Thanksgiving: A Trip

Like I said wednesday, I flew back east to visit my family for Thanksgiving break. Mister Husband man with his new job got to stay home and bring home bacon for us. (thank you dear!) and I got shipped off to play and eat and nap. My new iphone turned out to be my camera for the trip and there are more photos on my instagram (@thinkingaboutpretty)

1 / honing in on my wii bowling skills (I got progressively worse)

2 / my cousins youngest sporting the lastest in thanksgiving fashion

3 / endless games of banana grams. my Mom is the best at it

4 / Settlers of Zarahemla (the LDS version of Settlers of Catan) which little brother reigned

5 / a walk to the park post Thanksgiving. It was fun to go back since I played there all the time growing up. My cousins kids were in heaven with all those tire swings

6 / my cousin and my Dad carrying home two of the kids. I love how they are holding hands :)

1 / kissing balls and wreathes hanging at the tree farm
2 / our day after Thanksgiving family tradition is to go to a local tree farm and get a fresh tree. The smell of that place...divine! They even give you a saw you can cut it down yourself with. We thought we had found the tree so my brother and I went to bring up the car. Later that day as we were sweeping needles off the floor my Mom casually asked if I thought the trees were the same. Turns out they found a better one! Sneaky parents. I couldn't even tell, except it was amazed that it got taller when we brought it inside. Thought it was just the tree stand. ;)
3 / the fruits of our tree hunting labor
4 / Boston harbor line at night
5 / a fresco of Victory from the Boston Museum of Science's Pompeii exhibit. Most everything were legit artifacts they brought over. We spent almost two hours combing over everything
6 / another fresco from Pompeii

I also wanted to share something with you guys that really stuck out to me over this vacation. Our ward (and LDS congregation) had the opportunity to join with some other local faiths for an Ecumenical Service the night before Thanksgiving. Each year the Thanksgiving Proclamation is read, something I had never heard of. There are lots apparently, but the one shared was by George Washington in 1789. Enjoy!

Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor - and Whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me "to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness."
Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be – That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks
–for his kind care and protection of the People of this country previous to their becoming a Nation
– for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his providence, which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war
– for the great degree of tranquillity, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed
– for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted, for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.
And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions
– to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually
– to render our national government a blessing to all the People, by constantly being a government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed
– to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord
– to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and Us
– and generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.