the essence

How to start?

Sometimes so much happens in such a short span of time that I have a difficult time blogging. And, then, so much time can pass that it can be easier to simply not blog!

But, Thanksgiving was fantastic!

Wednesday we left to pick-up Ray from work to join him for lunch at IKEA. We had coupons for free meals in the restaurant & I'll admit it was fun to be able to try different meals (& desserts!) instead of the usual hot dogs in the cafe. Ray also surprised me when I picked him up from the office & told me that he was finished for the day rather than his usual end time of 4:00! Because of that we were able to leave straight for Orlando & get there around 4:30.

Eva & Livi were at my parents' house hanging out when we arrived & they joined us for dinner. Addison loves Eva & says that she is her "cousin."



After dinner we left the kids with my parents (hey, we put the younger two to bed first!) & went to Barnes & Noble. You never know when your next alone time will be so I always take the chance when we get one. So, it may've been our second night out in less than a week but for we know the next night out could be two months away!

Thanksgiving morning we spent relaxing around the house, Megan came over at 9:00 & we turned on the parade without really watching it. I still enjoyed my traditional coffee & Publix pecan danish!



I was really excited that we were able to go visit Renee & family in the morning. For the first time in 20+ years they didn't have any company for Thanksgiving so we went over & spent time with their family for a couple of hours. The girls had fun playing & we sat around chatting & watching them prepare their Thanksgiving meal.

I love the look on Clays' face in the photo.



Livi, me & Sara - I've known these girls since the day they were born!





We got home PAST nap time. I still tried for a decent family photo. It didn't go well.




We went to Dar's for Thanksgiving dinner around 4. Lots of fun spending time with friends, chatting & eating yummy food. Seriously, lots of food. At least three turkeys, a ham, tons of grape leaves, three kinds of stuffing...you get the idea.



Some of the NINETEEN pies. We take our desserts very seriously.



Kate has really gotten into singing lately. She loves to sit at the piano & sing. We're not sure which hymn she was going for, but we kept catching the words "Lord" & "God."



Megan is 32 weeks pregnant now! I, on the other hand, am not pregnant, for the first Thanksgiving in three years!



Keith, Megan & I - quite possibly the most decent photo of the three of us together in 20 years!



We went on a post-meal walk & made it back to my parents & in bed before 10! Ray & I left for a little shopping around 6:30 in the morning but we were quickly called back to my parents' to a hungry Clay! Then, we drove home to work our holiday shifts & settle back in from a fun week!