Thanksgiving 2008

I love Thanksgiving!!! On every single level. I don't care if the stores are putting their Christmas up after Easter (well it feels that way) to me the Holidays do not start til Thanksgiving!!

And what is the best way to introduce the holidays!? A lovely cheese and cracker tray, pickle and olive tray and a veggie tray!! I forgot deviled eggs!! Came so to canceling but decided to press forward!

Another tradition!! Christmas movies. Every year I get close to wavering the few days before Thanksgiving! But the Christmas movies do not come out til Turkey Day!! Liam and Cameron watching 'Olive the Other Reindeer'!

Obviously we are over at the Buytas's! Thank you Mike for inviting us!! Thank You Naomi for unlocking the front door ;)

Jason and Charlie. Oh good lord he is going to end up one HUGE dog!

Um who in the frick falls asleep BEFORE eating turkey!?!?!

If only my blog had a scratch and sniff option!! This was one darn good turkey!!

It's time to eat!! It's time to eat!!!

Oh look proof I was there!

I have always wondered what those huge dog crates were for and now I have it figured out!!

Kids are in the crate so now we can play with the dog!! Of course the first phrase that comes to mind is 'Awe bless!'. Poor thing actually looks scared in this shot!!

Naomi tried to have a quiet tender moment with him but this boy was fired up and ready to play! 5 seconds later he was down and all over the place!!

Now this is were I would end my Thanksgiving blog on a sentimental note. But I won't. The next day Cameron amused us quite a bit with numerous drawings of him and Liam playing in that dog crate. What in the world happened in that crate the ignited my son's imagination!?! I guess only the boys will know ;)

Liam is in the crate under a blanket. My favorite part about this one!?! Cameron drew himself with a Mohawk!!!!

Cameron , still hawkin', and Liam in the cage but from a different perspective. We were so confused until Cameron said 'wash hands'. AHH!!! They're looking at the sink!!!

Oh look at this one! The house is much more decorated!! All of these pictures were drawn over the course of the day. Everytime he did a new one we would grab the camera! I think I could fill a whole album with pictures of his MagnaDoodle alone!!

Thanksgiving at the Buytas's was lovely! And stress free. Well for me I don't know about Mike he did most of the cooking ;) But ooooh my it was a good turkey!!

it's always Hannah Hannah Hannah!!

Thanksgiving week was all about the Hannah! Her play 'The Princess Stories' and her PowderPuff Game. She had so much fun at both!

I am not sure if I am allowed to use the word 'cute' to describe a high school play. Does it bring down the street cred when Mom says 'Oh that was so cute!'? But it was. And to be honest these kids were quite funny. Teenagers have found out one thing that much younger kids just don't have. Embarrassment. And even though they were on stage cause they wanted to be they were so quiet and rushed through their lines like crazy. We loved it! Let them work through the stage fright and go on to become great performer's!!

Oh Hannah's face is covered. She is in the back row with the yellow hat. She is a part of the Seven Dwarfs. She is 'Exhausted'.

Here she is in the second story. As that narrator! I know I am biased but I so believe this kid is a natural performer. She looks at the crowd she uses inflection on her voice. The hardest part for her is her retainer. Poor thing. This is also the part where I hang my head in shame. We remembered to bring the video camera!! We just didn't actually remember to use it!!

The whole team on stage performing!!

They all deserve to bow!

Of course they were nothing without this girl ;)

Here we are back at the school the next night to watch Hannah on the football field. And of all nights here in South Carolina it was fricking COLD!! I was watching Jason prep for the game in perplextion cause he was putting on all kinds of clothes! Now I know why.

She is out of hot cocoa the bum!! She just wouldn't smile for the camera :P

OK I can find Hannah right away in this picture. Maybe it is because I love her more then all of you guys love her!! ;) Isn't she the cutest one out there!?!

OK she is the one holding up the pad in celebration!! The Freshman team just got a touchdown!!

Number 55! That was the number Jason was in his brief high school football career!! I am not sure what happened back then but he doesn't have a darn thing to do with football now. One of the main reasons I find him uber dreamy!! ;D

First game over. We took Cameron back to the van to wait for her next game. But when we went to watch it we didn't take the camera!

The Freshman team didn't do so well. Hopefully they learned some valuable lessons to bring back to their game for next year as Sophomores!! I know I did. Thermals, gloves and thermoses of cocoa!! And possibly some face paint. Depends on how dedicated I feel to the team!! Maybe get Jason and Cameron to paint their chests!! Maybe I can actually learn what else there is besides a touchdown!! ;)

Jeff and Erin

Oops!! It is time to share these pictures! Sorry once again I am Slacker Blogger!! But I assume that you all have accepted that about me by now and we are moving forward!!

Wendy, Naomi and me at Naomi's Guy Fawkes celebration!! Jeff and Erin got to experience it even though I didn't take pictures. Sorry I was in social 'look at me' mode ;)

As you have already seen the day after Guy Fawkes we celebrated Josie B turning 10 plus 3. Monday the 10Th we sent the girl's to school and then we took Erin and Jeff downtown! Talk about perfect weather!! It has to be my luck. I rarely ever go downtown and when I do it is pretty gorgeous out!

I love boats. Not exactly being on one but they definitely make for good water shots :D This one is taken at the Battery.

And so are these pictures of the newly engaged!

And these two who have been trying to figure out this thing called life for 15 years now!

As soon as we get it figured out I will let you all in on the secrets ;)

Poor Cameron. Patiently waiting for these silly adults! Don't let him fool you this boy loves the water. He was sitting here for awhile!

The Hoot and a Holler Comedy Team!! And yes we are our biggest fans!!

Pretty Erin!

We have to get a self shot with the little man!

OK These next two shots make me so happy! But they were with my pocket camera! :( Still so sweet though!

In case you are ever in downtown Charleston there are ALOT of uber cool restaurants down there. But when the girl who didn't eat breakfast is asked at 1:30 where she wants to eat lunch you end up at Bubba Gumps on Market Street. It was good food don't get me wrong but not where we should of eaten when you are trying to show off!!

See the look in Jeff's eyes!?!? "We came all the way to South Carolina and this is where we are eating!?!?!" OK Being his older sister I can read his eyes better then most and I promise you that is what they are saying!! ;)

Hmmm....I haven't known Erin long enough and she looks awfully sweet in this picture but I bet she is plotting my demise!! Thank goodness I am adorable :D

I think we had a good day walking around. I did take alot more pictures but I always feel like I am going to bore people with my endless shots of the houses. We had awesome weather. Cameron was beyond amazing and when we were done we took him to Ben and Jerry's like I had been promising him.

We ended this night with a Mashed Potato Bar and some Kung Fu Panda with all the kids. The next day Jeff and Erin headed back to Chicago!! It was a short but sweet visit that I hope they found worth it so they will come again!!

for me!

Something awfully pretty. That I made just for me. She will be getting a special frame. I made some other pretties. But I can't share. Christmas is coming ;)

Sewing on paper by the way is uber fun. I am addicted ;)

Josie B turned 10 plus 3!!

Two teenage DAUGHTERS!!!

Anyone within a 100 mile radius has heard me say that for about a month now! I have TWO teenage DAUGHTERS!!!

We are accepting all sympathy cards at our current address ;)

But on to the party!! Miss Josie B's Taco Bar Fire Pit Marshookie Extravaganza!!


Waiting for the rest of our guests!! Well lookie there!! It is my brother Jeff! Jeff and his fiance (what a pretty word) were in town for a wedding. How perfect! So they extended their visit to include some days at our house.

Peace!

Oh yes. The Alphabet Avenger does not only work on Halloween!! Many words are out there being misspelled on any given day of the year!! At this point and time he finds it necessary to twirl around and make himself dizzy. I am not sure what super power it helps but he does!

Cameron calls her Gay-gen. She loves it. And he loves her.

It is time to make some taco salads!!

Miss Carrie and Justin.

Miss Erin who was an invaluable help to me this whole day!! I can't imagine what my stress level would of been without her!! If you live near her and are planning a party I highly recommend getting her!!

OK we haven't seen this Squishy in almost a year and this is all we get!?!?! Look Brenda it is Lillian!!

Seriously what is a birthday party without a fire!?! Last year Mike made me a spoon out of a piece of wood and his stunning survival skills. This year I got a fork!! I have to maintain a friendship with this guy so in a couple of years I can have a full table setting!!

Jell-O jigglers! It was put on for pictorial purposes only. But it so rocked my world! I love making cakes during this birthday season!

For my Josie B!!

The choir!

Happy Birthday to you!

But we are not done!! A little surprise for our Megan!!

The best part is she had been at our house all day and had no clue I had made her her very own little cake. Her birthday is very close to Josie's. Everyone deserves a choir to sing them Happy Birthday!!

I guess all of our fabulous singing woke up the baby :D

Jenny and her doppelganger.

Time for presents! She got some Target cards and cash! Which for a teenage girl is PERFECT!

Her new Chicago shirt. Which yes she loves! Both girls love anything that say Chicago. It is were Jeff and Erin live. They tell anyone who ask.

Her Guitar Hero game for her DS. From Mommy and Daddy. Anything to help her extremely long bus ride!

On an official note I think my girls are done with the bigger parties. They sure do make their Momma happy but my babies take after their Daddy. Larger crowds overwhelm them and make them nervous. Even if it is a crowd of family and friends. I have a year to process this information and next year plan small family events.

Now MY birthday is going to be HUGE ;)

SO much love tot he people who came to our house though to help us celebrate our Miss Josie B going into a new phase of her life. The teenage years!!