Unconventional Thanksgiving

This year, for the first time ever, Casey and I (and Ethan) were on our own on Thanksgiving Day. We are usually with one of our families but this year it just worked out that way. We had such a great time. We went to the park where Ethan charmed everyone there with his giggles on the swing. Then we watched the Cowboy game and had hamburgers. Actually, turkey burgers...ironic for Thanksgiving, but I make all our burgers with turkey now.

On Friday morning we headed out to my parents's lake house where 20 adults and 6 kids from both sides of my family were there to celebrate with us. We don't usually all get together on Thanksgiving because we usually do our traveling at Christmas, but this year we were christening the lake house with it's first family gathering and it went so well. The guys went skeet shooting on several occasions. There was also some fishing involved and a fire in the fire pit because it was actually cold outside. Deer watching rounded out the activities and of course, we ate a ton of very good food.

But we weren't done yet. On Saturday we drove to Casey's grandparents's house for some more food and fun. Ethan got to hang out with his cousins for a while and play the fiddle for the first time with his Papaw Cooke, his great-grandfather. He's got some work to do...it was more screech than actual notes. The boys (big and small) played football outside in the cold. And there was some pickin' going on, of course. In the photo below, Casey's aunt, uncle, dad, grandfather and brother are filling the house with the sounds of bluegrass.

I didn't get near as many pictures as I intended because of all the activity. But Ethan was a big hit with both families and did pretty well with the hurried traveling. Now, we're gearing up for Christmas and I can't wait to get my decorations put up.