The decorating and the eating....yum

Emma and Whitney did the decorations for Thanksgiving this year and they did an excellent job. Everything looked so beautiful and Thanksgivingy. For several weeks in advance they had meetings and shopped and planned and then added one thing we'd never done ever before. A few weeks before Thanksgiving, they mailed out invitations to all of us and enclosed were small pretty papers for each person in the family. Each of us was to write down things we were thankful for and then give them back to the decorators. Then, on Thanksgiving day, they displayed them and read each one after dinner. After each one was read, Becky matched every single one to the correct person. It was a stunning feat to behold. Some were hopeful and some were wistful and some were silly, but all were sweet and touching.

It was a great new tradition started this year.

It was a great idea.

I love passing torches to the younger generation and although they insist they aren't quite ready for the meal cooking, it's evident they have the decorating down to a fine art at a young age.

Great job girls. Have a look at their masterpiece.

These are the thankful cards on display.


I loved them all.


The table decorations were quite lovely. Owen's taking a much needed break.


Big Frank never met a glass jar he didn't like...and neither has Whitney.


A close up of the table.


Loved the place cards with a pretty fall leaf adding a little something extra.


Love this


Dinner's ready and it's time to eat!


Austin and Jared were eating so fast the camera couldn't keep up.


Rebecca June that's a crook eye if ever I've seen one. Love the full mouth on me.


Maggie's enjoying giving her version of the one eyed crook eye.


Carlie and Olivia seem pleased about being at the kiddie table.


Whitney's attempting to read the thankful cards. She didn't make it without needing a tissue.


Love this picture.


Although I look pretty rough, I'm loving how skinny my face looks and therefore believe the posting of this pic was totally worth the "rode hard" look.


As far as I can remember though, Caitlin did absolutely nothing to help with the day so she looks fresh as a daisy.


And yes girls who did the photo shoot before during and after the dinner, I'll be posting those as well but I figured I'd get through the actual giving of thanks before moving on to the millions of pics of all of you. Sigh....don't any of you ever get tired of seeing your own faces? I know I do!

Mauhahahahahahahaha

Just kidding

But I'll kick you.