Guest Post- Mary

Mary is a friend of mine from the Village. She is a fan of Utah football and is a talented photographer! Her blog contains updates on her life, neat photos she's taken, and various musings on the world. Check it out: www.maryplusvince.com

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Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays of the year. Actually, let me try that again: Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year (tied with Utah’s Pioneer Day). Yes, I love it more than Halloween, the Fourth of July and even Christmas! Unusual, right? But I love it. The fact that it’s an autumn holiday, my favorite season for many reasons, adds to why I love it so much. Add in family + food, and it’s a no brainer for me! It’s true love.

I think my love for Thanksgiving truly began back when I was in high school. My sisters and I watched this show called “Everwood” and they had a Thanksgiving episode where their tradition was to make a “Family Thankful Book”. What a great idea, I thought! So – I attempted to get all 7 of my siblings and their spouses and kids and my parents to tell me a few things they were thankful for, so we could make a book too! I wasn’t overly successful, and I think we only got the book partially made. Bummer! But! A few years in a row, I tried again … still not getting everyone’s lists. In 2007, I was finally successful and our book was made! I love looking back at this book because it’s like a little time machine! We added photos and pretty paper, and voila! Family Heirloom! I hope to keep this tradition alive and will keep trying each year. I know some years I may not get it done, but that’s ok. Even if we only have one every couple years, I’ll count that as a success.

Behold, excerpts from the 2007 Cleverly Family Thankful Book:

Another favorite tradition of mine is that my family goes bowling every year on Thanksgiving morning. This traditional also started when I was in high school. One of my sisters was dating a guy, and this was a tradition in his family. So, that year we decided to do it too! And we’ve done that one every year since! It’s such a random tradition, but it is so much fun! You’d be surprised just how many people actually go bowling that morning, too! We always have to get there super early to ensure we get a few lanes for my big family!

To me, Thanksgiving is such a special holiday. It’s cozy and warm; it is filled with family and fun. It is also a wonderful time to remember all the beautiful things in your life, remember all your blessings. Plus -- the food is amazing! I don’t think you can get any better than that, in my opinion!