Thanksgiving Week 2013

The kids had all week off of school, so we decided we'd go spend the week in Howe visiting family. It was a really nice time. We drove up Sunday after the kids and I got back from a mini road trip with Sandy to Houston for Savannah's wedding (Natalie's sister). There was a major winter weather advisory for all of north Texas, so we were a bit nervous, but we didn't even hit the tiniest bit of winter weather on our drive up (thank you God and all of our prayer warriors!). We woke up Monday morning to ice covered trees and we bundled up and drank coffee all morning.

Tuesday we did more of the same. We just enjoyed hanging out with Mom & Dad and turning off our brains and to-do lists. Wednesday, I took the kids over to Glen & Linda's house to ride horses. Linda is the mom of my childhood best friend, Mandi. It was so nice to spend some time with her on Tuesday and Wednesday. I hadn't really seen her since Abby was a baby (if that). She now has Parkinson's and is in a wheelchair after falling and breaking her hip, but she was kind enough to invite the kids over to their ranch to ride horses. The kids loved it, of course (especially Abby).

Pictures will go here once I download them.

Wednesday night, we went and helped Mom set up her booth in Canton.

Thursday was Thanksgiving and Aaron and Dad got up early to fry a turkey to take to Nanny & Pawpaw's. Thanksgiving plans had been a bit uncertain because Pawpaw was in the hospital for a week and wasn't released until Wednesday afternoon. The house was packed with [nearly] all of our huge family, and we were all so thankful to have him back at home. He was weak and very tired, but he sat in his chair and talked to just about everyone throughout the course of the day. I heard him lean over to Madison at one point (my cousin Brendon's girlfriend who joined us for the first time) and say, "Now isn't this just the greatest family there ever was? Let me tell you, I just feel so lucky."

Pictures will go here once I download them.

Friday Aaron and Dad got up and smoked a turkey and I spent the morning in the kitchen putting together Thanksgiving dinner for Grandma & Grandpa's house. We drove to Scurry late afternoon to celebrate both Thanksgiving and Grandpa's 80th birthday. Mom and Val joined us there for dinner (they'd been in Canton) and we had a nice celebration. We put together a book for Grandpa of pictures, letters, and favorite memories, so that was neat too.

Grandpa's 80th birthday

Hanging out at Grandma & Grandpa's

Valerie and I -- we did not plan this. I promise.

Saturday we spent the morning just hanging out, playing, and packing up to head back home. We took the leisurely route down 281 back down to San Antonio and savored the last hours of our "vacation". I'm so thankful for the family we've been blessed with!

A little basketball with Grandaddy before heading home