Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving morning started a little differently than I had planned.

The boys were up early and headed to the soccer field to play football with friends from our ward. Technically, I probably should have stayed home preparing dinner...

But instead, I grabbed my camera and followed them.

I'm so glad I did.

A steady rain the night before had left the field full of giant mud puddles, and both the big boys and the little boys thought that was the best Thanksgiving gift they could have asked for.

There was football, plenty of slipping and sliding, and more mud than grass by the end of the morning. Judging by the smiles in these pictures, I'd say they had the time of their lives.

Eventually I left the boys to their fun and headed home, where my sister, Kelli, and I began preparing our Thanksgiving feast. Before long, the muddy football players wandered in, hungry and ready to eat.

We gathered around the table, grateful for good food, family, and another Thanksgiving together.

You'd think the excitement would have ended there...

Not even close.

After dinner the boys quietly disappeared, which should have been my first clue.

It didn't take long before we found them several houses down the street, riding their Green Machines straight through every mud puddle they could find.

Once again, they were covered from head to toe in mud.

Apparently, one mud bath just wasn't enough for Thanksgiving Day.

Looking back, I don't remember every dish we served that year, but I do remember the laughter, the muddy clothes, and the unmistakable joy of watching boys simply be boys.

Sometimes the messiest days become the memories we cherish the most.

Happy Thanksgiving!