Thanksgiving Day Pictures

There we are... using the ol' timer feature on the ol' camera.

Actually it's not an "ol'" camera at all. Only a couple of years old. Seth bought it for me after I "lost" the first one he bought me.... but I didn't actually loose that first one. Only forgot that I had put it in a bag with the girl's swimming clothes and then when the summer ended, I packed the camera away with summer stuff and so I didn't find again until the following year, at which point I sheepishly announced that we now owned TWO cameras to my husband who never really saw the need for ONE camera. ☺ Oops.

Anyway, back to Thanksgiving 2010. In between mashing potatoes and baking corn casserole and candied yams, we had a little photo session in the living room. Let me just stop and list for you all the foods I remember having at my house on Thanksgiving. (Prepared by myself along with my two fabulous sisters in law)

One roasted turkey, over 20 lbs.
One deep fried turkey, also a big one
Regular stuffing
Sausage and apple stuffing
Hash brown casserole
Green bean casserole
Corn casserole
Ramen noodle salad
Fruit salad
7.5 lbs. regular mashed potatoes
7.5 lbs. cheesy baked mashed potatoes
Glazed carrots
Candied Yams
Veggie Tray
Cheese Tray
Cranberry Salad
Cranberry Sauce
Crescent Rolls

And then, because we just weren't really stuffed, we brought out:
2 apple pies
2 pumpkin pies
cheesecake with triple berry sauce (my favorite!!)
cherry pie
Oreo cookie pie
Boston cream pie
peanut butter chocolate mouse pie

I'm convinced gluttony is the besetting sin of Baptists. No drinking. No smoking. No dancing. But you can eat until you croak with no judgement from us.

Okay back to pictures... which were taken before the meal. See- we're still conscious:

Leila is 6 wks old. She is so nice and chubby already.

I brought my camera out with the intention of taking lots of pictures of the family together on Thanksgiving. Before the crowd arrived, I documented the table:

We really aren't a formal place card type of family, but I did place cards so that I wasn't asked 10 times where folks should sit, and also because my husband's side of the family eats a family meal together every Sunday, so I wanted to do a few special things to make the holiday a little more festive.

And my cheese ball art! =) The turkey to nibble on while we waited for the big ones:

And then, sadly, I put my camera down and did not pick it up until most of the day was over. I was just too busy. We had a good time and had enough food leftover to feed 3 more families our size. Leila was very fussy the whole day (now I know she actually has a cold). After cleaning up most of the giant mess in the kitchen, we headed out for the McCoy/Hammes Bowling on Thanksgiving tradition. We meet my husband's aunt and uncle, cousins and second cousins for a couple rounds. I sat out this year, simply so that I didn't embarrass any of the men with my intimidating bowling skills.

Okay, not really. I was honestly just so tired. I enjoying sitting and watching, while rocking a still fussy Leila in her car seat.

The older girls had a BLAST.

And my husband did great. How could he not!?! I mean really, look at those huge muscles... the pins just fall over in surrender at the sight of him.

The girls with their beloved Grandpa.... who Maddie calls her "sweetie pie".

After bowling, everyone is ready for round two at the turkey. So we enjoy sandwiches and more pie at the Hammes home. Here, we piled all the grand kids who were there on the couch with Grandpa for not so perfect but still a treasure picture.

What a fun day! How was YOUR thanksgiving??

Love,