celebrations

I can get really caught up in reading a lot of home decor blogs, or watching too much HGTV, and then I feel like I have to have a perfectly decorated home for the holidays. You know what? I don’t have a perfectly decorated home, and that’s just okay. I never have – not that I wouldn’t enjoy it – but to me the most important thing is that I have a place where my family and friends feel comfortable coming in and kicking off their shoes (or dumping out their toy basket) without worrying about ruining my decor.

I was looking at the pictures I took today of our Thanksgiving dinner at my daughter’s and I was laughing at just how imperfectly perfect everything was. Granted, we had dinner at my daughter’s and not my home, but it’s illustrative of just how our family rolls.

My younger daughter went to pick up my mom while I finished up stuff at home, and we got to my older daughter’s about 90 minutes later than we should have. I forgot the orange juice for the sweet potato recipe, the creamer for the coffee, and the extra folding chairs for the table. But you know what? Everything turned out just fine. Let me show you in pictures.

Setting the table. The only thing holiday-ish about this is the tablecloth that I made a few years ago. Um, that purple ball? Ya, that’s a chair.

A closeup of the dinner dishes. I love how nothing matches. I just bought the red and white bowl and the white dish in the center is holding the gravy. That gravy dish, and the one holding the beans, has been in our family for years – as long as I can remember. And that giant serving spoon? Ya, that’s a Weight Watchers one cup serving spoon. Isn’t that HUGE?

Mom and Cayden waiting patiently for dinner to be served. He was so excited to have his great-grandma there and insisted on sitting next to her.

Elise and Cayden, also waiting. I love Elise’s big smile. She was so eager to help in the kitchen, but oh, so ready to have some cranberries – her favorite!

And Cody – he cracks me up. Since I forgot the folding chairs, he pulled in one of their patio chairs, which happens to be hella high. I was totally cracking up at this. He’s such a great sport. And he’s totally posing, in case you wondered. Notice the beach towel on the chair too?