Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Growing up, our family gathered with my grandparents (Mom's side) and best friends the Nipperts. We have some wonderful memories of those years and great pictures.
One of the hardest things about growing families and years passing is that some things bring change. My grandparents have been gone for quite a few years now, Our close friends, the Nippert "kids" are scattered in all directions, My brother & his family are in AZ and rarely make it back here, My two sisters although close by have grown kids that are married and out of state or have their "other" families to go to, We too have 3 married and 2 in the work. My mom has been away more years for Thanksgiving in the last 8 than she has been here.
"Ouch!" I don't like change. Especially when it comes to what is near & dear to me=Thanksgiving traditions!

But, I'm thankful. Thankful that even tho I can't gather with my sisters every year, that they live near by. Thankful that our kids that are close enough have made an "every other year" trading off with their other family and us. Thankful that I have beautiful memories of past years, and potential of beautiful memories in years to come.

The girls have always outnumbered the guys in our household. It was a much repeated refrain that "the boys will come". They have, even tho they're still a ways behind as far as numbers. It still gives me a bit of a shock to see them in a group.
Even more, it gives me a thrill to see them all together, interacting.
Our Thanksgiving started Wed. Jeanne & Floyd arrived in the afternoon, and Jim & Lynisha that evening.
Here's my 3 sons, 2 of my 3 son in laws and Leon. Picture the same thing most of Thursday afternoon & evening only adding son in law to be Mark. I don't know why I missed getting another picture with him too.



The kids come home, the house fill up. With noise and mess. Laughter. The things I'm thankful for because it means life and health.


The girls got a game of twister going , Ryan got enticed away from the card game....

Wait a minute....we're playing twister, not kissing games!

Little kids turn




Noise, Mess, Laughter. Family. Love.

Thursday is Thanksgiving day, and we're thankful for so much....Including more food than we need!

One of the things high on my list of thankfulness is the fact that Leon got my kitchen counters/sink/wall finished, new outlets & new ceiling light finished the night before! He's been working on this for some time now. I wanted a space in my basement for canning and since we have alot of big family meals & potlucks down stairs, it is SO wonderful to have the counter space & sink! This space is where we had originally put a closet.
It just collected stuff, junk & cobwebs anyway. This is much more useful. And attractive!

Food! Turkey, mashed potatoes & gravy, dressing, green bean casserole, corn, sweet potatoes, lettuce salad, cottage cheese, jello salad, relishes and Pie OF COURSE!
Pumpkin, lemon, apple, blueberry, Peach, apple crisp & cheesecake, all topped off with whipped cream. Did we get enough to eat? anyone still hungry?
I don't believe so!



In the middle of it all Baby Lyrah, usually making her presence known, because she'd RATHER be held :)

























Now it's time to relax....

Rough house....

Go outside on this beautiful day and work off that meal!



Wouldn't guess by the picture that it's the end of Nov. in NE!

Thanks for being here you kids!
We missed you Jana, Laura, Dalayna & family.
We missed you Vee & family, Luanne & family, Gay & family....Happy memories of Thanksgivings with the rest of the Nippert family.....Heidi, Arnold, & Andy!