Thanksgiving in Dallas

This was our year to spend Thanksgiving with the Shdeed Family. We used to do Thanksgiving with them every year until we all started having children with schedules that are just as busy as our own. Now we do Thanksgiving with them every other year. We have also simplified by just going to Dallas every time. We used to rotate between Covington, Wichita, and Oklahoma City (where all of the siblings live). It just became really difficult to please everyone on airfare, driving, hotels, etc. So we picked Dallas for several reasons: it is a neutral city, it is easy to fly in and out of, we do have several of the younger cousins that live there, awesome hotel connected to the Galleria Mall, fabulous Country Club that has a private room for us all to fit in for our Thanksgiving Meal, etc.
Judson and Oney met me and the girls at the airport (they drove straight from Duck Hunting). We flew in on Tuesday and back home on Friday. Judson went straight from the airport back to Stuttgart. Me and the kids came home.

I didn't even take my camera this year! Can you believe it? I knew if I took it then I would be tempted to be every one's photographer. So, right before our meal I had someone snap this picture with my iphone.


Pretend there is a picture here...I know I took one, I just can't find it at the moment!


It was a great trip and the kids always have fun with their cousins. Its amazing how easily they reconnect for only seeing each other every other year. Thanks to Christie and Robin for always being so warm and generous to us when we go to Dallas. We look forward to Thanksgiving 2013! It will be here before you know it.

Happy Birthday Mee-Maw

Thanksgiving in Covington at my sister's house...We were all in Dallas ,of course. My sister sent this to me right as we sat down to eat our meal. I realized at that moment how LUCKY my family is to be able to spend most every holiday with both sides of the family. I don't understand how divorced families juggle everyone.

Here is a picture of just the "girls". It was Mee-Maw's birthday. This one really hit me hard. We treasure every holiday we have with her now. Who knows how many more she will be around. I try to tell childhood stories to my kids about her. Boy do we have some wonderful memories!

Father Son Duck Hunting

Duck Camp with Dad!

Judson has been waiting for the day that Oney would be old enough to take his first father-son Sanderson Farms duck hunting trip to Stuttgart, Arkansas. Judson has been going duck hunting with the Sanderson folks since around 1996. Yep, that's almost 15 years! Wow...hard to believe! Judson has always heard about the "father-son weekend" and never been a part of it because he has never had a son old enough. Well, that all changed this year. Neal asked Judson if he wanted to bring Oney (like he has the past few years) and he hesitated. Was Oney ready? Would he have fun? Would he enjoy duck hunting? Was he mature enough? Would Judson enjoy it with his son like he did with his friends? Would Oney make him proud? Well...you guessed it...the results were overwhelmingly positive and needless to say...Oney absolutely LOVED duck camp, he LOVED the Sanderson "Family", he LOVED Neal, he LOVED the campfire talks, he LOVED Mack's, he LOVED the "Sanderson way of being Spoiled, he LOVED everything about duck camp ...just like his Daddy! And as much as Oney LOVED duck camp, the Sanderson folks LOVED Oney just like they love his Dad! All of Judson's fears were put to bed the minute they walked in the door. Oney met one kid and never met a stranger after that...he was off...

Oney thought it was cool that his parents made the board at duck camp!

Oney felt right at home with all the food and drinks at camp. He was in heaven.

One of his Dad's favorite wines...Far Niente...

As you suspect, Oney had every square inch of the place figured out after about 10 minutes!

Oney with his new buddy, Hunter. He and Hunter carved sticks for hours. Oney came home wanting a knife for Christmas.

It rained about 4 inches while they were there. So needless to say the actual hunting wasn't great. They went bowling one afternoon to give the boys a fun activity (as if they needed it).

ONEY's FAVORITE PART OF DUCK CAMP...THE CAMPFIRE TALKS...

I am afraid Oney grew up just a little while he sat by the campfire. Judson didn't let him stay for the entire conversation (there were teenage boys there) but he heard enough. Oney has already asked a half a dozen times...Dad, when we go back next year, can I stay for the campfire talks?

Boys will be be boys...

O having breakfast in the duck hole.

Oney in the duck hole. I am so glad Judson took him this year. They really bonded and have not stopped talking about this trip. He is already looking forward to next year. The Sanderson folks are golden. Oney quickly learned why his Daddy has spoken so fondly of these people for so long now! Our business is minuscule to that company. We are one tiny little customer and they make us feel like we are their only customer. Wow...I hope that I have made a few of my customers feel that special! Thanks Dan, Neil, Buddha, Mr. Joe, Gadd, Jeffcoat, and every other Sanderson man for all of the special memories that you have given us.

St. Jude Zoo Lights Preview Party

This was our first time to attend Zoo Lights as a family. When I received the St. Jude preview party invitation in the mail, I decided we had to make an effort this year.

We called Sittie and Jidi, who like us are on the St. Jude "list", and they were so excited and dying to go with us! The picture below was at the entrance of the Zoo.  So beautiful!

There were different areas of the Zoo that had a variety of activities set up for the preview party. Godiva chocolates and Gigi's Cupcakes were two of our favorites! The card below was displayed at the chocolate station. It really struck a chord with me...

This of course was my musically inclined children's FAVORITE stop. They did NOT want to leave and we had to drag Ally out. This was a youth band called, "Forklift". They were incredible! They do not have a website setup yet, but they have a Facebook page. Check it out-they are 10 & 11 years old and oh so talented. They attend school at St. Louis Catholic School in Memphis.

Another favorite stop was the outdoor skating rink. It was really cool, too. I hesitated letting Abby skate because she had just twisted her ankle in basketball, but she begged and pleaded. I caved, of course. It was so cold in the tent to keep the ice conditions nice.

Look at Sittie and Jidi at the skating rink. Don't they look so cute? I love the picture of them with the kids. They were so happy that they came with us in spite of our chaos on the way down in the car!

This was on the way out the door. Don't they all look like the "Walton's"...happy, patient, energetic, excited about taking another picture? It was a fun night. Glad we went...our kids were a little too "old"...probably will not be able to drag them back next year...

Basketball is Back...

Lady Rebels

Ally...#11

Abby...#12

Ally...my offensive player...

Abby...my defensive player...

The girls are both big basketball players this year. Ally has finally gotten back in her groove after her broken arm last season. It is nice to see her finally getting back in the game and not holding back quite as much. Abby has really made progress this year. She is awesome on defense. She really gets in there and gets that ball.  We are just getting started in our season and I am looking forward to more games after Christmas.

CMA's in Nashville

Close But No Cigar...Nashville aint Vegas Baby...

Sisters

Karissa, Britt, Daph, Amy and Me

Daphne and I had the trip of a lifetime a couple of years ago. We went to Vegas for the CMAs. We just happened to be at the right place at the right time. The experiences we had could never happen again! We were seat fillers and worked our way into all of the VIP parties and events. I could write for days about our awesome experiences and our "sisters trip". That was a first for us and we decided that we should definitely do it again. Of course, time has gotten away from us and we have not done another trip.

But...this year Daph decided to get us tickets to the CMAs in Nashville. These awards are similiar to the ACMs...but there is just NOTHING like Vegas! Daph was able to get 8 tickets-the Sanfords, the Folks, Judson and I and Britt and her friend Karissa went. We all met in Nashville at the Hilton Downtown. We had AWESOME rooms there and were able to walk right across the street to the show! WOW! Thanks to none other than Aunt Jan our Nashville connection. This was the view from our room...the VIP Red Carpet entrance. We teased Jan when we checked into our awesome room that there was bird poop on the window and we needed a window cleaner ASAP.

After the show , we had dinner at the Palm. Thanks to Uncle Jay, we were able to walk right in and be seated. Our meal was fabulous. We sat at a table next to Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush aka Sugarland. It was a wonderful night.

Well lo and behold, guess what we woke up to the next morning??? Yep...who would have guessed it...window cleaners!!! Me being my crazy self just had to take a picture! I had to text it to my sister in law right away. I knew she would NEVER believe me otherwise.

Corn Maze with the Church Youth Group

Our youth group went to the corn maze last Sunday night. Jason has been really good at organizing regular activities for the youth. We have been lucky to have him around for awhile now! The girls had a great time!