) brings back memories that make me smile....does anyone remember when the electric knife was the latest and greatest thing!!!
In recent years Thanksgivings have taken place at Rich's parent's house. We have blended traditions together and created new ones (such as decorative place settings handcrafted for each guest...check out the fun picture of the Indian headbands modeled by Nicole and David). We still get up early at our house and turn on the beloved parade to enjoy the streets of New York all festive and full of good cheer (someday, someday). A couple of years ago, much to my children's delight, I started a new tradition, The-Come-In-Your-PJs-Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Breakfast. Family and friends all show up to enjoy breakfast and parade fun...this year's party will include a trivia contest!! Lots of fun and just the beginning of a day filled with food and special people.
This weekend will be jam-packed...there is the Alabama/Auburn football game on Friday and the FSU/Florida game on Saturday (though I have a notion neither of my teams will win I will still tune in and root them on). In and amongst that, we will try to fit in putting up and decorating our Christmas tree together as a family, and send Chelsea back off to Auburn for a few weeks! Hmmm, I may have to forgo Black Friday!!!!!
I am thankful for so much this year...but a few big ones include Nicole's healthy pregnancy and the coming of Claire Elizabeth, Chelsea's transition into college, Katelyn...she hasn't gone anywhere and won't for almost two years and she is always the sane one in this bunch, Rich...he is the foundation of this family and that is why we are so strong. I'm also thankful that our extended family is healthy, Sue's surgery was a success and she continues to reach her goals (and the latest was buying some cool clothes in Talbots!), and that our best friends may actually end up staying in Florida (Woohoo Southwest!).
Wherever you are this Thanksgiving I hope it is a great holiday full of turkey and lots of sides, family and friends, and if it's your thing... successful shopping! I would love to hear about your special holiday traditions and wish you and your family safe travels and peace.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Monday, November 9, 2009
Nineteen and Counting
On Sunday, November 18, 1990, Chelsea Elizabeth Patterson Dodd came into the world. I had just completed student teaching at Northside Elementary school that Friday afternoon. I was thrilled to have finished and very exhausted, so my only memory of that weekend was of that Sunday morning. I was standing in our family room talking to Rich and suddenly...my water broke. We got Nicole (then 8 years old) situated with my two cousins and went to the hospital. After eight long hours Chelsea was born...all 9 pounds of her (I say that as if it were no big deal...it was. I had had Nicole by c-section and was not prepared for this much fun).
Chelsea was a beautiful, chubby baby with a fabulous set of lungs...I think she cried for a month while I attempted to deal with Thanksgiving, Christmas, nursing, a third grader, etc! We tried everything in relieving her colic; one evening, exhausted, I put her in the bassinet and she let out a huge sigh and went to sleep...my sweet baby girl just wanted her space (she's like that to this day).
As with Nicole, Chelsea was bald for the first 2 years and then came her beautiful, red, curly hair (it had a life of its own)! Her personality emerged with her hair. Her blue eyes would sparkle and her hair would bounce around and once she started laughing...Chelsea has always been full of energy, never happy sitting still, she would actually watch her favorite Disney movies while doing back walk-overs! She started dance classes when she was four, soccer at five, and t-ball at seven. Soccer quickly became her thing.
In middle school she earned the nickname "Triple C" from her school soccer coach. Calm, cool, collected...she had mastered channeling her energy and all the years of dance classes gave her the very recognizable pointed-toe kick that she used on the field. While soccer was her passion and it seemed we were always at something soccer related, I have memories of her with her friends and family goofing off and laughing, laughing, laughing (at nothing sometimes). Her first eight years of school were spent in a small, very family-oriented private christian school. So many milestones happened during those years, all within the safety and sometimes prying eyes of the teachers and friends that she had known her whole life. I've asked and she quickly answers she wouldn't have had it any other way.
High School was a time of so many changes for her...public school, AP classes, high school soccer, new friends, driver's license, boyfriends, broken hearts, tennis team, trip to Italy, senior year, parties and fun, college applications...so many decisions. At the beginning of her junior year she broke her leg charging the goalie in a soccer game, an event that shook her to her core. Because of the type of break, recovery was long and difficult and though she tried with everything she had, she had to walk away from soccer two weeks after the season started her senior year. My heart broke for her, but...calm, cool, and collected; she shed her tears privately and moved on, determined to have a great senior year. She filled the soccer void with homecoming...football games, parties, tennis, and somewhere in there lots of studying. Graduating with high honors and a prestigious scholarship opportunity at Auburn University, she enjoyed her summer (did I mention that she enjoyed her summer?)!!
Now starting her third month at Auburn she is in the thick of new adventures....life away from home, new friends, no curfews, honors classes, a new church, football games, boys (accept they don't look like boys anymore). My heart swells with pride when I look at the accomplished young woman she has become and I will tell you that my tears are all about the celebration of who she is....but don't you know they are also about the last nineteen years of joy that she has brought to our lives and just a little bit of wondering where did the time go!!!
So I say....Happy Birthday dear sweet Chelsea...let your light shine!
I love you, Mom.
Ten Things You Might Not Know About Chelsea:
1) She has two middle names Elizabeth for my grandmother, Patterson for Rich's mother.
2) Just like her father, she does not judge others.
3) She loves pumpkin pie and Cool Whip (lots of Cool Whip).
4) If she could do anything?....play on a soccer team again.
5) She turns to music when she's upset, ecstatic, and anywhere in between.
6) Like her mother, she loves a new purse.
7) She plays Nancy Drew Mystery games on the computer with Katelyn and Nicole...(my little problem solvers)!
8) While she loves jewelry, she will rarely wear both a necklace and earrings at the same time...too matchy-match.
9) She had 6 wisdom teeth removed!!!!
10) Always on the go she's never been a big reader...never had time...but she's reading New Moon again so I think she's in love with that vampire Edward Cullen!!!!
Chelsea was a beautiful, chubby baby with a fabulous set of lungs...I think she cried for a month while I attempted to deal with Thanksgiving, Christmas, nursing, a third grader, etc! We tried everything in relieving her colic; one evening, exhausted, I put her in the bassinet and she let out a huge sigh and went to sleep...my sweet baby girl just wanted her space (she's like that to this day).
As with Nicole, Chelsea was bald for the first 2 years and then came her beautiful, red, curly hair (it had a life of its own)! Her personality emerged with her hair. Her blue eyes would sparkle and her hair would bounce around and once she started laughing...Chelsea has always been full of energy, never happy sitting still, she would actually watch her favorite Disney movies while doing back walk-overs! She started dance classes when she was four, soccer at five, and t-ball at seven. Soccer quickly became her thing.
In middle school she earned the nickname "Triple C" from her school soccer coach. Calm, cool, collected...she had mastered channeling her energy and all the years of dance classes gave her the very recognizable pointed-toe kick that she used on the field. While soccer was her passion and it seemed we were always at something soccer related, I have memories of her with her friends and family goofing off and laughing, laughing, laughing (at nothing sometimes). Her first eight years of school were spent in a small, very family-oriented private christian school. So many milestones happened during those years, all within the safety and sometimes prying eyes of the teachers and friends that she had known her whole life. I've asked and she quickly answers she wouldn't have had it any other way.
High School was a time of so many changes for her...public school, AP classes, high school soccer, new friends, driver's license, boyfriends, broken hearts, tennis team, trip to Italy, senior year, parties and fun, college applications...so many decisions. At the beginning of her junior year she broke her leg charging the goalie in a soccer game, an event that shook her to her core. Because of the type of break, recovery was long and difficult and though she tried with everything she had, she had to walk away from soccer two weeks after the season started her senior year. My heart broke for her, but...calm, cool, and collected; she shed her tears privately and moved on, determined to have a great senior year. She filled the soccer void with homecoming...football games, parties, tennis, and somewhere in there lots of studying. Graduating with high honors and a prestigious scholarship opportunity at Auburn University, she enjoyed her summer (did I mention that she enjoyed her summer?)!!
Now starting her third month at Auburn she is in the thick of new adventures....life away from home, new friends, no curfews, honors classes, a new church, football games, boys (accept they don't look like boys anymore). My heart swells with pride when I look at the accomplished young woman she has become and I will tell you that my tears are all about the celebration of who she is....but don't you know they are also about the last nineteen years of joy that she has brought to our lives and just a little bit of wondering where did the time go!!!
So I say....Happy Birthday dear sweet Chelsea...let your light shine!
I love you, Mom.
Ten Things You Might Not Know About Chelsea:
1) She has two middle names Elizabeth for my grandmother, Patterson for Rich's mother.
2) Just like her father, she does not judge others.
3) She loves pumpkin pie and Cool Whip (lots of Cool Whip).
4) If she could do anything?....play on a soccer team again.
5) She turns to music when she's upset, ecstatic, and anywhere in between.
6) Like her mother, she loves a new purse.
7) She plays Nancy Drew Mystery games on the computer with Katelyn and Nicole...(my little problem solvers)!
8) While she loves jewelry, she will rarely wear both a necklace and earrings at the same time...too matchy-match.
9) She had 6 wisdom teeth removed!!!!
10) Always on the go she's never been a big reader...never had time...but she's reading New Moon again so I think she's in love with that vampire Edward Cullen!!!!
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