A TCDC Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving in a global pandemic meant not getting together with as many Texas relatives as we are sometimes used to. With virtual elementary school cancelled for the week, we decided to be with all of our usual people, just in different walls. All 10 human members of Teams Cohen and Gilden packed up for the week to venture to the Kaye Kompound in Driftwood. We were so grateful to do something different, even though Gilden adults were still working, and Cohen adults were still leading the charge with 5 children. Different is special, and we had a great time. During a year of stress and anxiety, we truly do have so much to be grateful for, both physical and not.

Quiet toys only lasted so long on Monday morning with five over-excited kids waiting impatiently for the adults to be packed and ready to go. Movie and snack to the rescue!

Cars and kids were all packed up! On the road again!

We quickly got unpacked and prepared lunch for the goofballs. Throughout the week, we spread out an enormous amount of Thanksgiving favorites, and we ate VERY WELL!

Later that evening, it was almost time for Gilden adults and Micah to join us on vacation, and we got our bodies good and clean and ready. Thank goodness for Nana's humongous bathroom!

The next morning, TCDC admin continued to lead Vacation Camp while Gilden adults did their adulting.

matching pajama cousins

Mr. Uncle Jon does outside read aloud

It was a wet and rainy day in Driftwood, so we continued under the cover of the back deck with a craft surprise for Nana and Zayde's fridge.

Goofing off:

Micah was there too!

The active rain finally paused enough to get some movement outside.

Ready for our freshly baked pumpkin muffins, Ethan asks, "Can we eat now, or are we taking a picture?"

On Wednesday morning, the weather was beautiful enough to go explore the "forest," aka the wooded area by the community clubhouse.


In order for the adults to enjoy extra moments of the week, we were grateful that the children enjoyed spending (adult-ignored) extra moments together during the week!

Thanksgiving in my family has always been about togetherness and food for a full week or whenever we want to, not dependent on what the calendar dictates. That being said, on the actual Thanksgiving Thursday, I was grateful to start with a slow morning in (Nana's) bed with some of my favorite snuggly little people.

We had a few Thanksgiving-themed video chats that morning for fun.


Thanksgiving in my family ALSO means a whole lot of time on a couch with the parade broadcasting on TV. Like a LOT of time.

as in - PLENTY of time for cousin cuddles

Later that night, we took the little turkeys on a flashlight pajama walk in the dark for a special after dinner and before pie activity.



On our last morning together, we decorated onesies for baby Micah to don with pride. We started with blank canvases, and each artist decorated a unique piece while the cute patron supervised.

(Why is it so difficult to get children to do exactly what the picture-obsessed photographer is asking them to do at the exact same time???)

After a great week away, we declared, "Thanksgiving out!" and packed to head back to Austin.