November Wrap-Up

I have just a few more pictures to wrap up November.  

I saw someone on Facebook who got one of these Turkey on the Tables and thought it was a great idea.  I ordered one and didn't tell the kids what it was but that it was a surprise for them.

It comes with these feathers that you write what you are thankful for on.  Then, you stick them on the turkey and put it on your table.  It would be great table talk ideas as well as reminders.  You can buy more feathers for future years too.  We may use the backs on these first for next year.  It will be fun to keep them over the years and re-read them.  I want my kids to be more grateful.  Hopefully this can help steer us in that direction.

I love to watch The Pioneer Woman show on the Food Network.  I recently watched an episode where she made the prettiest apple tart, so I decided I needed to make one.  It had a caramel sauce to go over the top, but I only put it on mine.  My kids are crazy and don't like caramel.  I thought it was delicious.  Lincoln loves apple pie.  This was no Mimi's apple pie, but it was good.

I borrowed this book from Mom to read and LOVED it.  I highly recommend this one.  I really think we need to read it for our book club.

Thanksgiving Feast at school with Layton.

How to cook a turkey by Layton Keim.

Lincoln's class recently read the book Wonder by R.J. Palacio.  I decided I needed to read it too.  Lincoln loved it, and so did I.  Since the movie just came out, his Reading teacher organized for any kids that wanted to to go watch it.  Lincoln got to go with his friends and the rest of us saw it too.  It was soooo good!!

Layton loves to help me in the kitchen.  He was helping make Turkey Chili.

Up next, December!

Family Pictures

Every year before Christmas I start to think about what I want to do for our Christmas card.  I like cute ideas, but sometimes I just can't come up with anything.  This year I decided a hay picture was what we would do because we were in Texarkana at Thanksgiving.  I was also looking for a good family picture that I could maybe blow up and put in the house somewhere.

We went out during the afternoon to scope out our spot.  Kris was being silly.

Later we got all dressed up and tried several different poses.

Notice Layton with the tongue out.

I wanted to get some of Mimi and Pappaw with the kids as well.  Ledger was just about done at this point.

I got a good one of Mom and Dad.

Every. single. time.

GOOBER!!!

We did finally get a pretty good one.  Ledger's smile is precious and I love Layton's arms crossed.  This ended up being our card this year and I blew it up super big with a great Cyber Monday deal on Canvas on the Cheap for our mantle.  Success!!

Thanksgiving 2017 in Texarkana

We were due to be in Texarkana for Thanksgiving this year. We went down Wednesday evening.

The next morning all of Mom's side of the family came over for lunch.  The food was amazing as always.  There was so much of it.  We had 41 people there.  We missed Laura and her family, Mikayla, Casey and his family, Uncle Bobby, and Uncle Tommy.

Mom's side of the family loves to take pictures, so that is always something we do.

Jolie's beautiful kiddos.

The Koller family.

The Lawrence Family.

All the girls.

All the older girls.

Me with Wes and Jeff.

All the great-grands.

Our family.

The Tolletts.

Mom and all her siblings.  Love these people.  We sure do miss Papa Jim and Mama Cille.

Aunt Rose with all her kids.

All the guys.

My boys.

My two brown eyed boys.

Hannah and Addy.

We got together with Dad's side of the family on Saturday, but I didn't take any pictures.  Only Aunt Betty and Uncle Joe, Aunt Beverly and Uncle Phil, and Lori and Joe and their families came.  We were missing a bunch, but it was good to see those that came.

I sure do love my family, and I am thankful for my grandparents and the way they raised their children.  I was truly blessed to have grown up surrounded by such wonderful, loving, Christian people.