Simply Thankful

This year was our first year having Thanksgiving with just our immediate family. We usually travel to VA or IN to be with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Though we missed being with them this year, the simplicity of having Thanksgiving to ourselves brought us such joy and fulfillment, that we didn't even miss the big turkey (Chris fried chicken instead!). We went out to the Poconos for a whole week with a van full of games, art supplies, food, warm clothes and hiking boots. We only ate out one time at our favorite restaurant, where we always order their mussels in garlic sauce and soak our bread in every last drop of sauce- I am telling you, it is sooo good!
We had a day excursion at the Crayola Factory which was a definite highlight of the week (I highly recommend it). We spent about 4 hours doing different art projects, learning about how crayons are made, and then topped it off with visiting the canal museum on the 3rd floor. Alexa has really grown to love art, especially sculpture, so this was a special treat for her.
We went hiking in a few different free spots and saw a small waterfall (you had to pay to see the big ones-I find something terribly wrong about paying to see a waterfall!).
We finally pulled out Alexa's pottery wheel she got for her birthday and made some little pots to give as gifts for Christmas. At the end of the week, we were all wishing we could stay another week. I love that our family loves to be together. Not all families can say that, and that is simply something to be thankful for.
I'll post more pictures from our hiking later:)