Happy Happy Thanksgiving 2021!
This is the crew that we saw throughout the day and evening!
We started our day with church!
What a blessing!
I love going to church on Thanksgiving day!
Then, obligatory pictures!
All, just to appease Mom ;-)
Thank you to my models, Mary and Grace!
Honestly, this is what it's all about!
Giving Thanks!
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday!
Church, a great meal, fun family time,
relaxing, games, socializing, watching some football,
and very little stress or responsibility!
Thankful!
Is anyone noticing that most of our teens are close to the same height?
Most are 4'10"- 5'2"
plus we have a 5'3" Ava and a 5'4" Anna
and then a 5'5"- Sam and a 5'7"- Ben!
Our teens at home are 13, 13, 13, 13, 14, 15, 15, 15, 15, 16, 16, 16, 16, 19
and our two young adults are 20 and 21!
They are a close knit group!
Sisters and brothers plus close friends!
It is a blessing!
Tom the turkey was 24 lbs this year!
He was a big boy and very tasty!
Jake could hardly wait!
Dad is our turkey carver!
He does a great job!
As a child in my house growing up,
this was such an issue and so stressful...
yep, carving the turkey always ended in an argument...
I really don't understand how carving a turkey is that big of an issue?
But I am guessing it signified feelings...
my mom felt like she had to do everything
and got very little help...
That is not the way it is in our family.
Abundant help is always available!
Hubby starting carving the turkey early on...
pretty much at the first family Thanksgiving he attended!
It was a welcomed relief to my parents!
Did he do it perfectly?
I don't know, they didn't say anything but they did thank him!
I'm guessing it was good enough!
Thank you honey!
We also never would have served from a plastic container
(check out my cranberries)...?
Oops!
Things have changed since I was a kid...
Most importantly,
I remember what a wonderful hostess and host my parents were!
And their meals were the BEST!
I loved my mom's cooking!
I'm guessing everyone loves their mother's cooking!
I like to set a nice table.
Festive, but not super fancy.
No tall arrangements in the middle
that blocks you from the person across the table!
Everybody needs to be able to see each other,
chat with them and enjoy
the celebration!
The delicious food alone
is reason to celebrate!
And this is my more casual crew!
Happy Thanksgiving guys!
It was just us eating the turkey dinner.
Adult kids were off with the other side of the family.
(But some joined us later in the afternoon!)
Our teens were delightful!
We try to rotate who sits at the big table
but I will be honest with you...
There is something to consider...
and that's the spill factor...
Our dinette chairs have been well loved and a bit abused by spills...
I am trying my hardest to spare the dining room chairs ;-)
I mean lived in and loved is good
but...
It's okay to try to save a few pieces of furniture!
Let me explain this photo...
this would be two grandmas attempting to hid behind the young mom
so that they "look better"...
We all had a good laugh as Katie caught on
quite quickly to our motives!
Take two!
Me, Katie and Ev (Andrew's mom)
If I only showed this pic you would have had
no idea at the depth of the two grandma's vanity!
Blessed Granny's with the grands!
The children's shirts are from baby #4's announcement!
Here is Burgess Baby #4's announcement!
We are ALL extra thankful this year!
They are not going to find out what sweet baby #4 is???
What's your best guess?
Nana (me) says a girl!
Papa says a boy!
The Thanksgiving crew!
Plus Ken and Ev (not pictures)~ Andrew's parents!
They were the photographers!
Uncles are the BEST!
They all adore the nieces and nephews!
With our older boys,
it's a bit of a popularity contest!
Johnny clearly won on Thanksgiving!
Way to go Johnny!
