A Thankful Thanksgiving

*Disclaimer- I wrote this last week and it’s not exactly complete so I waited to post it…. a week later it still isn’t complete so i’m going to go ahead and post it… I promise to borrow a cord to get pics off my smaller camera soon so it will be complete and i will add them to this! I hate unfinished blogs but here it is!*

--------------------------------------------------

Want to see Milly’s expression when I told her to pack up we’re going home to see gramas and grampas for Thanksgiving (her favorite holiday for obvious reasons)?

She was so excited, so we packed our bags and off we went!

Mom was still in Mississippi checking on grams until Thursday night so sweet daddy did his best to replace her by making a big huge breakfast and helping me prepare some sweets to bring to Hilton Head Thanksgiving morning!

  We spent our first Thanksgiving, or as I like to call it round 1, in Hilton Head with Alex’s Dad, Jane and Janes family and I as we went around the room and said what we were thankful for I thought to myself “I literally have a million things coming to mind”.

My 4 year old dreams of working as a counselor have come true and my 13 year old dreams of marrying this really cute, sweet, smart and hilarious kid I met on the beach have come true!

What more could I be thankful for so far!?!?!

However as a “group counselor” I often get annoyed by that certain someone who decides to dominate the group by going on a bit to long when asked to participate in group…. therefore I chose to only share being thankful for “all my dreams coming true by being able to do what i love and to be surrounded by the people that I love”.

I think that pretty much sums it up :)

The house Jane’s family rented was gorgeous and right on the beach!

Alex, Bob and I were the first ones to find this rooftop patio!

Gorgeous views, and this was the view from the den:

Obviously this room was empty due to everyone was hovering around the yummy appetizers!

Below: Jane in the middle, Mary Ann (Janes step mom) on the left and Mary Anns daughter on the right, I think they could all pass for sisters! 

Time to eat!

Dessert!

Round Two was back at my parents house and we were ready to go again!

I have to admit the time we spend entertaining ourselves before sitting down at the table, the anticipation of mamas cooking and talking moms ear off in the kitchen while she slaves away is almost as good as the food!

The boys spent as much time as they could playing with Billys new guns and unidentifiable gadgets that make a big mess in mamas den!

Tucker and Milly wait so patiently while we eat because they know their time is coming soon!!

TJ was a large part of the clean up crew this year!

He was so happy to have a full belly and sunshine for Thanksgiving!..and so were these boys after dinner…

That night was very bitter sweet, we met Kayla and Lance at (duh) el Sombrero, to wish them well on their move to Kansas the following morning!

  It was… well… bitter sweet.

Ok, maybe just sad! Denial at times can be a girls best friend and I plan to use it to the fullest!

As an added bonus… and to cheer you up in case your reading this Kayla, look what else I found when i FINALLY downloaded the pics off my old camera…

The old pictures from our girls trip to Hilton Head!

Exciting right!

We miss you guys already!!

Ok back to pale nastiness and turkey eating!

Saturday was round 3 at Alexs moms….

Mrs. Karen has zero desire to cook or be anywhere near a kitchen, so mike and Amber did their best to throw it all together and did a great job… gravy fixes everything right!?!?!?

I must say I think we were all relieved when the family came to a consensus at the end of dinner that next year we’re getting McDonalds or having hot dogs on the grill!

All meat options ended up a bit “crisp” since we were all too busy outside to sit and wait for timers to go off…

Whoops!

I absolutely love this picture of Lou….. Oh and of course this one with baby Luther! 

What a handful he is but absolutely irresistible!

…speaking of handfuls!

I shot Billy’s new gun, Rachel says I look like Al Qaeda

(like the new app on my phone- it’s different choices of vintage cameras- thanks for finding it B!)

Nothing going on here, just skeeter being a skeeter ;)

Go Andy!

Little miss cutie showed up just in time to help me eat cookies and make biscuits (each individualized and stamped with Julians handprint of course)!

I taught her how to take “silly” pictures with my camera and how to play angry birds too!

She is getting so big… maybe it’s all this talk about a certain someone becoming a BIG sister ;)

That’s right! Ambers expecting girl #2 in February!

Baby Luther was so entertained by Julian but i do believe she out-lasted him!

Baby Luther fell asleep on the golf cart riding with his daddy and just as I went to take this picture he woke up!

Sleepy boy…

Precious and precious!

Sunday was serious business as usual when mom and I plan a day to SHOP til’ we DROP! We were so excited even Tara came to shop with us and kept up…. all seriousness though, we went easy on her ;)

Proof right there actually, I don’t think mom and I have ever actually sat down while shopping to take our pretzel bites break!

Good work Tara!

I hope everyone had something to be thankful for this Thanksgiving, I think Lou and I should feel a bit guilty having so much to be thankful for this year… but we will take it!

Happy Thanksgiving and time for Birthday season!!