Thanksgiving wrap-up

Wednesday: wrote Christmas cards while driving to Beaumont, Texas, to stay with Mike's brother and his family. Saw "Blind Side" and "Planet 51"
Thursday:
7 am--woke up to the words "We need you in the bathroom." Mikayla's stomach had been hurting her all night long, and she had, um, rid herself of the problem. On Mike's foot. After that she was fine!
10 am--drove to Magnolia, Texas, to have Thanksgiving dinner with Mike's family. Even his Mom got to come!

Rebecca, of course, was spoiled rotten by all the cousins.

All the family had a lot of fun cooking, talking, and laughing together.

We ate around 3, and then my friends Mark and Karry, who live in Phoenix, drove up from his parents' house to visit. She and I shared an apartment for 2 years in Fort Worth, and it was soooo good to see them!

The Texas A & M vs. ut game was fun, in spite of the bad ending. Mike, David, and Tod cheered for A & M, while Zachary and Ethan cheered for ut. But it was all in good fun!

While the boys watched the game, Jeannie and Robin helped Mikayla and Rebecca make a gingerbread house. They had fun, and it turned out really cute.

Friday:  We got back to Beaumont late, because we didn't leave until after the football game, so I didn't get up early to shop on Friday, but I did shop. Renee took me to Target and the mall, and it wasn't too crowded. I had fun, and got some good deals! We pretty much shopped all day, while the kids and husbands played on the Wii and played miniature golf. Rebecca had fun playing with their dog, Bear.  When she thought he looked cold, she covered him with her blankie!

Saturday: We took the kids to play at a park, then had lunch at the mall before driving home. Mikayla was dying to do the bungee jump thing at the mall, and talked Rebecca into doing it with her. They loved it! I kept trying to get a picture of them doing flips, but my camera was too slow.

We took a slight detour on our way home, to see the Festival of Lights in Natchitoches, Lousiana. None of us had been there before, and we all enjoyed it! We looked at the lights, ate Natchitoches meat pies, foot long corn dogs, sausage on a stick, gator (yes, alligator) bobs, and funnel cakes on the river, and watched a fireworks show. It made us all feel so festive.

Walking back to the car we all "got" to pet a live gator--only in Louisiana are gators so much a part of Christmas! There's even one pulling a crawdad on waterskis next to the nativity scene at the bottom...ha!

It was another late night, and a busy time, but a really good Thanksgiving break. Now we're counting the days until Christmas!!