Thanksgivmas

I am going to use this time while we watch "Johnny English" for New Years Eve to catch up my blog some more.

This year it was our turn to have Thanksgiving with my side of the family. Though as we all started looking down the road towards Christmas it seemed impossible to find another time to get together for a Christmas party so we decided to combine them, hence Thanksgivmas! (Now as I think about it "Christgiving" would have been a better name.- oh well, next time.)

My mom had reserved her church so the kids (including the big ones) had a great time playing basketball, football and just running around in general. The tamers ones (mostly the girls) enjoyed making blessing feather headdresses and hand print turkey place mats at a craft table.

Look at all those feathers!!! What a thankful girl Aubrie is!

How Ashton enjoyed the turkey.

My brother, Andrew, who is a plumber, but has a alter ego of a gourmet chef, cooked the turkey this year. He had marinated it in a clean Home Depot bucket full of a brine solution overnight and stuffed it full of yummy vegetables that made that old turkey mighty moist, tender, and delicious!

Chef Rew and Dad carving the bird.

The rest of us filled in the extras including the traditional greenbean casserole, sweet potato casserole, cranraspberry mixed with 7-up with frozen raspberries in it and of course, Mom's pumpkin pie (along with chocolate ribbon, pecan, razzleberry satin, coconut cream, Reese's peanut butter cup, & apple). Now you have a clue to the reason for my "fluffiness"- my family feeds me too well!

Little kids circle.

The turkey's timer was being a little slow to pop, so while we waited the kids played a gift exchange game. We had 2 circles, an older kids and a younger kids. The kids had each brought a $5 gender neutral gift and as Richard read the "Night Before Christmas" they would pass it to the right or left depending on whether Richard read "the" or "and". It was really fun to watch them try to get the hang of it and they all enjoyed the gifts they received.

Big Kids circle.

Ben ended up with a giant bucket of bubble gum. He and some of the other older kids surprised us by setting up a scavenger hunt for the bubblegum for the younger kids while the adults cleaned up dinner. I think that it was very thoughtful of Ben to share his gum with everyone.

Ben playing the gift exchange game.

Our family stayed the rest of the weekend up north with our family. Friday we visited Grandma and Grandpa Parke. We got yummy Chinese takeout from Lucky China and helped Grandma Parke put up her Christmas tree. I think she had to redecorate it when we left, but the kids had a great time making Grandma's tree look "pretty" or should I say "Pretty Unique."

How Richard helped....after bringing the tree up from the basement.

Ashton's (aka Firebug) favorite thing to do at Grandma's. At least, it leaves her with a warm family room.

On Saturday my family gathered together again at Kiddie Kandids for a Family Picture for my parents 45th wedding anniversary. It was interesting getting the picture just right considering we had 23 people (13 of which were children) to get looking at the camera at the same time and Richard and my niece Alyssa had both been suffering from a stomach flu and we had to stop for periodic bathroom breaks!! Aren't making memories fun!!

The Final Result!!!