We had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Another of Mike's brothers and his cute family came from Texas for the weekend. We love Ben and Karen and little Anna and Scottie! 8 little cousins (counting Curtis and Kristi's 5, and Lydia) all in one place! It was so much fun!
And the food was exceptional! Especially the 8 pies (Shera and Joseph should be proud) including my very first ever home-made pie (which was a phenomenal pecan pie - with homemade pie crust and everything)! I'm well on my way to domestic perfection (although I'll never hold a candle to my gourmet sisters)!

The weather all week was to die for! The kids were able to play outside most of the time. I love these southern autumns! We all went to the zoo on Friday. It was Mike's first time to come, since usually he has something called a job while I get to go play. I enjoyed getting to impart with the family my various zoological facts, from my glory days of being a zoo keeping intern. Lydia's favorite part was the playground. She found a little slide she could climb up to all by herself and shimmy her bottom to the edge. She loved it!


She also loved the monkey bars. Mike held her up there and she'd just hang and laugh and laugh! What a nut!
We also got into the Christmas spirit WAY early this year! We bought a tree on a super sale and put it up the day after Thanksgiving! And we actually have ornaments this year! Mom and Pop (Mike's parents) were getting rid of a whole box of Ecuador hand-made salt dough ornaments that I just fell in love with! Hooray for pretty Christmas things! And I set up our whole two Nativities! Oh, I love Christmas! Happy holidaying!