Well, as quickly as it came, it went! Time with the family. Always hurried and too short. Always too busy preparing, then cleaning up! Never enough time to do all the visiting and catching up that you want to do.
We did have a couple of wonderful days. Our oldest daughter and hubby hosted again this year in their new home. Everyone had lots more room to spread out. The weather was such that the kids played out most of the time.
Tim and I began the holiday Wednesday evening after church. We had the car packed and ready to go and were on the road by 9:00 p.m. Our first destination was the Holiday Inn in Beckley, WV. It was a free stay that we earned for being with a rewards member for a year (we actually pay $49 a year for the membership, so I would say that is what our "free" stay actually cost us!)! Not a bad deal! I always sleep well in Holiday Inn beds.....except this night. Since I was driving, I could not take my PMs like I usually do. So, it was almost midnight before I got to take them. Not good! Let's just say that it was time to wake up about the same time I finally fell soundly asleep!
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| Tim is getting comfortable and watching a bit of TV before lights out. |
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| We ate breakfast at the hotel and headed on our way to Jessica's. |
Kim was up from Florida visiting friends, taking in the Ark Encounter and visiting with our brother Joe. So, Jessica invited her to come, which she did and brought Joe with her. It was wonderful to see them. They arrived just a few minutes before we arrived. So we were able to spend all day Thursday together.
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| Araya is shy for the camera, sometimes! |
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| Small crowd for lunch Thursday. |
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| Getting ready to teach Thad how to play Chinese Checkers. |
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| Playing UNO, a favorite with everyone. |
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| Playing Euchre and eating snacks. |
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| The Brandenburg "kids" that don't have the opportunity to be together very often. My sister, Kim. My brother, Joe. Kim is the baby at 56 years. Joe is the middle child at 59. I'm the oldest at 61. |
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| Araya and papaw. She couldn't understand why she couldn't sit on papaw's left side due to his surgery and skin grafting. |
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| A selfie |
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| Jessica, our oldest, and her hubby, Terry. |
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| Sisters. |
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| Another selfie. |
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| Mamaw and Thad |
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| The new, driving teen, Michael, and his mom. Michael was the first to make me a grandma in 2001. I thought I was too young to be a grandma until it happened and then I was ready! :D |
I ended up getting very nauseous later on in the day and went to bed soon after Kim and Joe left. Took some nausea medicine, my PMs and was in bed around 8:30. It took about an hour for the meds to kick in. I felt better and was able to finally go to sleep. I'll be so glad when the doctors can figure out what is going on with my stomach issues!
Friday was the actual Thanksgiving dinner for the Day side of the family. It was loads of fun, even though it was busy and the time passed quickly! I had to watch what I ate as I was still not feeling exactly up to par. I think that is what I miss the most with the stomach issue.....enjoying TOO much food on the holidays! :(
The pictures are not in any particular order.
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| Abby cuteness |
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| Adalina loved racing the hot wheels down the stairs on the track. |
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| Araya cuteness |
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| Araya helping me with the mulled cider recipe. |
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| Circle of prayer before we eat. |
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| There were 21 people present which made for lots of tables and chairs. |
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| Terry's mom and step dad (on the left) were able to share the day with us. |
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| The tween and teen cousins (the oldest 2). |
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| Beautiful tree. |
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| Chit chatting before lunch. |
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| Just a portion of the food. |
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| Nice spread of food! |
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| Tim's mom and sister. |
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| Nat ended up sitting with Addy. The other kids ended up sitting at the adult tables. |
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| Tim with 2 of his 3 siblings, Jeff and Jennifer. |
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| Jeff and Linda |
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| Siblings and mom |
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| Our family, minus Michael, who was entertaining his in-laws in Alabama. |
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| We don't often get the pleasure of Nathanael hanging out with us. |
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| Dick, Terry's step dad, Terry and his mom, Jeanne. |
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| Brad and Elisabeth and their 3 children, Hannah, Abby and Ryan. |
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| Nathanael and Adalina. |
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| Araya being shy. |
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| Papaw with some of the grands before everyone arrived. |
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| Araya with donut sugar on her nose giving me a "cheese" grin. |
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| My love and me. |
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| The mess at the bottom of the stairs after sending them all down the hot wheels track. |
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| Abby and Thad cleaning up their part. They played together all day. |
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| The hosts with the mostest! |
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| Love my girls. |
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| Siblings. Jessica will be 37 on Jan. 2. Nat was 31 on June 20. Elisabeth was 33 on Sept. 9. Michael was 35 on June 9. |
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| My beautiful girls. |
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| My handsome son. |
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| I think it's safe to say that we were NOT ready for this picture! :D |
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| A better picture of Liz's family. |
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| Ryan and Chance.....trouble waiting to happen! :D |
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| Araya woke up sick and stood watching longingly as her cousins played outside. |
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| Cute cousins. |
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| Working on the track to run all the hot wheels down. |
Lots of playing, chatting, joking, eating, pictures, loving and memories to hold onto. Thank You, Lord, for Your blessings on me!
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