Thanksgiving 2014

What a fantastic Thanksgiving!  Everything ended up working out just perfectly.  While we certainly missed seeing some of our family on the actual day, we will be seeing other folks this weekend or soon for sure!  We started the day easy - I started cooking casseroles and such at like 8:30am!  We had planned to eat with my mom's side of the family, but they were eating at 2pm and that just wasn't going to work at this age and stage - Jack really has to nap since he is such a wild man...and we wouldn't have enjoyed it if we had forced the issue with skipping nap or delaying nap.  So I threw together a last minute meal (thanks to a mini ham from Honey Baked Ham, green bean casserole + sweet potato casserole + chess pie from Puffy Muffin, rolls from Publix, and I made my own hashbrown casserole)!  It was YUM!

 

These three are my most favorite blessings ever.  I am so thankful for each of them and their unique qualities, sweet temperaments, and happiness and love that spews out of them!  And it was Ryan's first Thanksgiving!

Here are a couple pictures I got of the three together!  It was like pulling teeth to get these crazies to cooperate for a picture.  And it was even worse to get Brad to help get them to look and smile.  But we all survived to tell about it :)

Katie's smile in this one is about as fake as it can get!  But I love that the boys are sitting still and smiling!  Jack does NOT like to sit still for a picture (or ever, really) and Ryan has started trying to wiggle out of  the sitting position - it is going to be interesting to get pictures of all three from here on out!

And a family picture with the parade on in the background :)  Love this!  May have to crop it some and frame it! 

 

The kids were so excited about the parade!  The floats were the best part - they didn't really care for any of the performances.  And when they watch things together, Jack sits on Katie :)

Thanksgiving also happened to be Sadie's 8th birthday!  I'll do a separate post about that, but I just love this picture!  They are best buds - Sadie likes to stay in Katie's room at night until she falls asleep.  And she's always eager to go into her room in the mornings!

And they relocated for some more parade watching.  Again, Jack is climbing on Katie...

And since we wouldn't be eating with them, my mom and brother came for a visit that morning!  When they got there, Jack climbed right up into Will's lap to give him a hug.  It was so sweet!

And then I got a picture with Will...and he didn't blink!  This was the first one we took!  It was a Thanksgiving miracle! :)

 

Kati wanted to read to Cee Cee...and I have absolutely no idea what Brad was doing.  Maybe imitating someone's attempt at dancing that was on the parade? Who knows.

Cee Cee also helped the kids do some art - some coloring and sticker art!  They had so much fun working on those projects and watching the parade!

And then it was time to eat!  Katie was so sweet - she wanted to eat at the dining room table since it was a special day.  So I cleaned it off and she set the table for us!

And then it was time to sit down, say the blessing, and dig in!  I'm so glad she asked to eat at table!  Love these two!

After lunch, I got this picture!  Jack was napping and we were about to have quiet time!  Love my girl!

And she happened to be sitting there in the chair in just the right place - perfect background for a picture with the FALL banner behind her :)

I fed Ryan and he fell asleep - and I was exhausted.  Thanksgiving is the perfect day for a good nap :) I haven't taken a nap in months!  But it was just what I needed!  I'm fighting a cold and clearly needed some sleep!  And getting some extra little guy snuggles never hurts too!

After we all woke up, we loaded up to head to my aunt and uncle's house (on my dad's side)!  They had already eaten, so we got there for some more sweets (and the kids ate dinner there) and a few drinks.  Katie wanted to take some pictures - and she got this one!  Madison, Ann, and Julie with Ryan (who knows what he was looking at)!

And Julie was helping the kids color with chalk on the big chalkboard!  They loved it!

And Jack climbed up into Rory's lap to be silly and visit.  Thanksgiving also happened to be Rory's birthday and Katie insisted that we sing happy birthday to him again :)

And my cousin Tyler holding Ryan - I wonder if this was the first time he had held a wee baby? Hm. :)

And Katie had the best time playing with Madison!  So sweet!

This isn't the best picture of Jack, but I couldn't help but laugh at my aunt and uncle in the background.  Goofballs.

And I got a picture with my cousins!  They make me feel old.  But they are so fun!

And my aunts and uncles (my dad's brothers) even cooperated for a picture!

What a great Thanksgiving we had!  When we left to come home, we celebrated Sadie's birthday.  I'll do a separate post on that excitement sometime soon.  We have so much to be thankful for each and every day!