Thanksgiving 2013

Happy Fiends!! Friends!! (LOL, I mis-typed that but it made me laugh so I'm leaving it for kicks!)

I know Thanksgiving Day has long since come and gone, but here I am, to give you a little Autumn feel in the middle of Winter!

So. Thanksgiving day, cooking, the smell of the turkey, and so many Loved are around...

Above, Urchins take break from feast-cooking to watch something funny. (J, Gracia and Edwin are unsure as to it's being humorous...)

 

(I love the kitchen in a house. :)

  

Martha cooking up something wonderful! (the A.'s and Tayte are on their way and will be here in a bit!! )

  

Daddy carves The Fowl

 

   The tables is set, the prayers are prayed,

 The Feast is feasted,

And then Grand Daddy reads words from Plymouth; his deep, resonant voice clear and strong in the still room. To hear your Grandfather speaking the words of your forefathers, all men who feared and fear the Lord, who love Him more than anything...it is a blessing that few surpass.

 "What could now sustain them but the Spirit of God and His grace? May not and ought not the children of these fathers rightly say: "Our fathers were Englishmen which came over this great ocean, and were ready to perish in this wilderness; but they cried unto the Lord, and He heard their voice and looked on their adversity," etc. "Let them therefore praise the Lord, because He is good: and his mercies endure forever. Yea, let them which have been redeemed of the Lord, show how He hath delivered them from the hand of the oppressor. When they wandered in the desert wilderness out of the way, and found no city to dwell in, both hungry and thirsty, their soul was overwhelmed in them." "Let them confess before the Lord His lovingkindness and His wonderful works before the sons of men."

                                                                                                                             -William Bradford

So many beloved people in one place....(We missed Mrs. Karen and Elizabeth (got to feeling poorly :( ) and Dee and Noah and Cleve and Lise and their boys. But phone calls help in such cases. :D )

So beautiful looking down and seeing all their eyes, and smiles and eating styles. LOL.

 Nieces through the leaves.

That afternoon everybody took naps. Look at these two angel children asleep on Grand Daddy and Nana's bed!! Little girlie cousins are so precious together.

Later we turn on a video, the sounds coming in from the other room, and you have that refreshed feeling after you wake up from a nap. And Rook is played!!! Joyous. This is a fearsome environment, kindly friends. Auntie is not to be trifled with.

Nana and her coach plot from the other side of the table.

Her winning hand is revealed. Nana triumphs amidst the sound of she and Coach's sinister chuckles of glory.

Madi is penalized for using her stare tactics to intimidate her opponent.

And Rachel apparently has "The Bird". (kah! kahh!)

Gabby, this reminds me of Mr. Hurst off P&P. :D

I perceive Cleveland and Lise's presence!!! ;D Gotta love our Fun Couple!!!

That afternoon, we played the world's funnest game using pickups, ropes and plastic-
TARPS!!!!
Y'all, this is so. so. fun. It feels sort of like tubing behind a motor boat. :) Only you don't get wet.

Here, Tayte temporarily rules from 'The Tire' in an all-boys wrestle round, as Wesley and Andrew attack him viciously.

Hey Gabby!!!

Will Cakes! (I see you had pumpkin pie, young sprout.)"I'm taving it for later."
Your smile melts my heart, little man.

The saga continues...

Later, my beastly brother Andrew sews up his own mighty gash.
With his other hand.
He. is. fully. awesome.

That night, we went to the square; I love this so much. I love this little town. Everybody bundled up, their hot coffee steaming up into the nippy air, little children high on their daddy's shoulders, and the lights everywhere above you and reflecting off the shop windows...
It was such an amazing night, too-we passed out tracts and sang on the corner and talked to people about the Lord and their life. So grateful for Daddy and Uncle Frank leading us all in it, it was so good and I pray that some people asked Jesus to save them and be their Lord that night...

Lukie, our adorable bundled grand young!!!

Buddies.

Here we are at our traditional stop at Sid's! This is the best antique store in the world, pretty much. We always pick out our favorite ornaments and ah over rings and pick out our favorites.

Everybody looks so disapproving and snobbish in this picture.
"What!? Oh my. Is that a topiary reindeer? Bah!"

(some of) The party!! (a lot of people had already loaded up in various cars) They went down the air slide!! (hahaha!!)  (Paul, love, are thou chilled?)

Back at the house, we play games and eat leftovers in the barn while we wait for the Scroggins to arrive!

Bear Cub, I love thee.

Risk!

It was risky.

And Chess! It was challenging....

...for some of us. 

(Slightly evil chuckle) Here I am, creaming Alyssa at this game of wits. For the third time.

"What did this do to you? Tell me. And remember, this is for posterity so be honest. How do you feel"
 *weeping*

(I did let her win on our fourth game, so she wouldn't feel bad)
I love thee, friend, and your chess skills, limited as they may be.

In the living room one morning! Mornings are loved. The smell of coffee and bacon and my Grand Daddy's cologne, socked feet and the fire crackling - the men talk over everything and solve the problems of the world and sharpen each other - and laugh - and enjoy each other immensely.

 And here's some of my men in the study one evening.
(Just to say-I love that these men are so manly - which is awesome, and rare, and beautiful.)

Y'all are sounding great, Smith kids!!! Your singing was beautifully done.

Random junk on random table, up-side down.
(hooray for Phill!!!)

Breakfast in the barn one morning. So wonderful having the Scroggins there for the latter part of the weekend.

Uncle Frank and Wesley.

The Lambkins continue their quest for fame and power. Carnal little things. ;)

Laz!!! This child. He is so precious.

Little Boys are golden.
(Paul? Frankie, what are y'all doing?)

Andrew and Moriah battle away. Not sure who won.

I think we should do this more often. :) Skeet shooting! For some reason it's incredibly entertaining to watch. And shoot, too. Everybody was amazing!!! (Well. I say that. Everybody was amazing, just not in the same way. Hahah. You know who you are. ;P )

"Behold thou, Great Marksman, who kicketh tail in yonder pastures green!"

(So cool-you can see the fragments here)

John is completely wonderful and was so sweet to run the skeet thrower for everybody.
(Your check vest, my boy, is scrumptious, by the way, and looks quite at home with shotguns.)

"Could be the kid has a point...Well. We'll see what the man's sellin'. THEN we'll shoot him"....

I got to shoot too, and hit one very happy clay pigeon. Yayyy for me!!

Shell Art

Little girls!!!! Oh my word, we love you...you two make everything brighter...

Oh, that morning, a lot of the Moms and daughters loaded up to go shopping and have lunch out together and have a pink time!!!! :)

Here's Alyssa and I, when we started out, looking amazing!

And here's Alyssa and I, coming back, looking amazing.

Oh, and for lunch, we went to Old Mexico, which is pretty much the most wonderful spot on earth to eat lunch. Here's some of us girls at one table (the moms were one or two over) having a blast! To have some of your favorite people at one of your favorite spots, is truly a gift.

Oh, but we missed Marth that day, so super much. But, uh, she was spending the day with Someone. Need I add, a special someone?? I mean, what else would she rather spend the day doing? Shopping, Old Mexico-us??

Love is a beautiful thing. :D

We gave poor Sojo a lemon to see her sour face. 
The oldest girls there should have stopped such immature behavior, poor baby.
Her face was cute, though.

Upon our return home, we found this fantastically delirious kitchen.
Our poor mens were twyin' to 'pind dems some 'tustenance for afer'noon 'nack...

Hors d'oeuvres! I love these get-to-gethers! (These chips were obviously a hit)

Aunt Kressy holds Lynora!!! (This child is seriously cute, and the lady is seriously lovely.)

Alyssa tries to repair her damaged reputation. It was only further cemented. (at this point she began a crazed laugh as Sam killed her last rook...)

LOL....oh, and there's Lynora again with Aunt Mimi!! Popular child.

Aunt Lisa!!! Beautiful Mrs. Campana. I love this picture! So fun watching people watch funny videos...

Hope and Rose, two darlin' girls!

We played "The Married Person Game" that night and it was absolutely hilarious. Laughed so hard. Marriage is such an intricate, interesting and beautiful thing!! So grateful for all these amazing couples!

Luke being admired by Aunties Birdie and Beth!

And, to end the evening, here is Nick and Rose, so completely precious and classic! Love this picture.

And, so ends one of the most wonderful times together. What a blessing to have seen so many dear friends throughout the weekend....much love to each one!

And thanks to our Lord, for His love, for Himself. For everybody around us, and for the rain falling outside today. It is beautiful landing on the buttercups beside the porch.

It's been fun thinking about Thanksgiving in March.

Thankfully, with love,

Adeline, for everybody here.