Taking Christmas Card Pictures

Hey, Hey, the Gang's All Here

So happy to see Christian!

Thanksgiving=Family Time

We were so lucky to get to see so much family this trip!

My cousin Jimbo and his family drove over from Bentonville Tuesday night.

 Brauns, Wilsons, and Adamses

I requested a fish fry while we were home and we had a house full to enjoy it! (Uncle James is famous for his fried catfish.)

Sam loved wrestling with Christian!

Hadley loved hanging out with Coleman (she kept calling him Bad Boy, lol).

My Aunt Drenda, my cousin Susan and her family, and my cousin Wesley and her family were all able to come for overlapping stays.

Brauns, Wilsons, Schmidts, and LaRues-first cousins once removed (we looked it up!)

 We all enjoyed the basketball goal at Meme and Grandy's new house!

Long Trip Home

It's always a long drive home.

(Sometimes they look so much alike it kills me!)

And Atlanta traffic never disappoints.

Kids Cook 2017

Every year the kids confirm that we are going to do "kids cook" for Thanksgiving. I think it is their favorite tradition that we have. We were feeding a huge group this year!

Hadley thought the menu was a sign up sheet

It's a good thing that Mom and Dad's new house has a big kitchen! Patrick and Walker jumped right in.

 Coleman is the sausage ball specialist! Abigail was on pecan pie duty for the first time this year.

 Amy couldn't have managed the dressing without Hadley's help.

 Many hands make light work!

 Everything was DELICIOUS!

Going On A Mule Ride

Everyone loves to ride the mule at Grandy's house!

LSU vs Tennessee

Jim and Uncle Gary made plans before the season began to go to the LSU-Tennessee game. Tennessee has had such a poor season that tickets were easy to get and the rest of us decided to tag along a the last minute!

We were pretty excited to see the band go in

We got tickets after we got to the stadium and boy did we luck out on our seats! 3rd row, 30 yard line, right behind the LSU bench.

 And right behind Mike!

It was a great game!

 

Even though the bottom fell out at halftime and we got DRENCHED.

It was a great start to our Thanksgiving break!

Kids Cook!

Kids Cook is one of our FAVORITE traditions!

Coleman always makes the sausage balls and Christian always makes the chocolate silk pie.

 Abigail made guacamole

 Hadley was in charge of the creamed corn

 Isabella helped me with the yeast rolls

 and Carolyn always makes the sweet potato casserole.

 Amy made the dressing and Meme made a lemon ice box pie. We let this big kid make the turkey (with a little help from Grandy).

And it was all DELICIOUS!

Happy Thanksgiving!

So grateful for the Texas cousins!

Kids Cook

Our favorite Thanksgiving tradition is KIDS COOK! We have done this for the last seven years and every year the kids remind me (as if I am going to forget!)

This year, the Wilson girls jumped right in!

Hadley made the biscuits for the dressing.

 Coleman has become an expert on sausage balls.

 Isabella was in charge of the creamed corn

 and Abigail prepared the baked green beans and also the dressing.

 Carolyn does the sweet potato casserole every year

and "French" chocolate silk pie has become Christian's specialty!

Hadley and Isabella were fascinated by the rising popovers.

 Kids Cook requires a lot of supervision-I need a list!

All complete!

Thanksgiving Feast

My sweet friend Eva invited me to her preschool Thanksgiving feast today.  Great food and great entertainement!

Kids Cook Tradition Continues

Carolyn was very concerned that since we weren't spending Thanksgiving at home that "kids cook" wouldn't happen this year.  Aunt Amy was happy to keep the tradition going!

Coleman and Abigail made the sausage balls

 and Carolyn made the sweet potato casserole.

And it was ALL yummy!

Wishbone

Treats for everyone for Thanksgiving

 A white chocolate wishbone!

Make a wish!

(Too bad I forgot to bring Jennifer and Sara theirs. )

November Swim

Why should temps in the low 30's keep them inside?

Thanksgiving Menu

Baked Brie en Croute

Jimmy's Stuffed Mushrooms
Sausage Balls

Roasted Butter Herb Turkey

Memo's Dressing

Memo's Sweet Potato Casserole

Seasoned Green Beans

Popovers

Two Tone Fancy Drinks

Chocolate Silk Pie

Bread Pudding with Coconut Praline Sauce (new recipe)

Ready to Go

Recipes are printed and dishes are ready to go... now all I need are my three sous-chefs to wake up so we can get started!

Santa Train

The Friday after Thanksgiving, we didn't hit the mall... we took a ride on the Blue Ridge Scenic Railroad!

The girls talked to the conductor before boarding. Cool mustache!

All ABOARD!!!

We found seats in our car. Railroad ambassadors led everyone in singing Christmas carols.

About 15 minutes into our trip, the train slowed and look who we saw outside of the window!!!

Santa boarded the train and took time to talk and take pictures with all the boys and girls. (Isabella did NOT think this was a good idea.)

Our trip took us over the Toccoa River.

One of Santa's elves gave everyone a silver bell to ring (over and over and over...).

Our friend the conductor came through and punched everyone's tickets.

(Overheard- Grandy to Christian: "You think that conductor punched your ticket? I'M going to punch your ticket!")

We had so much fun riding the train with Santa! We saw Frosty and Rudolph and even saw Mrs. Claus when we returned to the station. This may become a yearly tradition!