Thanksgiving 2010

As always we have SO MUCH to be thankful for. I love this picture as it captures the heart of the holidays - a time to gather in recognition of all God is and all He has given.

But let's back up a bit... while Stacey, mom and I were cooking, Tammy was talking/cleaning and the hubby's and the kids kept very busy by...

playing in the play room (best part of the house for sure!)...

playing around in the great outdoors...
looking SCARY and getting work done...

driving around the property feeling free....

Holding baby animals...

(the vertical pictures keep flipping???)

fighting Uncles...

My dad keeps himself very busy these days buying animals, thinking of things to have built for the animals and then changing his mind, selling animals and making changes to what he has built. Here he is giving Kyle the latest tour. He grew up on a chicken ranch and I think somehow that is coming back to him. He now has around 200 chickens and has built more chicken pens, tunnels and even a play house - i don't get it?

Okay, now back to the main event... dinner was finally ready, everyone was clean and we all gathered together again to enjoy the evening. With Stacey's help my mom is making her home such a beautiful place to be and it set the perfect stage for a Thanksgiving feast.

As alwasy we went around the table, each one of us saying what we are most thankful for over the past year and I LOVE that part of the evening. We may make fun of people for their answers and make a joke out of parts of it but the truth is we have to try to keep it together because each year there are those of us facing hard things and those of us who have overcome hard things and all of us just truly grateful to our Saviour for giving us strength to face whatever comes.

not sure how this little girl made it to the grown up table this year... but I LOVED having her there.

Stacey's family...

The kids table...

After Dinner we took lots of pictures. Here are the cousins...

My crazy bunch...

My parents and Chanelle (my cousins daughter) who we were so lucky to have join us this year...

Tammy's multi-cultural family (or at least it looks that way)...

And here is Adia's highlight of the night. After years of Auntie Tammy torturing her and me not ever allowing her do anything back I finally said okay. Please don't feel sorry for Tammy - she has done this to Adia so many times (and much worse things also)!

Hope you all had a HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Oh, and here we are on the way home. More to come on Adia's bunny experiment later.