My dad was in the navy, so we lived in warm places near the ocean when I was young. But some years, if Dad wasn't overseas, we'd go to Minnesota for Thanksgiving with my Grandparents.

It was a 2 day drive. Mom would tell us stories and sing to us to keep us entertained. "Three little kittens, crying for their mother..." We were the 3 kittens, you see. The end of the trip was literally "over the river and through the woods to Grandmother's house we go". It was a scene of pristine beauty right out of the Saturday Evening Post.

"Oh, look at the snow - yay!" we'd squeal. Snow, real snow! 18 inches of winter joy. Minnesota is almost up to the North Pole, you know.

"Are we there yet?"

"Almost", my dad would say as he told Thanksgiving stories from his boyhood.

Finally, we'd turn into my grandparents's driveway. We ran up the walk & tore through the door as we yelled, "We're here, we're here!" Kisses and hugs all around. Grandma had such soft, mushy lips.

We ran all through the house to visit our favorite hiding places from years past. Down in the basement to peek behind the furnace & find a case of 7-Up. Up to the den & into the walkin closet to find a secret stash of Butterfingers. Up to the attic so we could see that old foot-operated Singer sewing machine and wear that 4-foot sombrero Grandma had tacked to the wall. Grandma & Grandpa's is the neatest place in the whole world!

But the best is yet to come. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and the relatives are coming - yippee!

We could hardly sleep that night, but Thanksgiving finally arrived with a dusting of fresh snow. Mmm, mmm, Eskimo ice cream.

And then the cars started to arrive, so many cars, and the house filled up with aunts & uncles and lots of cousins, so many cousins, and some people I never met before. Hugs & kisses all around.

We went outside and made snow forts and snowmen and chose sides for a snowball fight. We even made an igloo with a tunnel going inside. We got out the sleds & tobogans & sheets of cardboard, anything we could find to ride down the hill at the side of the house, racing like the wind. My sister ran into a tree & they took her to the doctor. She came back with some stitches on her forehead and got right back on that sled!

After a while, we were ready to go back inside to warm up. We put on dry clothes & had hot chocolate & smelled all those wonderful smells coming from the kitchen. Folding tables were set up all over. The tableclothes were spread. The tables were set just so & out came the pickles & the olives, cranberry sauce and baskets of rolls & plates of butter. "Time for dinner!"

We all headed to the kitchen & gathered together to give thanks and ask the Lord's blessing. We took turns telling what we were thankful for as we devoured mountains of turkey, mashed potatoes and all the trimmings. I even got to have some coffee with my pie! I was getting to be a big boy.

While the dishes were being washed, the uncles went in the den to light their pipes & play cards or watch football, discussing the merits of their favorite teams.

Then came the highlight of the day, at least for me - music time! Drums were set up next to the piano. Out came a trumpet and a trombone. We all sang and played like never before. And then Grandma would always play the last song by herself. It was a solemn moment as everyone quieted down to listen to her play "Claire De Lune". To this day, I've never heard anyone play it like she did. There wasn't a dry eye in the house.

And the next day we'd go to Wisconsin to visit even more relatives on my mom's side! But that's another story.

We all have memories of Thanksgiving. We each attach some special meaning to it. This is what Thanksgiving is for me. Each year, these memories come alive once more. I play in the snow & smell those apples and get kissed by Grandma's mushy lips.

Things are different now. Most of the family lives in other states. There is no snow this year. Now we are the grandparents. And now, there is more love in my home than ever before. Now MrsK is Grandma Kyle and that is what I am most thankful for.

We are truly blessed to live in a free country where we can live this way, to laugh & cry with each other, to love one another.

Thank you for sharing this time with us as we wish you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Kent