Thanksgiving in Baltimore

In early November, Daniel and Dalynn called. Luke and Jenn’s family was joining them for Thanksgiving dinner and we were invited.  So, the three of us flew to Baltimore for the 3^rd time this year.  Boy, did we ever have fun.  Playing with kids and grandkids, eating deep fried turkey, watching Luke and Daniel play in the backyard together (They were building a ski lift and ski slope), cutting down Christmas trees, decorating wreaths, wrapping presents and visiting.  There’s no better way to spend Thanksgiving.

We started the day with the first annual Daniel L. Thomas Turkey Bowl.  While it was pretty chilly that morning, it didn't stop the guys and even girls from getting out there on the icy grass and throwing that ball around.  Most of us sat on blankets and drank hot chocolate. 

 

As it warmed up the kids started moving around and even drew pictures in the dirt.  Pretty good picture of a turkey at the turkey bowl.

 

Afterwards there was even a little time for "father-son" ball.

 

  When we got home most of us stayed inside and watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade...

 

 but not Luke and Daniel.  They headed back outside to play. 

 

  They had a ski lift to built.  Seriously!  Where's the snow you ask?

 

Later on Daniel got the bird ready for the fryer...

 

while the girls were busy in the kitchen.

 

And when it was all ready we sat down to a wonderful dinner with family and friends.

I have to say deep fried turkey is fantastic, so moist.  Good job Daniel!

 

After things were cleaned up, put away and the little ones in bed, Jenn, Karly, Alisha and I went to the show "The Life of Pi".  Very interesting movie.  Personally, I enjoyed it but it left questions in my head. 

 

The next morning we had a fun breakfast of a yummy foreign pancake (can't remember what kind it was but it was good) and fruit.

 

Then we put on our coats went outsde.  While we were waiting for everyone we did a front yard tree photo shoot. 

 

Afterwards we loaded up the cars and started the hunt for the perfect Christmas tree.

 

 



 Back in the cars we headed down the road and found a fun place for dinner.  We also stopped and picked up a few things to wrap Christmas presents and make a wreath for the door.

While some decorated the tree, Karly and I wrapped presents.  Afterwards we decorated a wreath and hung it on the door.  This is the second year we spent Thanksgiving in Baltimore, cut and decorated a tree and a door wreath.  We are so blessed.

October - A month of Gratitude

At the end of September my friend Julie gave me a gratitude list.  She said since I had a new camera I should join her in a month of shooting pictures of gratitude.  Each day we took pictures of something we were grateful for and our object was listed for us.

Here are the pictures of the things I am grateful for.

Day 1 - Where I sleep .   I'm so grateful for a clean, warm place to sleep each night.

















Day 2 - Favorite smile    Oops, I can't turn this picture upright.  Sorry.  Keep smiling Dan.

Day 3 -.Happiness

      My back yard and my flower beds

 

Day 4 - Leaves

 

 

Day 5 -  The Morning Sky  - since it's still dark when I leave home every morning this picture was taken as the sun was rising outside my classroom window.



 

Day 6 -  Books



 

Day 7 -  Something Funny - This is our whole crop of corn from our garden this summer.  One for each of us. Pretty funny.

Day 8 -  Colors

  

Day 9 -  Inspiring Person - Alisha Alison Thomas

 

Day 10 -  Nature

 

Day 11 - Something old - This is my Grandmother's china cabinet.  I have wonderful memories of standing in front of it when I'd visit her in her basement house.  I would stand there and look at all her beautiful things and she'd tell me where they came from.  It's one of my favorite memories and she promised  I could have it when she passed on.  It's now in my living room.  I love it like I loved my granma.

This is the first tea set I ever received.  It was also from my Grandma Rhode. She gave it to me out of the china cabinet when I was a little girl.

 

These  are my hands.  I got looking at them when I took these pictures and realized they are also "old".  But then so am I.  Respectively speaking, of course.  I think my hands look older than I feel.  Probably from rising dirty diapers out in the toilet for so many years.  That's my excuse and I'm sticking with it.  :-)

 

Day 12 - Hands

So there you go. Just look at Day 11 and here are some more precious hands. 

These are Dan's hands and I've always loved them.  He has very large, smooth, gentle hands.

 

 

Sweet, helping hands

Kind, loving hands

Day 13 - Written Words

 

Day 14 - Movement - Slow but steady growth of backside.  Not so funny!

 

 Day 15 - Technology

 

Day 16 - Animals

 



Day 17 - Memories - From the frames to the people - Memories~!

 

  

Day 18 - Something new

                                                                Katara Coco Charlene Suguturaga



 

     Brooklyn Gradys Nelson's Blessing Dress

 

Day 19 -Best Friend - sidewise but only in the photo.

 

Day 20- Seasonal  - Pictures from my classroom

 

 



Brooklyn Gladys Nelson

Brooklyn Gradys Nelson was born Sept. 12, 2012 and one of the joys of having new baby granddaughters is being asked to make the blessing dress.  Laura had some ideas of what she liked so she sent me a website to look at.  There were three pretty dresses and I picked one that I thought would work.  She liked the skirt part of it but not the flower applique on the shoulder.  She also didn't particularly like the plain bodice on the other dress so I made the skirt that she liked and then tried to think of what to do with the plain bodice.  I was looking through my laces and ribbons when I came across a piece of lace that had come from Granma Great's sewing. 

 

 It was perfect for this little dress. 

 

All in all, I think it turned out pretty nice and Brooklyn looked beautiful in it.  Thanks for asking Laura.