Thanksgiving Week 2011

I have spent the last 10 days with my brother, sister, and boyfriend. I could not have been any happier with the company I kept over this Thanksgiving week. My brother, sister, and I haven't spent time all together in years, so this reunion was exactly what we needed. It was fun to do Thanksgiving the way we wanted to... It was non-traditional but there was still turkey, family, and friends involved.

Sister

Boyfriend

Brother

There was adventuring, laughing, heart to hearts, teasing, and story telling. With high times, there are low times and our cranky moments definitely got the best of us at one time or another- but what's family for, if not to love you for the good and bad.

Jonathan's view of Memorial Bridge

Everyone arrived in DC the Friday before Thanksgiving. The first weekend we checked out the dusk views from the Kennedy Center, went ice skating, watched a movie, and ate Vietnamese food. They checked out the Smithsonian museums while I worked on Monday and Tuesday.

Showing off some skating skills

Warm November day in Central Park

We headed up to New York to spend Thanksgiving at my aunt's in the city. We watched the Macy's Thanksgiving parade, cooked Thanksgiving dinner on our own, walked along the High Line, strolled through Central Park, visited the MET, window shopped on 5th avenue, skated with Mokey down the west side highway path, and had dinner in Chinatown and dessert in Little Italy.

Snoopy in the parade

I was able to see one of my best friends in New Jersey and we had a fun night out with our Midland Park friends.

My favorite Midland Park ladies

Time to take me home...

Brother, boyfriend, and I headed back down to DC on Sunday and spent the day watching movies and relaxing. The next time we'll see my brother will be during my road trip to Texas before Christmas. I'm so glad I'll see him soon!

When I think about this past week, my heart feels like it's going to jump out of my chest from happiness. I was lucky to be surrounded by people that I love and that love me. The family and friends that I gathered together come from different worlds but everyone got along amazingly well despite the novelty of the group dynamic. My brother and boyfriend were great companions, my sister and brother reconnected, my boyfriend and my Jersey friends were happy for our newfound relationship, and I feel more at peace about leaving the country in January. This family reunion was much needed and I can't wait to have everyone together again... perhaps this upcoming summer in another country???