Sunday, November 28, 2010

Thanksgiving Day


So.......it's taken me a few days to get past the title of this post.  Actually, I meant to save to draft and instead published just the title.   It gave you something to look forward to huh?

Thanksgiving day was such a great day.  We got most of the decorating done the night before.  Here are some pictures of the calm before the storm the night before Thanksgiving.  The tables were ready for the onslaught of Thanksgiving eaters!

The living room table


The dining room

Out by the pool

The garage

Under the back deck

The fine china ready for a feast

I started trying to snap pictures of people as they came in.....that didn't last long as I quickly had to get busy!  Below is my son David, his fiance Arwen and her daughter Devin.

My sister, Debbie...her husband, Mike and their son Joshua

The host and hostess


We had a big announcement for Thanksgiving day!  My son David and his best girl Arwen officially announced their engagement to the family.  We couldn't be happier.

We were all so thankful that mama was able to be with us for Thanksgiving!  My sister Cathy, me, my sister Debbie and Mama.

Cousins greeting.....Bryce and our son Matt.  Just yesterday, I was picking them up from elementary school and now they are men.  Amazing and unbelievable!

Russell's 93 year old Uncle Hugh.  He dropped Russell's mother off and raced back home!  He really was invited, but I think the crowd scared him away!  We sent him a plate.

Russell and his mama, Mary Catherine

Me with my two mamas

Either mama was into the wine  (in the ice chest next to her)......she was guarding it.....or we were boring her!  

Mama with her two youngest granddaughters, Bella and Tori and their mama Monica

My brother Steve (Bella and Tori's dad) and my brother in law Dick

Waiting for the eating to commence

My sister Debbie's MIL Mary sitting with mama

My oldest nephew Don with his wife Kathleen

BIL Mike, nephew Mike and husband Russell.......We have lots of Mikes in our family and two sets of Mike and Debbies!  

Niece Jennie's sister Carrie.....so glad she and her two boys could join us for dinner

My oldest brother, Tommy and wife Lois

My youngest brother, Steve and my son David

My brother, Michael.  He looks so happy!  

Of course, no Thanksgiving is compete until you've had a little accident!  It just took a little ice and he was fine!

Lois with my niece, Amy

Lots of laughter during the day.....Matt laughing at something Jennie said while niece Joneida is putting out part of the feast!

Let the eating begin!  Let me just point out to you that this was just vegetables!  The meat was on another table!

Cindy, Lois and Mike

The newlyweds in the family, nephew Chris and wife Kayla

The boys....well some of them anyway

The grown up table!

Come on in and fix your plate

There's enough for all and then some!

Then there is dessert!

More grown ups

Outside, some of the girls

More girls

The younger crowd in the garage.  We probably should have cleaned more of the junk out of the garage, but it seemed to work fine!

A great after dinner game of basketball

Great niece Amanda, home from FSU and niece Joneida, over from Pensacola

This is a funny story (among others during our day)......great niece Tori didn't want to go home to Pensacola at the end of the day.....I asked her if she wanted to stay and live with us, she replied excitedly mommy!  to me!  I was laughing and said what about Uncle Russell and she, without hesitation, said daddy!  Her parents then said no and she started wailing!  

Beautiful family!!!  My nephew Mike and his wife Jennie and their children J.T., Abby and Emily.

Great niece Lauren came by for a little visit at the end of the day.  She lives in California now and we were so happy to see her!

What a wonderful day!  When everyone left and all the tablecloths and decorations were in the house, it started storming!  Thanks be to God for allowing it to hold off until our Thanksgiving day was done!

And as my dear grandmother used to say at the end of anything......the great battle ended and the sun went down.  Of course, this day it was the great feast of thanksgiving that ended.  And thankful we are for all our many blessings!

Praise be to God ...... 2 Corinthians 1:3

11 comments:

Debby@Just Breathe said...

Hope yours was wonderful.

Needled Mom said...

Have you finished the cleanup yet????

Cathy said...

Thanks again for hosting. A good time was had by all......and, yes, she is finished cleaning and the painter is there today painting her whole house.

Gigi said...

What a wonderful day you had!!!

Tonja said...

My goodness! You DID have a lot of people! Were you ever all in one place at the same time? Loved seeing all the pics, too. Funny thing is...It looks just like a gathering in the South...lots of food, lots of people, some basketball, smiles and hugs. I think I could have walked in and been right at home! Glad it went so well!

Carma Sez said...

Looks like a fine time was had by all - I was wondering if your future DIL was choking in that pic and then I realized it was a ring shot :D

Lisa Smith said...

What a day!!! Just reading it makes me tired. And thankful. =)

Dawn said...

What a crowd and what a lot of food! Looks like another good job well done.

debi said...

God bless you is all I gotta say!!!

Well, and what a great family:-)

Hugs

Katie and Beau said...

Why did you do a wardrobe change???

I'm glad you had fun and I know you didn't stress out AT ALL.

Justabeachkat said...

Wow! Your Thanksgiving rivaled ours...lots and lots of people and lots and lots of love. I left my camera and won't get it back until Sunday when my Mom comes so I wasn't able to post pictures of our Thanksgiving, but it looked a lot like yours. Aren't we blessed!

Hugs,
Kat