Thanksgiving

I am so thankful to have married into such a wonderful family!  They're the kind of people that make you feel instantly welcomed...as if you've always been a part of their family.  And they're a family that values time together.  

We spent Thanksgiving day at Matt's grandparents' house and had such a great time!  I don't remember the last time we were all able to make it to the Thanksgiving Day get-together.

Our little family--Thanksgiving 2010

 It was so nice having the entire family together in one place, with the exception of a few missing -- a cousin (Randy) stationed overseas for the military, his kids, and the fiance of Matt's cousin Rachel.  I love my husband's family and this Thanksgiving I was truly thankful to have time spent with them.  We don't get to see each other very often and I often wish we all lived closer together.  But nonetheless, these are definitely times to cherish...

Of course there was tons of great food!  But we all know great food isn't complete without great desserts!

Matt eating the coveted chocolate pretzel sticks...before the meal!

Gracie got lots of cuddles, which she thoroughly enjoyed....

With Aunt Noelle and soon-to-be Uncle Johnathan

Sitting with Uncle Johnathan

Still happy with Uncle Johnathan

With Gigi and Aunt Noelle

Aunt Noelle has a comfy lap for napping...

...and so does Mema!

Isaac had fun with Taylor, Rachel's daughter.  Hard to believe that Taylor was three years old when she was the flower girl in our wedding.  Now she's eight!

Getting "fish" out of the pond...

...which were actually a bunch of leaves.  :)

Roller skating in Taylor's skates

A little help from Mommy

What's Thanksgiving without watching football???

Uncle Tim and Johnathan

Matt, Isaac, and Gracie

Me and Isaac

Isaac had the most fun with Papa (Matt's dad).  Papa had quite the opportunity to work off his Thanksgiving meal, to say the least.

 

He really made Isaac's day when he gave Isaac his old football helmet from his pee-wee football days.  Isaac is obsessed with football helmets at this point, so needless to say it was pretty much on his head for the rest of the day...and has been ever since.

Isaac and Gracie with Papa and Gigi...

Four generations...
The men

Isaac, Papa, Matt, Papa Lloyd

Taylor, Mema, Rachel, Aunt Jenyne

 The women

Time

A couple of nights ago I was looking through pictures on our camera, organizing them on the computer, and I realized that I have done exactly what I said I wouldn't do.  I've taken fewer pictures of Gracie than I did of Isaac.  Not intentionally, by any means.  But just as I've been told, I'm finding that it really is harder, having a toddler running around, to capture every priceless little moment of your second child -- just as you did for the first.

Gracie will be 3 months old this week and I have absolutely NO idea where the time has gone.  And suddenly, I feel a sense of urgency to capture everything possible on camera.  She is such a precious addition to our family and quite frankly, the most beautiful little girl I have ever seen!  (I realize I'm biased, but just look at this face!)

What is it about time that makes us so fearful?  Or what do I hate so much about time?  Good things can come with time.  Healing.  Growth.  Improvement.  But still yet, it feels like my greatest enemy as a mother.  It just goes by so fast! 

I know that we are sinners in need of grace, created for God's glory.  And our job as parents is to help our children grow up -- to be God-fearing, God-honoring adults who serve God with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength, and take His Gospel to the nations.  So as a mother who understands this, why is it so hard knowing my babies will grow up?

Maybe it's the innocence that we see in our children.  Their endless excitement over the simplest things.  Their crocodile tears that stop with mommy's cuddles.  The fascination we see in their eyes when they are learning something new.  The sparkle in their eyes or the sweet, soft pitch of their voices.  

A friend stated it well when she said, "I wish I could capture every smile, every giggle, and every cuddle...and keep it forever."  Oh, what I would do to freeze time!  I would hold them and rub their smooth, soft skin.  I would stare at them forever and burn into my memory every soft curve of their faces, their long eyelashes, button noses, porcelain skin, and the color of their lips.  I would smile at my baby and watch her face light up.  I would talk to my son and listen to his adorable pronunciation of words.  I would rock them and sing songs at bedtime.  I would play until my heart's content -- I would color, and tickle, and chase, and continuously rebuild a train set, and make pancakes out of play-doh.  And while I have these moments now with my children, they'll be over all too quickly and this week has been another realization of that.  Time just goes by way too fast.

Football and Patriotism

This morning I had the radio on to the local radio station, and every morning before the morning show the National Anthem is played.  Isaac suddenly stopped playing, looked at the radio and said, "Football...(pause)...Helmet...(pause)...Go Broncos!"  Well, at least we can instill some patriotism in him by way of Friday Night Lights in west Texas.  :)

Saluting the flag during the National Anthem at a high school football game

"Trick-or-Treat"

We took Isaac trick-or-treating this year for the first time.  Our small west Texas town blocks off the streets of a certain area that's the hot spot for acquiring sugar-loaded goodies.  So we dressed the kids in their costumes, loaded up the strollers and made our way around the neighborhood. 



Our sweet little lamb.





Buzz Lightyear!

 Isaac loved all the free candy, to say the least.  When given the opportunity to pick out the candy he wanted, needless to say he was a "natural" -- studying the bowl of candy intently and picking out as many tootsie rolls and mini tootsie roll suckers as possible until those dreaded words..."Okay, say 'Thank you'," implying it was time to go.

I loved hearing Isaac say "trick or treat" in his cute little toddler voice.  He didn't exactly grasp the concept of the phrase this year, but he was quite the polite little guy...
Me: "What do you say?"
Isaac: "Please."
Me: "Say 'trick or treat'." 
Isaac: "Trick or treat." 

Gracie was such a good sport.  She was the cutest little lamb I've ever seen and quite a big hit with friends and acquaintances.  The highlight, though, was a little girl who came up to Gracie and said, "Oh, how cute!  A little poodle!"

For a gal who once wanted to live in a big city, I have grown to love small town life!  Especially our quaint little town.  It's a pretty special little town and I loved walking along the streets visiting houses of friends who have grown to be like family to us.

We saw just about everyone we knew with small children.  Not to mention, the ocassional teenager with a backpack full of toilet paper, ready to hit the next target (which is an accepted town-wide ritual among young people on Halloween).  Where else in the world could you wrap a police car in toilet paper and not get in trouble?

Trick-or-treating is hard work!

 What a fun night!