Thanksgiving Weekend

Be warned, this is a long post!! We've had quite a full weekend! I thought I'd just let you all know if you were wondering that cooking the whole Thanksgiving meal went very well. (with a little help from the stove-top-box - ha). I made most of it from scratch, but thought that it would make it easier to use a few "helpers". Anne Marie and I started cooking on Wednesday while daddy was working. She had so much fun. Helping me cook is one of her favorite things to do.

Then, Thanksgiving day we spent with Mike's parents. They came to our house (bearing gifts for Anne Marie of course - a cute little gift to eat her dinner on!!) Mike's mom did bring the rolls and very special desserts for Anne Marie since Mike had requested that I make my white-chocolate pecan pie, she thought that Anne Marie might like her dessert a little better (and oh did she!)

Then Thanksgiving night after everyone left, we got Anne Maire's Christmas tree out. We have a "fancy" tree that I put in the living room upstairs, but year before last Mike went out after Christmas and bought her a pre-lit-colored-light tree and "kiddy" ornaments so that she would have a fun Christmas tree. Over the last 2 years we've been collecting ornaments for her tree. We got a few the December before she came home, and then we got a few cute ornaments while in China, we ordered some from our favorite China-web-site during the Olympics, and even Hallmark had a few really cute ornaments last year. She had a BLAST putting up her tree!!

Then on Friday, we drove to my dad's family's house to have Thanksgiving dinner with them, and visit for a couple of days. I have so many great memories of their house. It's one of my favorite places! They have a beautiful home out in the country with tons of space to run & play. They have horses, ducks, dogs, cats, and my cousin (who just lives down the road) even has pigs. I think Anne Marie loves it just as much as I do there! We even got to ride the new pony they just got (not me -- but Mike and Anne Marie did!!). My cousins children just love Anne Marie. I almost get a "break" while I'm there because her daughter, Tessa, takes care of Anne Marie like she's a little mommy -- and they both seem to enjoy themselves.

What a wonderful weekend we had!! I hope your Thanksgiving holiday was as special as ours was! -- Now... Bring On Christmas!!!!

This is part of the centerpiece of our table -- it's a card we made for Grandma & Grandpa - it's a Turkey made from Anne Marie's thumb & finger prints.

This is Wednesday - Anne Marie helping me prepare for dinner

Anne Marie using her special new plate, cup, fork/spoon set that the Grandparents got her (it has a cute little boy & girl turkey all over it!)

These are the "turkey cupcakes" Mike's mom made for Anne Marie's dessert -- aren't they cute?? She also made a yummy chocolate/cream cake & cookies too!!


Anne Marie & Grandpa taking a "rest" after a very filling meal!


Putting the star on the Christmas tree.




One of her favorite ornaments is her hello kitty. We bought that for her right after we got her referral where she was sitting in the hello kitty blow-up chair. We thought it was so funny!



Hallmark made these "around the world" ornaments last year.. how sweet is this?


This is one of the ornaments we bought while in China. Anne Marie loved this one. She thought that was her on the fish. (I do put her hair in pony-tails like that sometimes)

These are the Olympic ornaments we ordered.

Another China-purchase ornament & Hallmark ornament



Now, between Anne Marie, and our two cats (this is Elizabeth) let's see how long the ornaments last on the tree this year!!

At my cousins house - Anne Marie just loved to watch the pigs..

Anne Marie and Daddy getting ready to ride the pony Dixie.

I thought we were never going to get her off the pony. She rode her twice, and laughed the whole time, however she did NOT want to get near the "big horsey". She would squeeze her eyes shut tight when she would ride the little pony near the big horses so she didn't have to "know they were there". It cracked us up!!

These are my cousins three children. They are all so sweet. They love being w/ all the animals, and Tessa was so sweet with Anne Marie and helping her with the pony. (Can you tell I was having fun w/ my new camera - trying to take "special" pictures?? - haa)


Uncle Gary reading to Tessa & Anne Marie - Anne Marie just loves uncle Gary!!