Thanksgiving Day and Week End

Thanksgiving gave way to Mother Daughter time for I did not have to do the house and the meal.

My MILove hosted this year and I took full advantage of time with my kids.

As I was getting ready Dove came in on me getting my make up on.

We took a moment of time and Allowed her her first experience at a little mascara.

You all know as moms it was one of those priceless moments in time.

Daddy man knew it too and ran for the camera.

 

 After a little coxing she let him take her picture.

By the way she does not like mascara...

Wow gives me some more time  :) love that she loves being a kid.

Too many kids want to grow up so fast.

She did however really feel good and pretty.

It was so fun watching her see herself in the mirror.

She loved her reflection.

Oh if we all just could gain that one.

 

 Steve's Brother was so kind as to load us an IPOD to help Dove to listen to books on tape to help her relax with her insomnia. These two brothers see each other twice a year. Steve is the youngest.

The eldest brother spends holidays with his wife's family and the two young ladies daughters.

My MILove thought to get a wonderful pecan pie

my favorite

She made soy milk pumpkin pie too

 

 She is so beautiful.

Wish she could see her reflection like her granddaughter did.

True to her beauty.

She had set up a puzzle, It was intoxicating and I had so much pleasure in working that puzzle.

I had to finish it before we left.

Dash and Steve came over and got hooked in too.

I had Dash place the final piece and boy was he proud.

"I finished it"!

It was reality satisfying to give him that.

 

 Father and son...

My FILove was so generous too host this year it really helped us out a lot with having the small kids and the role at our time in life. We have two passages going at the same time. Strange to be parents when your older.

The Grandparents are older too and the grandchildren well they just want to go to their grandparents like any child would.

 

They have the traditions of Dove whipping the cream with her Grandmother.

This is the big thing she looks forward to doing every year.

The highlight of Thanksgiving to Dove.

That and the wonderful left overs.

The rolls that Steve's brother brings are a tradition.

The kids just go gaga over them.

Left overs the delight of the days after.

 

 So with the sugar energy worn off with a bit of wrestling

we were off for a very long drive.

These two are best friends.

The kids rested and may have even slept a little .

It was a nice transition time.

The hospitality was so sweet at my nieces.

She did such a nice job on the meal and we all brought somethings.

This was her first time hosting.

Her kind spirit was a real treat to be around.

The meal was a buffet style

Humor offered by my Mr Nice Guy.

The air was a little thick of pink elephants.

 

 Dove got hold of the camera and the images of a child tell a lot.

Conversations and all were pleasant.

My kids had there first experience at a "kids" table in the kitchen over the linoleum floor.

I remember the kids table growing up and I am sure most do.

My two have never really been seperated from the main table for we normally serve the elders and there are no other kids in the history of our Thanksgiving or Christmas events.

The kids were all much younger than ours and they were really just spending time with them that was a brief getting to know them time.

We missed having my sisters grand kids but they had one with a flu so were unable to attend.

 

Across from me are two sisters the third is out of view.

They are my brothers Daughters.

Really wonderful young women.

A nephew in law then my sister and a BIL remarried to the girls mom

 Dash's shirt says

"This is my dress shirt"

I got it for him for a Christmas gift but gave it to him to use.

He felt so happy with it.

 

 After a wonderful meal the deserts were so ample that the children were in heaven.

I was so full that I for the first time in my life I think passed on any desert!

With so many choices even. I had a first:)

The children were a hoot though.

So fun to capture the delighted little faces and they indulged

 

My SIL (mother to my nieces)once married to my brother was there and it was nice to see her and her husband. She has some wonderful events in her live . A new home will be purchased after the holidays. I am so happy for her and her husband. The home is so pretty and it is wonderful to see her so happy.

Divorce is so strange a mix to families.

These are two of my my great nephews.

 

 Their sister soft spoken sweet child.

Her Mother my niece is as pretty as her daughter a wonderful young woman.

 

 

 

This little fellow just gave me such a thrill in that cute walk with his mommy's shoes one it was too cute.

His sister is so funny, this one has a fiery spirit.

feisty girl.

My other niece their mother is a wonderful young woman.

It was so funny I spoke up to call to her daughter and called her by my nieces name, that's how much they look alike. Had to laugh it took me back in time. I hope her momma got a kick out of it.

 

 Dove loved the two story house and looking down the wall as the most fun to her.

The children played up and down the steps.

My two kids the eldest.

 

The nice long belly filling day of family company gave way to a long drive home

My sweet niece gave us wonderful left overs

My sister made the best stuffing with apples and pine nuts.

This year was particularly hard for her due to the absence of our beloved Jason.

It was a real shadow on the day.

We all enjoyed each other though I think.

It was so nice to get to know these young women and their families a little better.

We four had a nice week end, Friday off work was here with a play date for Dash and a nice long visit with a new neighbor who was the boys mom. We had a long visit while the boys played.

Daddy man took Dove to the mall and got Dash a gift to give him at Christmas.

Saturday a family day of tasks.

I pieled the rest of the wall paper off of Doves room so as to get ready to paint it soon.

 The spackle that room took!

 

Time at home and rest with an added child at mid day.

Daddy man took Dash to the store with him and he got a toy with his ASU earnings and I think Dove a gift.

With a sleep over the kids played all and slept better.

The little girl stayed until late afternoon Sunday and we took her back to her grandparents home.

We just rested.

We stopped by a store and got two things totally $6.

That was all the shopping we cared to do.

A sleep over with a friend of Dove's

I started to get the tree up and have been working on it.

That paper became a chain instead for it was not really what I liked that way

So at this point Dove and I are making paper chain of silver and the $6 purchase was two

emergency camping blankets.

They are the foil type and that was my big idea for a tree skirt.

This year I want to design a different thiem.

Every year before the kids I had a thiem tree.

This is the first time I am going to do one in many years.

I want simplicity and silver and white.

Themed creativity.