The Thanksgiving season.

This Thursday is Thanksgiving, a holiday that is quite neglected in my opinion. I love Thanksgiving, I love my little tofurkey and green bean casserole and wine (at some family gatherings this is a necessity and I'm sure you all understand) As I've gotten older, I spend most of Thanksgiving and the rest of the holiday season reflecting on what I'm thankful for and things that have happened in the past year. So far 2013 has been full of extreme highs and lows. I started blogging seriously and collecting vintage seriously. In October, I married the love of my life and could not be happier. My Poppop died this May and the holidays are going to be really strange without him. This is the first time I've experienced a major loss. However, in this extreme year I have a lot to be thankful for.

I'm thankful to learn from my grandparents, those of you who are fortunate enough to spend lots of time or who have spent lots of time with your grandparents know the value of hearing stories from their past. I love to hear any story from any one about the past but I especially love to hear ones from my Mommom. I've been lucky enough to spend a lot of time with her this year. I've had a ball listening to all her stories and getting her take on vintage fashion. I also spent a lot of time restoring photos of my Mommom and Poppop this spring and I gathered a lot from them. After our ceremony, Jeremy and I handed out thank you notes to everyone that attended. I told my Mommom that her and Poppop were the best marriage role models that I could ever have. I'm lucky to have such great Grandparents to learn from.

You can just feel their love from these photos! Being around them taught me a lot about what marriage is and I am so thankful for that. The little girl in the top photo is my Mom. The bottom photo was taken in January 2013 at my Mommom and Poppop's joint birthday party. 

I'm thankful that this is the fifth holiday season I've been able to spend with Jeremy. Not every holiday has been spectacular but being together made everything better. This year is special since we have dedicated our entire lives to each other.

I'm thankful that Jeremy and I have family that supports and loves us. I am so happy that my Mom, Mommom and sister have taken to Jeremy so well and think of him as one of the family. Jeremy treats Brianna just like his own sister too.

This photo is from our vacation in June. 

I am also thankful for my Mom and my sister. I'm happy that we all be weird together.

I am thankful for our fur baby Ginger. I am also thankful for my little fur nephew Felix and my parent's kitten Patches. Jeremy and I have spent two years with Ginger so far and since September we have spent a lot of time babysitting Patches and Felix.

Ginger with his birthday present. 

I bet you've never seen a cuter brother and sister duo.

I am thankful for Jeremy. Where can I possibly begin with this wonderful man, he is truly my other half. I never need to ask him for help, he is always there no matter how busy he is, and not just with me. He was such a big help with my grandparents ever since we started dating.  He's always there to encourage me and he can make even our lazy days special. He is so loving to animals, especially our fur baby Ginger that had to be bottle fed since he was abandoned at such a young age.

August, 2011. Jeremy bottle feeding Ginger. Is this not the perfect man?

I try not to be one of those wives that goes on and on about how perfect her husband is but sorry, he is. Jeremy makes me laugh, is great with my family and provides for Ginger and I. I am so thankful that I am going to spend the rest of my life with this man. 

I am thankful to be able to share my thoughts with all of you!  Always be thankful for the good things you have in life since you'll not have them forever. I understand that not all families get along, at least be thankful for the ones that love and cherish you. Jeremy and I have a lot of relatives that choose to isolate us and that is their fault, but that doesn't stop us from enjoying our holidays and enjoying our family. I also want to put it out there that I am thankful for Tofurkey! It's tough to be a vegetarian around the holidays especially if no one else in your family is, but the Tofurkey is amazing! 

What do you have to be thankful for? Does thankfulness play a part in your Thanksgiving traditions?