THANKSGIVING 2011

We spent Thanksgiving at the farm in Collins with about half the family there. Gary and I brought Bennett with us and Brent, Jessica, Anna Claire and Sutton came the next day. In addition to Nana and Papa Jack the following family members were able to come: John, Jill, William and Patrick Ogles; Sancy and Johnny Courson; Matt Courson; Pat, Anna and Julie Johnson; and friends Rana Barrett and E. C. and Phyllis Freeman. We definitely missed not having Shane and Jess; Chris, Mandy and Presley; and Josh and Katie.

This year Sancy, Jill and I did all the cooking. We really had a good time planning, cooking and decorating.

Thanksgiving celebrations began the week before. Presley came to visit Bennett, Sutton and Anna Claire. I wanted...so much....to have a sweet picture of all the kids to give to Nana. Bennett would not take off the transformer thingy face mask.

Bennett was playing on the stairs but had to stop a minute to watch what was on the television. Anna Claire is into posing for pictures for me now. Thank goodness. There was a time she was worse than Bennett is now.

Bennett and Gary (Granddad) spent a lot of time hunting for deer and fishing while at Nana and Papa Jack's farm.

Bennett even has a gun! (play one) The first night before the big hunt he woke me up at 4:00 a.m. and asked me if it was hunting season yet. He was so excited. He told me that he was not going to kill a baby deer or a kid deer. Only a big deer. He told me that his Daddy killed a baby deer but "it was an accident."

Gary and Sutton had some grandson and grandfather time.

Will Ogles and Sutton playing around.

You know a retired first grade teacher must have been in charge of this. We had decorations, name tags for the food, etc.

Patrick Ogles, Peggy Carey (Nana), Betsy Orr (Ma), Sutton, and William. Anna Claire is in front.

 Patrick Ogles and Matt Courson, cousins.

After a long day and everyone was tired. Bennett in his new pajamas from Nana, Patrick, Matt with his little doll (ha!) and William.

Nana with all her greats except Sutton. Bennett Orr, Presley Courson, and Anna Claire Orr.

Bennett kept finding turkey feathers on the farm. He would have me lift him up in front of the bathroom mirror so that he could see the feathers in his cap.

 Bennett and his Daddy Brent leaving to go to the woods.

Jessica multitasking. She is pushing Anna Claire on the swing and talking on the phone at the same time.

 Nana and Sutton Jack Orr.

The neighbor's dog kept coming over. We think his name is Fred so that is what Anna Claire called him. Anna Claire became attached to this dog. She kept brushing his hair. That would be all good except this dog had rolled in some poop and he smelled awful. Jessica said that she had to wash Anna Claire's clothes twice to get the smell out.

Each year we take our Christmas pictures at the farm. I have to work with what I have, which is hunting. I know there is no way in this world I will be able to get Gary to change clothes to something more presentable for Christmas pictures. This year I decided that we would all just wearing hunting or outdoorsy clothes. These pictures are some that we took trying to find one that would work for a Christmas card.