This year as Thanksgiving rolls around, I’m carving out the space to slow down and relish in some good, old-fashioned (maybe–sadly!) rest. Truthfully, I don’t do this enough. As a wife, mama, and business owner I often have the sense that there just isn’t enough time on the clock. But I also know something very important is also true: ultimately, I choose the way I use my time.

And this year, I wanted to take this time off. As a business owner, it always feels as if there’s more to do (and it’s most likely true!), but I’ve learned, this year especially, that if I don’t carve out the space I desire for myself and my family, there’s a 100% chance it won’t be there. If I don’t tell my time how I want it dictated, it will be dictated for me (a little concept I was beautifully reminded of in the book Essentialism–definitely reccomend).

So, this week, I’ve been enjoying a lot of down time with my boys and doing my best to soak it up (let’s be real, time with them is awesome! But it’s also over-stimulating, crazy, and a constant flip-flop of emotions from pure-hearted joy to immense frustration haha).

Doing my best.

But in all, I really am loving keeping them home this week. They really won’t be 2 and 4 forever, and I won’t always have this chance to keep them home from (pre)school.

So to celebrate time with them this week and the week of Thanksgiving, I wanted to share these precious family photos of the people I’m MOST grateful for. I can’t believe they’re mine. I’m so, so lucky. I’m grateful for every gift God has given me, but these three–there aren’t enough words to describe the joy I have in them.

Thanks to my dear friend Leslie D for snapping these precious photos for us this year!