Thanksgiving in Texas

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We did :)

I have decided that I am going to have to break down and buy some photo editing software for my Mac!! Some day. I have a ton of pictures from over Thanksgiving that I will eventually get on here. We had so much fun, especially the kids. My Dad has been working at a Youth Camp and we went to the camp for Thanksgiving. It was my parents, our family, my sister and her kids and my best friend since JR HIGH (which means we have been friends for about 7 years) :D and her three boys.

That makes THIRTEEN kids, 6 adults (until my Aunt came on Friday). Out of the thirteen kids there were THREE 13 year old boys! Need I say more? Interesting to say the least.

It was so neat to see all the kids pick up where they left off. They don't get to see their cousins much and they have not seen Emily's boys but a couple of times in the last 10 years. You would have thought they were together every day. There was not even fighting amongst siblings that I saw.

We got there around lunchtime on Wednesday and just visited the day away. Thursday was spent cooking and eating. It was so awesome to just turn the kids loose and not have too worry TOO MUCH (did I mention three 13 year old boys?) about where they were or what they were doing. I have decided we need a LOT of acreage with different "stations" of activities. But, instead of dorms I would prefer a big house. Hey, we all can dream. But, I digress....we had two turkeys, a ham, shrimp, casseroles, potatoes, gravy, watergate salad, homemade rolls and HOMEMADE PIES among pies among pies (10 total). It was YUMMY!!

Friday was spent having FUN. After breakfast, we took the kids to the zipline. All of the kids had been nagging to go, but once we got to the zipline, many were uncertain and some changed their mind. Andrew wanted to go, so he was attached to Paul to go down. Right before they step off the tower Andrew says "Geared up and ready to go!" So cute. Mady watched him go and started saying "I fly like airplane with Daddy." So, Daddy took her down. She was REALLY excited about flying, until they started flying that is. She SCA-REAMMMMMMMMMMMED the ENTIRE way down the line. When she got back up to where we were all sitting I asked if she wanted to go again. She said "NO" and shook her head so hard she almost fell over!

My aunt went down once. She said she could mark it off her bucket list and never needed to do it again. Emily went down (although she was rather uncertain). There were lots of loud "Oh my gosh"-es coming from her the whole way down, but nothing like Mads.

I went. I LOVED it. I actually did it twice. I would have kept doing it, but the uphill hike back was not great on my knee. I do appreciate Emily and Paul walking my brace down (couldn't wear it going down) to the end of the zipline so I could wear it back up the hill. I am ready to zipline through the rainforest now if anyone would like to pay for that trip ;)

It was great seeing my Aunt that I have not seen in probably 8 or more years. I wish we had had more time to catch up! Hopefully she will make a trip to Louisiana soon.

Kids went back to school today, so we are back to reality and it has hit me in the face! Between decorating for Christmas, the stuff from the trip, a ton of laundry that came from some deep dark corner that it needs to go back to and regular chores, I am not sure if I will ever catch up!!

Tea Party Picnic

This was the most fun we have had taking pictures! She has been asking continuously since to have a tea party picnic. Love my girly girl!!!!

Buddies

These two are so fun to watch together (most of the time). Don't get me wrong, they know how to push each others buttons and they do it a LOT! But, for the most part they get along really well and it is fun watching them play together.

My AJ

Mady

Rainy Day