This morning’s brew is Seattle’s Best, Post Alley. It is seriously perfect today. This morning is chilly but I have the electric fire on to warm up the room. And we are on Thanksgiving holiday starting today! We both are ready for this break.

Last night was one of those nights full of so many different emotions. My cousin invited us over for a family get together, to celebrate his and my birthdays, just like when we were kids. We are a year and four days apart and as far back as I can remember, Brian has been there, a constant companion in my life. We were raised to be as close as siblings and when my brother was born six years after me, five years after Brian, it was the three of us together.

Brian lives in the house my uncle built with his own hands, where we spent every holiday growing up. So many memories in this very room, gathered in a similar circle in that very spot with Brian and Devin and Meghan and Michael, the final cousins to our group of five.

Watching my son play with his cousins in that room in that spot filled my heart to almost overflowing. Watching him play as part of a group of kids almost made me cry with happiness, as it is not something I get to see my sweet boy do very often.

I guess I am feeling sentimental this morning, reflecting about family and memories, the way that the holidays inspire us to do. My brother told me last night that he had similar feelings, with his daughter, my niece. Standing in front of the house, asking if they could please stay just a little to play some more he remembered doing the same thing, asking our mom the same question in the same place.

It was a good night.

Speaking of good nights – pizza night was a success! Last Saturday Devin and Chrissy and Mermaid Girl came over for our first attempt at pizza making with from scratch dough. We were going with just classic toppings for this time, and I went to a local Italian market to shop for sauce and cheese and pepperoni. I also liked the look of those chestnuts but I have no idea what people do with them. So I left them behind.

Billy made up the dough way ahead of time, per the instructions, and split it into separate balls so that everyone could make their own little pizzas later on.

The kids loved making the pizzas! In fact, Mermaid Girl made hers as well as her parents’ pizzas, and Wyatt made mine and his.

Jeanie from Marmalade Gypsy sent me the recipe (well one of them) that they use for pizza dough and wow was it delicious! It is a keeper for sure!

And that is where I am at this morning!

If you celebrate Thanksgiving, I hope you have a wonderful one. If not, then I hope that you have a wonderful next few days and weekend!