Who's Ready for Family Time?

Disclaimer: NOT my real family
Ah, Thanksgiving is almost here.  Time to gather around the big dining room table with all the members of our wonderful family.  The children, seated at the designated "kid table", will wait patiently to be served before showing off those excellent table manners (because we're at Grandma's, you know!)  Everyone will take their turn sharing what it is they are thankful for this year and after a prayer, we'll pass the food around and indulge in a delightful meal.    

Together.  As one big, happy family.  

Because that's totally what happens in most families. Right?
All right.  I'll confess.  Maybe it's a little less Leave it to Beaver and a little more The Hunger Games at my Thanksgiving.  

My family has a habit of throwing rolls across the table, telling embarrassing stories, and jumping on a pile of living room couch cushions with the little ones when we're finished eating. The kids aren't exactly what I would consider patient nor do they always remember those manners (even at Grandma's!)
Dear sweet baby Jesus, thank you for this fine meal ...  OMG I love this movie!
Between my family and my husband's family (his being MUCH crazier than mine) we can always count on a memorable Thanksgiving.  There was the time my brother-in-law made stuffing that looked more like mushy brains than something edible.  Or the time I made my brother laugh so hard that milk squirted out his nose (at the grown-up table, nonetheless!)   And who can forget when my niece found her uncle (okaymaybeitwasmyhusband) wearing her prom dress at the breakfast table the morning of one Thanksgiving. 

I have come to realize that no family is perfect.  Every family has their quirks.  I think that's why I love writing for the Heartwarming line so much. Heartwarming stories let us explore more than just the romance.  We get to meet the family and friends of these characters.  Their inappropriate joke-telling uncles and weird childhood friends get to make an appearance. 

In THE WEATHER GIRL, coming out in January, there is an entire cast of characters for readers to fall in love with, including a gentle giant of a grandfather, a meddling grandmother, and a brother who teases but always has his younger brother's back.  

The members of Heartwarming families may give one another a hard time and do embarrassing things at the worst possible moments, but they also care for one another something fierce, are willing to forgive and forget, and always have each other's best interests at heart.

Just like the people at my Thanksgiving. 
My REAL family (sorry, I don't have a pic of my husband in the prom dress!)

Who are you looking forward to seeing this Thanksgiving? Come on, tell me all about the crazies in your family!

Comments

  1. I don't think I'd know how to function at a "normal" Thanksgiving dinner. The only weird peeps coming to our house this year though, is us. ;) Love you lady! Love your fam and love your crazy quirky characters!
    HAPPY HAPPY!
    xoxoxoxox

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    1. Since I've hung with your family, I'm disappointed you are the weirdest. LOL. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!! xoxo

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  2. Amy, I'm envious of your ability to put photos in your blog, and especially an animated one. (sigh) I'm having a quiet Thanksgiving this year with just my sister and I. But when we get together with my family, or with Denny's extended family, it's fun and craziness of the good kind. Looking forward to your book. Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

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    1. I could totally teach you how to add pictures, Roz- it's super easy!! Hope you guys enjoy your quiet Thanksgiving!! :)

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  3. Amy! You so made m miss my family! We're in Oregon, my family is in Mass. (and dwindling in number) and Ron's is in California. Our children this holiday are scattered all over. I do remember setting out a basket in the middle of the table with my prettiest linen napkin in it, waiting for me to add the rolls. When I returned with them, there was a cat asleep in the basket! Your family is beautiful! And you sound beautiful as well. Happy Thanksgiving to you, AND TO ALL OF YOU. Also looking forward to reading your book, and, like Roz, jealous of your techno-savvy smarts.

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    1. It's so hard when family is scattered far and wide! My husband's family is all over the country and one is even in Belgium! It makes those times we do get together all the more special, though. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving :)

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    2. And the cat was a problem, why? I'll bet you miss the cat more than the linen napkin.

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  4. These are the best kinds of families! I loved your post, Amy. I used to sit at the kiddie table and we were far from perfect angels when we kicked each other under the table and tried stabbing each other's hands with forks. I think our parents turned a blind eye on the holiday since they needed a day off too! I love Heartwarming for the same reason- we can tap into all of those fun, flawed family memories as an integral part of the romance. When you think about it- no love story happens in a vacuum. Our love lives are most realistic and touching when played out in real world context. I can't wait to read The Weather Girl!

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    1. Thanks, Karen! I was never more excited than when I graduated to the grown-up table. It felt like a real accomplishment - funny what will make a teenager happy. Hope you and yours have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

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  5. I was the only kid. Really. My parents adopted me while they were older, so it would be me and ten or twelve age 30 and aboves. I'd read a book while they all talked. LOL

    But, oh, the cooking. My aunt Katie, the matriach of the family, made everything from scratch. Oh, and she never had children so she loooved me.

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    1. No kids table, huh? Trust me, you didn't miss out on anything there! I miss the days when my grandma would make cinnamon rolls from scratch the morning after Thanksgiving. They were the best! My kids have sadly only known the Pillsbury kind. Happy Thanksgiving to you :)

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    2. Pam - who wouldn't love you? And Amy - I love the Pillsbury kind!

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  6. Great post Amy! I'm Canadian, so our Thanksgiving was last month-but I could eat turkey with family and friends again today-why not?

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