Thanksgiving 2011

We hosted Thanksgiving this year with all of David's family and had such a great time. We volunteered for the job looooong before we knew the bambino was on the way and I was afraid that we would have to cancel the festivities when I was oh-so-sick and dead-dog-tired during those first few months of pregnancy. It all worked out perfect, though, and I was neither sick nor feeble.

I was still a little tired and did not have it in me to bust out the camera. I took not one single picture the whole time.

But I did cook three meals a day over the weekend for 13+ people and Thanksgiving dinner for 24.
And I'm growing a person in my belly.

I think you can cut me some slack, right?

I managed to steal these pictures from some guest's Facebook pages.
I didn't ask. I just took.
Sorry.

Anyway, you can tell we had a lot of fun.



I have no pictures to prove it, but on the morning of Thanksgiving, David organized a family Turkey Trot 2 mile race. He mapped out a course and marked it with flour. The winner was promised to be first in the Thanksgiving dinner line and bragging rights. Some people were thrilled with the idea, some were hesitant participants, and some declined to participate at all. I Turkey Trotted because I love my husband.

There may or may not have been some cheaters who took a short cut.

That night a lot of people ate a lot of food. I don't have any pictures of the food, but it was plentiful and delicious. 

 

I brined my turkey this year Pioneer Woman style and I was not disappointed! Brining is super fun and makes a really good bird! Viva la Turkey Brine!

I did scrounge up a picture of the dessert table. I think I may blog the recipe for the the Oreo Brownie Trifle that you see in the middle of the table...it was a big hit! And I love using my trifle bowl, don't you! I get the biggest kick out of trifles.

The father of my child.



 Over the weekend we played a lot of basketball in the driveway...



We went antiquing on Black Friday...



And played a mean game of Ultimate Frisbee in the park behind our house.



Please look at this crazy pregnant woman diving for a Frisbee. Who is she?



If you missed a pass, you had to do a cartwheel. I may have instigated this rule. 
I had to really be on my "A" game.
'Cause I'm in no position to do a cartwheel.



 On Saturday, we went to Stone Mountain.
And we climbed it.
I didn't even know you could do that. My Stone Mountain experiences were limited to this.

I will give you a word of advice.
Maternity jeans were not made for adventure.
Please do not try to climb a mountain in your maternity jeans.
You will regret it. You might sit on a tree stump halfway to the top and cry about your lot in life.



David's brother and his family were able to come from Texas to spend Thanksgiving with us, and we were all so happy to get to spend time with their kids. His sister and her husband came all the way from Chicago and the rest of his family from Florida. It's quite a feat to get all of these peeps together.



We all had such a great time together. We spent a lot of time sitting on the porch and sitting by the fire chatting and laughing. Because our family is spread so far apart, we do not take times like this for granted. I'm always happiest when my house is full of people that we love...and especially when it's overflowing with people like it was this Thanksgiving!

Now on to Christmas!
mel