thanksgiving

the season of thanksgiving....one of my favourite times of the year.  plus, i love fall~ maybe the most of all. not exactly sure what i love the most, the decision is hard.  i'm sure it's a combination of lots of things that make my little homey domesticated nature very happy~ a return to routine, pumpkin spiced lattes, firing up the oven more as the air turns crisp, freshly baked pumpkin anything :), apples from the farmer's market turned into lots of yummy treats, mum pots in full bloom, leaves in pretty shades of orange and red, scented candles lit, cozy evenings, perfect temperatures for sleeping....i don't know~ i just love it.  

then Thanksgiving lands right in there~ as fall replaces summer.  perhaps I'm feeling the gratitude in extra measure lately, in part due to the amazing perspective I'm receiving from the incredibly gifted AnnVoskamp, author of One Thousand Gifts.  this book was super popular a few years ago, and I've been meaning to read it since first hearing about it.  so happy my dear mom decided to gift me with it.  better late than never, i guess.  plus, the timing seems perfect anyway.  it is wrecking me more than any book has in quite some time.  and by wrecking~ I mean that in the best way possible.  the challenge of the book is "a dare to live fully right where you are".  wowww....something about it~ the way Ann writes, the honesty, the shared experiences, the relatable qualities of her stories, the perspective and truth contained in each page~ it's like rain on a dry scorching hot day, and there are days that my spirit feels dry and in need of a good saturating rainfall.  you know?  so beautiful....

all that to say, sometimes a good book or a timely visit or a prayer answered or a powerful verse~ well, all can go a long way in adjusting perspective every now and then when such a shift is most needed.  so good...

so, in such a spirit of joy and gratitude, here are two videos that make me smile each and every time i view them~ and that has been often. :)

the sweetness of this baby girl in the first video as she interacts with her dad melts my heart every time.  and how bright is she trying to prank her father?! not hard to understand why it went viral...

then there's my Hudson...oh, this boy....he can be purely delightful.  i love these moments....he has a way of turning after dinner chores into entertainment.  his older sister cued up some of her favourite music and Hudson couldn't contain "the groove", shall we say.   i call this one "sweeping~ Huddy-style".  enjoy!