Thanksgiving Day 2008

On Thanksgiving Day 2008 we awoke around our usual early time, I made french toast for breakfast, and then we started working on getting ready to head to Daddy's for Thanksgiving Lunch. While John when up to take his shower, I stayed downstairs with the kids and worked on cleaning up the kitchen and then cooking the corn and the butter beans while the kids played. Once they were started John returned from getting ready and I headed up to get ready also. After I showered and was dressed, we gave the kids an early snack and then put on their outfits. Once everyone was dressed and everything was loaded int he car, we headed outside for a quick picture and then loaded up in the van and truck. When we arrived, we unloaded and made our way in to visit with Daddy, Katrina, Christian, and Nis. Slowly the rest of the family filtered in. John and the kids played outside while us girls and Daddy worked on the final touches for the meal. At around 11:45 we called all the kids in and served their plates. This was the first year we tried letting them eat first and in the dining room so they had the experience also. It was very cute to see all the little kids sitting at the big table. Once they were done, we cleaned up from them and started with round two of the adults eating. Everything was very good and when I was

finished I traded off with John to stay in the living room with the kids. The kids were having a grand time playing with toys, including twister. After staying in a little while, we all filtered back outside to play while the other adults finished eating. While we were outside we got a few cute pictures on the stairs and then the kids ran around for a while. It was such a nice day to play outside. After things were cleaned up enough on the inside, we called the kids in and sang Happy Birthday to Jennifer. Since the little ones were really tired, John took them home and I stayed with Emily. After the cake and cards, Jennifer then played early Santa to all of us. There were various holiday related items that she wanted us to have during the season, so she let us open them then. I was most excited about my reindeer antlers and nose for my car.

After we opened gifts, we finished cleaning up some more until it was time for me to take Emily home.

Thanksgiving Feast in Ansley and Bailey's Class

I arrived at the school around 2:45 and the kids were enjoying themselves in front of the story board. I joined the group as they were finishing up the story and then a song. Afterwards, the girls and I played in their room for a few minutes before it was almost time to set up for their Thanksgiving feast. When it was time, we helped the kids get to their seats and started passing out their place mats they had made that week. They were very cute and included finger paint hand prints in the center of the mats that were made in to turkeys. In addition, they also pasted some other items on the mats. After the kids all had their mats, the teachers and parents helped fix and pass out plates to the kids in order to start their feast. Bailey was very excited about her macaroni and cheese, bread, and ham. While Ansley could not get enough fruit, especially strawberries. Since the girls had chosen places across the tables from each other, I kept switching sides to see both of them and to help them out. Soon Mom arrived from work and the girls were very excited to see her. After thoroughly filling up on fruit and other goodies, Ansley lead Mom around the room and they played while Bailey continued to enjoy her meal. She was very thankful!!! After enjoying all her food, she decided she would top it off with a cupcake before heading off to play. The girls were having a great time, so we played in the room with some of their friends for a while, said our good byes to the teachers, and then headed out to start the Holiday.

Thanksgiving Cookout at LSI

Around 11:30 on Wednesday, November 26th I headed up to Liquid Systems to meet John and Emily for the Thanksgiving Cookout. As a special treat, Emily had dressed up in her "work" shirt (a pink LSI shirt John had gotten her), packed her bag with all the items a professional needs (her computer, her pencils, and her pencil sharpener), and they headed off to work earlier that morning. When I arrived, I met John, Emily, and Walker in the parking lot riding the go kart. After they finished riding we headed in to visit with those that were there. During our visit, Emily showed me her work she had been doing that morning on her computer, her pictures, her drawing on the conference room white board, and the dollar she earned for working. As lunch approached, we made our way to the back of LSI to hand out. Walker and Emily pretended to drive the forklift while we awaited the blessing. After the blessing, everyone started serving their plates and visiting. I got Emily and Walker fixed. Emily decided she would be thankful with a ketchup sandwitch. Not my choice, but she loved it!! While they started eating, I went back and fixed my plate and then joined them in the break room. After lunch, the kids rode on the go kart some more and played in the leaves. After the kids had played for a long time, John, Emily and I went to the confrence room to let Emily pick out our Thanksgiving basket (were given to all employees), we said our goodbyes, John and Emily headed to the ho

use, and I headed to Palmetto Prep for Ansley and Bailey's Thanksgiving feast.

Thanksgiving Day 2007

On Thursday morning the girls and I work up, I fed the babies, and then I made pancakes for Emily and I. Once we got ready, we made our way over to Gran's apartment to check on John, he spent the night there after having his tonsils out Wednesday morning. After the doctors warning, we were all expecting that he would be having a rough time, but he was doing great!!! When we arrived at Gran's apartment, John was sleeping so the girls and I went down to Granny's apartment to check on things. At Granny's apartment she was finishing up cooking Thanksgiving lunch. All the girls really enjoyed getting down and playing. After a little bit, we were very surprised to see John walking through the door. He had woken up and decided to come visit since he was feeling ok. He was doing so well he decided to try some of the dressing and gravy that was ready. After eating some, John sat with us for a while. I fed Ansley and Bailey. Although Ansley was not in to Thanksgiving food, our little eater Bailey loved it!!! She ate a bunch of dressing and some turkey. Emily would not eat Thanksgiving food ether, so she enjoyed a very festive peanut butter sandwich. After the kids were fed and were playing, I enjoyed some turkey, dressing, and gravy. It was very good!! Before long, the kids were getting tired, so we headed to the house for them to take naps. After naps and doing some stuff around the house, we headed back to check on John around 5. John was still doing really well!! We visited at Gran's for a while. Emily was even won over by Gran. Normally she is too scared of him, but he called her and offered her some candy and she was willing to go visit him. It was really sweat. She even fed him a piece of fudge that Emily and I had made for them Wednesday night. After a while, John, Granny, Emily, Ansley, Bailey, and I headed to Granny's apartment. We played there for a while, ate and visited. Around 6:30, PaPa came in from the house (Gran, Granny, and PaPa are moving into a house in Mauldin and he has been working to get it ready for them to move in). He played with the girls for a while, until it was time for us to head home.

Thanksgiving with the Sizemores

On Monday, November 19th, I picked the girls up from school around 3:00 and we drove to Marna's house in River Downs. We were the first to arrive, but Marna soon made it back from the store and was almost immediately followed by Daddy, Mason, and Christian. We all headed in the house, I spread the girls out with their toys in the living room, and we unloaded the car. I had brought premeal snacks so I set those up (popcorn, veggie crackers, and a veggie and dip tray) for people to snack on. All the kids enjoyed playing in the living room for a while with the girls toys. Slowly everyone else arrived. As the kids played outside, various adults helped put the last minute touches on the food. Around 6:30 we all sat down and ate. The kids were quickly finished so they got up and headed to Marna's sun room to play. Emily especially enjoyed drawing. After dinner, Ansley and Bailey were getting tired so I layed them down upstairs in Mason's room for a nap while I helped get Emily's PJs on and clean up. Since Emily was tired, John and her headed to the house, while the babies and I stayed around until they woke back up about 8:15 and we headed home.

Thanksgiving with the Dyensons

On Sunday, November 18th, around 5:00, John, Emily, Ansley, Bailey, and I headed to downtown Greenville for Thanksgiving with the Dyenson side of the family.We parked in the West End and headed to the pizza place Mellow Mushroom. We were greeted by Mom and Dave outside before heading in. Once we walked in, we found Matt, Jennifer, and Nicholas waiting, so we all made our way to the table. Soon after we got to the table, Michael, his wife, and daughter Grace arrived and were followed by Laura, Alyssa, and Ashton. All the kids seemed to enjoy pigging out on pizza and then were ready to head to the ice cream shop at the entrance to the Mellow Mushroom. Mom, John, Emily, Ashton, Alyssa, Ansley, Bailey and I went to the ice cream shop and let the kids choose their ice cream. Once they had their ice cream, we all headed back to the table for the kids to enjoy. As the big kids were finishing up their ice cream, the babies were getting restless, so we got packed up and headed out. Once we got some fresh air, everyone was settling down so we headed for Falls Park. Emily wanted to play/dance on the grassy area outside Overlook Grill. She also liked seeing the Christmas tree they had mostly put together up on the grassy circle. Soon we were joined by Laura, Alyssa, Ashton, Michael, his wife, and Grace. We all walked across the bridge and back before heading home.