double duty with the fam - thxgiving feast & gabby's 6th bday

ok, i lied....i didn't think about the fact that curtis would go off to work this afternoon after our thxgiving meal, the kiddos & i would come home after over-stuffing ourselves, & i'd have all evening to upload pics & post a blog from today....doubt i'll b going 2 bed any time soon - too busy anticipating 2moro

this is what our family sat down to 2day around lunch time
mmmmm, what a good lookin' table!

the whole crew was there, except for my dad - he had to work :0(

after the meal, we celebrated Gabrielle's 6th birthday!

we had planned things a little differently - then had to switch stuff around a little at the last minute, with my biopsy being moved to tomorrow....but Gabby was soooo understanding! she totally went with the flow & never complained once when i broke the news to her! she would just say "that's ok!"....she even seemed to downsize her cake request this year - whether it had to do with all that's going on with me or not, i don't know....but i do feel like this smart little girl is wise to us, & knows more about what's going on than we think

months ago, she talked about having a western/cowgirl themed cake....then that idea kinda got passed over to Corinn (who fell in love with it as soon as Gabby mentioned it) & she changed her cake theme to Tinkerbell

she mentioned a Tinkerbell cake i did a few months ago, but said she didn't want it exactly the same - she wanted icing flowers, not fondant....and she didn't want the stripes & dots....the only important thing was that it had Tinkerbell on top & the jewels - she was all about the jewels!

so mama got off easy on the cake this year - and she couldn't have picked a better year to take it easy on me either ;0)

somehow, uncle cj & aunt katie knew Gabby asked for a soccer ball! ;0)

and the best gift of all (from mom & dad) - a Barbie doll house!

she COULD NOT WAIT to play with it!

and who could blame her?!
she'd asked for a doll house for her Barbies, but i doubt she expected one as cool as this....what little girl wouldn't b totally fascinated by this?!

i was fascinated by this!
the tiny toothbrushes, the working washer/dryer, the detail!

had to try out the soccerball too!

it just so happened, that my BFF Misty & her husband & daughter were heading through our area - on their way to spend the holiday with her family in Maryland

and it worked out that they were literally passing our exit, just as we were finished cleaning up & Curtis was getting ready to head out to work....so we ran out to meet up with them at a gas station off the exit

we hadn't seen them since we visited their home in NC for Willow's 1st birthday, back in February! she didn't remember us & it took a while for her to warm up to us....but once she did, the kids had a blast playing & helping Willow stretch her legs before making the rest of their treck to MD

these friends r family!

we miss them so much & hope to b able to squeeze in a weekend trip to visit them in NC again soon! Misty is like my sister & i don't know what i'd do without her friendship, love & support....Curtis & Shane r super tight too! our kiddos adore them & we so hate not getting to watch Willow grow up! i keep trying to talk them into moving up our way - no luck yet, but i'm still working on em! ;0)

after meeting up with the Matthews', Curtis headed on to work & i took the kiddos back to my brother's....we hung out some more, ate some pumpkin pie & birthday cake & the kiddos played with Gabby's new toys

as we were getting ready to leave, my brother decided to head out on his property to do a little hunting....he wasn't in the woods for more than 5 minutes, when he had 5 deer come up on him....and he got his 3rd deer of the season - a spike!

Jaden has shown a new interest in hunting & has asked CJ to take him (only a few years ago, he would cry & get very upset at the thought of killing any kind of animal)....so CJ ran back up to the house & caught us before we headed out to leave....he asked if we'd like to come down & see the deer he'd just gotten....Jaden was thrilled & the girls seemed interested too (much to my surprise)....we went down in the woods to check it out & the kids posed for pics

then CJ joked, asking if we were going to stick around while he gutted the deer - yuck!

i immediately answered, no thanks! but Jaden jumped at the chance - "yes!"
i wasn't sure how the kiddos would deal with seeing such a thing (i cringe)....so i explained what CJ was about to do & told them if they didn't want to watch, they didn't have to....all 3 were intrigued!

Jaden was totally fascinated - asking to see the heart & the contents of the deer's stomach....& commenting on the steam coming up from the hot blood! gross!

Gab was also very interested - saying "this is cool!"....and getting so close, i kept having to ask her to back up before she got something on her....she's always been my daredevil, never scared to pick up worms & dead mice....wanting to know all about the natural world around her!

Corinn commented, "how disgusting!" but still had to make sure she had a decent view of the action....she's not squeamish either, and definitely wanted to watch....but she wasn't as quite as interested as the other 2

it was a good opportunity to explain to them that this is how we get the deer meat that we eat....and how God puts animals on the earth for us to use for food

and hey, what a story to tell all the other kids at school next week!
~lol~

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving was on TV tonight when we got home, so the kiddos & i watched it together....they'd seen it before & love anything Charlie Brown! shoot, me too!

but Corinn said the funniest thing while we were watching tonight...
"well, peppermint patty looks like a dude to me!"
~died laughing!~


i hope u all had a wonderful thanksgiving....i am soooo grateful for the many, many blessings God has given to me & my family! i'm thankful that i got to spend this day with the ones that i love....that my kiddos r surrounded by family & friends that love them & that they truly know what it means to b blessed children of God!

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i'll probably check in tomorrow eve....we're supposed to b done in the afternoon - so i guess it just depends on how i feel....my mom (nana) is watching the kiddos & they get to go see madagascar 2 with her! needless to say, they're psyched!

i get to start my fast here in a few....starting at midnight, no food or drink allowed until my biopsy - not even water! i can only rinse & spit....no make-up or jewelry tomorrow either.....this is my first experience with surgery & anesthesia (except for 2 epidurals), so i have to admit that i'm a tad nervous....but i'm not scared - i'm anxious to get it over with & b on our way to figuring out what's going on....wish me luck & keep sending those prayers this way!

luv u guys!
♥ sharon