Thanksgiving Day

Since we had all the food prep out of the way, we were able to watch the entire Macy's Day Parade. We always love to do that, but kitchen chores usually get in the way. We like to eat early---12:30 and we were right on target---unlike the year the electricity went out about a half hour before the dinner was finished.

We always try to take some family pictures. We got some, but need to change the timing. The "kids" aren't usually ready until it's about time to sit down. As a result, Sandy was busy in the kitchen with the last minute stuff to get the meal on the table. We got some of the pictures the next night.

Sandy sets a beautiful table. I told her that we messed up by having 13 in the family as 10 is the perfect number! Mindy and Justin were with his family this year and Jordan stayed out in California. She'll be home for Morgan's pinning ceremony in December and then again at Christmas. There was plenty of room to spread out!

Our table favors (we always have to have them) contained Dove chocolates and a wine charm that we used for the weekend.

Dinner was delicious---12 items this year. Morgan made her other grandmother's sweet potato casserole. It could have been sweet potato pie! Everybody liked it. After dinner, Sandy had a little game---sort of like "Left Right Center" except with M&M's. She had a prize for the winner.

Sandy always tries to come up with fun activities for us. This year, she had us each purchase a mug. We were to bring them wrapped for a "rob your neighbor" type game.

The mugs were all so cute---and thoughtful! Morgan brought the one that looks like a pill bottle---perfect for the nurse to be. Steph got hers in New York from Macy's and is about the parade. Probably, the most unusual one was the one Nicky found. Morgan got it. It's the Bob Ross mug on the right. When you put your hot beverage in it, a painting appears! It was a lot of fun. Sandy is going to be a hard act to follow!

The rest of the afternoon was napping, football and good conversation. Then the games began. We played all evening.

Elizabeth wanted to experience Black Friday shopping at the mall, so I went with her and Sandy. We left at 5:30 a.m. We pulled in to a nearly empty parking lot and were able to park right near the door. The place was a ghost town. Hardly anyone was there. Elizabeth wanted to go to Victoria's Secret. There were quite a few people there as they had some good sales going. We hit the jackpot at Bath and Bodyworks---really great sales and specials before 8 a.m. Other than that, the sales didn't seem all that good. We were home by 8:30. It was a little disappointing in that Sandy had really built it up to Elizabeth about what to expect. Of course, it's been years since we've actually gone.

We made a big breakfast and had a family craft.

Sandy bought white ceramic ornaments. We used paint to make thumbprint reindeer.

I had planned that we would have the whole family add their prints, but Greg messed it up, so I wiped it off and decided to forget that idea. Instead, Butch and I (he's much more artistic than me) added a thumbprint Christmas tree on the back.

As you can tell from the picture, Sandy forced Mitchell to participate! He opted for a "devil" reindeer and highlighted his name: MitcHELL! Since we are a family of girls, we don't have a lot of experience with boys. He keeps us in stitches. He is so hilarious!! You just never know what he's going to say or do. The other boys in the family are better sports---if they know what's good for them!

They all turned out so cute.

We ended our holidays with dinner at a really good German restaurant---they are hard to find these days. The guys watched the Oklahoma/West Virginia game---Butch's and Nicky's team respectively. We girls went in the living room to play games. Steph said I was nicer than she was as she was going to "make" Nicky play games. I told her that we had already played a ton of games. Plus, this football game was important to them. There's no way I'd want them to miss it!

Anyway, after a dismal (on my part) trivia game, the holiday was officially over. We got on the road at 5:30 a.m. (4:30 Nashville time) We were home by 11 a.m.!

And that's the way we roll!