November is the month of giving thanks in the US, and Thanksgiving day culminates the ultimate indulgence of family, friends, football, and food. We abandoned the traditional celebratory rules years ago for a variety of reasons. We don’t particularly like turkey, are not into football, celebrate the most mundane events with food nearly every day anyway, and most definitely consider family first all of the time.
So, when our kids asked if the holiday was on the ‘sacred’ list we wholeheartedly said no. It was more important to us that they use a couple of free days off work to do precisely what they love, which is to travel. While they were in Paris, we were at their place in Miami, enjoying a few days of staycation.
Prior to the Thanksgiving staycation, November was filled with family visits, outings with friends, baking, crafting, party planning, and getting a head start on decorating for Christmas. It was certainly a month of love, abundance, and giving as we felt more settled into ourselves than we have since we sold our home over a year ago.
I felt the guidance of my WOTY this past month and fully realized why it chose me. Being grateful for what we have, not worrying about the future, or stressing over little things create an abundant life – a life filled with more….
Where there is gratitude, there is abundance.
Happy November
For more monthly WOTY updates and to enter your own visit here.
Also Shared With
Journeys With Johnbo Cellpic Sunday All of the photos in this post were taken with my Iphone.
Marsha’s Writer’s Quote Wednesday – Gratitude
Terri’s Sunday Stills – Vivid
Picture Retirement 
Nice view of the Miami skyscraper. You and your family have a healthy perspective on Thanksgiving, for sure.
LikeLike
John, thank you. It was a bright, cloudless day, and the skyscrapers sparkled. Yes, we have the day in perspective.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The blue sky in Miami looks amazing, Suzanne. All of your photos are fun and interesting. Great composition with your favourite church getting ready for Christmas. I love your phrase ‘where there is gratitude, there is abundance.’ 💕I especially like the photo of a beautiful couple at the end. 💗
LikeLike
Erica, that church was built in 1949 and looks so out of place among the highrises. I love that it is still there, refusing to give in to developers. Unfortunately, it is one of only a few pieces of Miami’s history from that era still standing on Brickell Ave.
LikeLike
What a wonderful way to celebrate Thanksgiving! I love your closing quote.
Wishing you a happy and peaceful December as well.
LikeLike
Donna, thank you. We enjoy time with the kids often, so it was no big deal to go our separate ways this year. I am sure things will change if/when there are grandchildren to consider.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m sighing at those blue skies above Miami. I can feel the warmth from here. You’ve done your WOTY proud. May December be as lovely for you as November was.
LikeLike
Ally, thank you. I am hopeful that there will be more of the same for years to come – with or without a good WOTY! Blessings..
LikeLiked by 1 person
Suzanne,
So glad to hear that you guys enjoyed a November that sounded awesome and that y’all are beginning to feel settled in. A casual Thanksgiving in Miami sounds delightful, and your pictures show it to be so. Have a blessed Holiday season! Joe
LikeLike
How lovely to have a staycation in Miami, it looks very tropical and sunny. Sounds like November has been a great month and I hope it will carry on being lovely and festive throughout December also. Loved that last photo of you and Malcolm.
LikeLike
Hi Gilda, thank you. It was a pleasant month and one we wish to duplicate time and again.
LikeLike
Thank you, Joe. It was a quiet, peaceful time.
LikeLike
Suzanne, What a beautiful and meaningful way to celebrate Thanksgiving! I love your closing quote and the photo of you and Malcolm. Wishing you a happy and healthy holiday season.
LikeLike
Natalie, thank you. We are looking forward to the holidays as we have settled nicely into our current living situation. Lots of plans to look forward to with friends and family front and center for the season.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Suzanne, I love your quote at the end about gratitude. So true! So glad you had a good November and a fun time in Miami. Enjoy the rest of this holiday season.
LikeLike
Beth, thank you for the holiday wishes. We are looking forward to more of the same.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A staycation in Miami sounds lovely (as does a vacation in Paris 🙂 ). I love the picture of you and your husband and that quote is perfect… and so true.
LikeLike
Thank you, Janis. The quote expresses exactly how I feel about living a life of more… The vacation in Paris was extended by a day since their flight was canceled this morning. I guess there are worse places to be stranded.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That looks like our idea of an ideal Thanksgiving! And thank you for what you wrote in your last paragraph: “Being grateful for what we have, not worrying about the future, or stressing over little things create an abundant life…” I needed to hear that right now.
LikeLike
Hi Laurel, I have been in your shoes, so I know you are not just facing a few ‘little things.’ But, you will get through this and when you look back you’ll smile with satisfaction. A good attitude definitely helps!
LikeLike
Hi Suzanne – what a great way to enjoy Thanksgiving. I like that your family checked in as to what was a sacred family time and what could be let go. Finding that balance where everyone feels that their needs are met is perfect (and you got to have a lovely staycation in the process!) We don’t have Thanksgiving here in Australia – every year I wish we’d adopted it instead of Halloween (that I hate with a passion). I enjoy seeing all the gratitude posts pop up that are inspired by this time of the year – so I guess I get to experience a little Thanksgiving by default!
LikeLike
Hi Leanne, we are just a small family of five adults, so it makes sense to gather a consensus for how holidays should be celebrated, especially this one, which seems to last all month long anyway. Traditions are important, but so is flexibility. I too enjoy all the gratitude reminders that pop up on blog posts this time of year. It helps to offset the trap of commercialization and stress. Glad you are healing well and returning to your normal life. Just in time for Christmas!
LikeLike
Sounds like both you and the (adult) kids had an excellent Thanksgiving, enjoying the holidays in a way that worked for you all. That alone is something to be grateful for 🙂
LikeLike
Hi Sarah, it was a win/win for everyone.
LikeLike
Pingback: Sunday Stills: #Vivid Memories Spark Gratitude – Second Wind Leisure Perspectives
Suzanne, I’m just seeing this (no link?), as I read my emails! I added your post to my round-up. I chuckled at the 4 Fs–yes, they are true, but we didn’t watch football, so I’ll add “full” to the 4. The image of the towering condo surrounded by palms is glorious and vivid (as we are awaiting 16 inches of snow to fall in the next 12 hours). Love the pic of you and hubs! Glad your holiday was what you expected!
LikeLike
Hi Terri, the link is at the bottom of the post. Just checked and it is working. Maybe it went on hiatus for a while. Anyway, Thanksgiving was fun for all – separate, but together, as it were. I do not envy your snowfall, but I’m sure it will be beautiful. Snap lots of shots! Happy Thanksgiving.
LikeLike
Happy November and Happy December to you, Suzanne. Thanksgiving was a non-event for us, because of where we are (physically and mentally). Usually, it’s Mark’s favorite US holiday, but no turkey or family here. We did, however, get Colombian take-out pizza for dinner.
It’s nice that you and your family members can just do what they want over Thanksgiving, without obligations or the typical traditions. 🙂
LikeLike
Liesbet, it is certainly a flexible holiday for all of us. Christmas, on the other hand, is a different story- get dressed, take a family photo, and sit down to a nice dinner. Those rules are hard and fast, at least until there are grandchildren.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You guys have been busy, and it sounds like you had a fun-filled November. Great way to head into December.
LikeLike
Judy, it has been a good November, and we are looking forward to a fun-filled December.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love that your family asks the sometimes awkward questions, like how important is the traditional holiday celebration? How perfect that they got to travel and you got a staycation? I love that!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It sounds like everyone had a great November and I hope your December has been just as nice. We spend Thanksgiving at our sons home in Ft. Lauderdale. He has a Thanksgiving open house where friends and family gather, 20 or 30 people usually come and go. This is the first year that I didn’t contribute to the food. No stress for me instead we brought a half case of wine. 😊The day after Thanksgiving we always them them for lunch at Joe’s Stone Crabs in Miami.
LikeLike
Pingback: Best of 2022 – Our Year In Pictures – Picture Retirement