Friday after Thanksgiving

I love the day after Thanksgiving! You're still with family, you have great leftovers for the week ahead, and you fashion your own traditions. Important ones, slowly transitioning you to the next holiday.

But first, there are cats and chickens to feed.






And farmhouse baby baths to give, and prebreakfast bowls of fruit to eat.  (Give her mango and she'll love you forever!)






And grandma's lap to visit.






We have this floating holiday tradition (it moves between holidays, depending on when all kids are in town): breakfast at Hubbard Avenue Diner.

There's a bit of a wait. That's a given.






Finally, at the table. Cousins into cousins.






(Sparrow keeps an eye on things...)






Here's another tradition and this one is always between Thanksgiving and Christmas: a visit to Clasen's bakery. The one with the giant gingerbread house.












... and with my favorite holiday cookies!











One more destination: to the Christmas tree store across the street.

 ("Pick an ornament, Primrose! No, not that one! No, pick something else! An owl? Yessss!")






The young family is looking for a small tree for the living room. We like this one!






What's not to love about this day?!











A pizza supper at Lucille's... (where the holiday lights are incredible!)






Best day of my life, says a little one afterwards. A spontaneous outburst, perhaps because everything felt so family driven and so very special!

I'll end with a photo of the two of us at the farmhouse. I know, I know, the old sailor could do with a beard trim. One of these days. Perhaps when my head isn't so filled with the deliciousness of family comings and goings.