Thanksgiving 2012

It was "our" year to be together at Thanksgiving.

We take turns with our kids...one year they are with us...the next with their other family.

Ashley, David and Emma arrived on Wednesday and it was so fun for the family to all be together!

We love our family time.

Thanksgiving was busy getting everything cooked and ready for a lunch time meal but oh so fun at the same time. I love having everyone in the house, helping, sneaking samples of the meal to come and visiting while preparing the meal.

I love cooking and baking but this is the meal that tugs at my heartstrings too.

I loved doing this meal with my Mom. I was always the "taster" when it came time to testing the dressing! We had so much fun cooking together so she is never far away from my thoughts when I fix her recipe for dressing and my grandmother, Murdee's, pecan pie.

It's fun to share these traditions with my family as well.

A funny little story:

Ashley kept telling Emma she was so excited for Thanksgiving and dressing! Well, Emma would always say "Dressing! What are you going to be?" 

To her dressing, is getting dressed up...like for Halloween.

She would always want to know what Ashley was going to be! :)

So, on Thanksgiving morning, while we were getting ready she begin to talk about get dressed. So, Emma and I took a little break and made her a little vest and head dress so she could be an Indian!

The kids had such fun raking leaves. What can I say...child labor! :)

They had a blast raking them into a big pile and jumping into them. 

I love that it takes so little to entertain them and the weather was perfect!

I love this picture! The boys were so sweet to take Emma for rides in the wheelbarrow. Also, I love how David plays with the boys...they think Uncle Da-Da is so cool and fun.

We also played a fun game of Croquet, we recently got an old set (free!) and so the boys were so anxious to set it up and play!

Here are a couple more of my favorites...like I said....who knew leaves could be so entertaining?!?!?!

We could not have asked for a better day. It was such a fun day of being together. 

The next morning we got a call that Larry's dad had taken a fall and so Larry and I spent the rest of the day and pretty much the next 19 days at the hospital. It has been quite a whirlwind of events and decisions. Thankfully, Darrell got what he wanted and that was to get to go back to their house at Hawley. I am not sure how long that will last but for now, we are doing our best to take care of their needs which means a lot of trips back and forth to Hawley. But, hey, these two people loved and raised a precious man whom I am very thankful to be married to! So, its the least I can do to repay them!