Gratitude

This week, I am taking a little pause from the Holiday Cheer festivities to prepare for Thanksgiving. We will be having a big family dinner on Thursday at my mother-in-law's home. It is the home where Marc grew up and where we all gather for every Holiday. We enjoy delicious food, conversation, football, and a lot of laughter. And, I'm excited for my mom to join us this year and partake in the experiences with the Mueller family. She is also going to teach Olivia how to prepare my grandmother's New Orleans Dirty Rice dressing. I can hardly wait!!

The festivities will continue throughout the weekend. Everyone will gather at our house for my famous white bean chicken chili -- okay, it is Gwenthyn Paltrow's famous white bean chicken chili , but I have taken a few liberties, so now it is known as Renee's famous white bean chicken chili. We hang out in our tiny kitchen chatting and waiting with anticipation until the chili is ready to be served.

The photos below are our from last year’s small gathering on Thanksgiving - Marc, Olivia, Grandma Mueller, and me. The dishes are my grandparents wedding china.

I’m looking forward to our big gathering this year!!

Marc usually makes up a specialty cocktail for anyone who wants to partake in his creations. This year, he will be taking a page from my grandfather's cocktail recipe book. My grandfather was a semi-professional baseball player and a bartender in New Orleans, he kept this little book in his pocket but never needed to use it - he could remember everyone's name and the drink they ordered. He was such a character too, always dressed in a suit, tie, and a fedora. He loved to dance, sing, and watch the Lawrence Welk show on Saturday nights.

The photo is of my grandfather, Red Welker.

I want you to know how thankful I am for this amazing creative community. Your kind words and support of my art and business are so, so appreciated. You inspire me, and for this, I am grateful!

Next week will be the fourth and final week of the Holiday Cheer series, along with a few things sprinkled to finish out the year. The final free art lesson will go live next Monday.

I want to give us all time to close our laptops, and have space to prepare our homes to welcome our families.

Wishing you a beautiful Thanksgiving celebration!

Please leave a comment below; I would love to know how you celebrate and gather for Thanksgiving.