Thanksgiving in a Nutshell- Part 1

Merry Christmas everyone! We hope you guys had a perfectly wonderful and special holiday with your friends and family! One day, I just might post about Christmas, but before the new year comes, I am going to try to acknowledge our Thanksgiving Week, full of lots of blessings and people we love!

Part 1- Annual UTSW Ranch Trip!

Even though I could definitely speak a 1000 words about how much fun we had with our friends from med school at the ranch the weekend before Thanksgiving, in efforts to catch up blogwise, I will actually let them speak for themselves, as much as possible!

The group!

(Warminskis, Hartzlers, Burkharts, McAdams', Louis')

I love going to the ranch with these guys so much, here is just a few reasons why!

Seeing my friends with their sweet kiddos: I am so lucky to have such great friends who are wonderful mommy role models as well!

( Me with my super mommy friends- Sari, Rebekah, Meagan, Amy, and of course Gramommy-Nora!) 

Rebekah and Margaret:

 Sari and Witt:

( Witt is saying hello to his little sister who will be making her debut come April!)

Amy and Brinley:

Meagan and Audrey:

: )

Don't know what I would do without my mommy friends!

Watching the super daddy doctors at work was also a pleasure!

They actually got to have a whole afternoon with the kids, while us girls went "into town" to celebrate Rebekah's 30th and have some girl time!

 We felt very "Steel Magnolias" sitting in small town Junctions beauty parlour as Rebekah got her nails done!

I also love how the fun never stops, with such great people to hang out with and so many things to do!

Such as:

yaddi fat sack:

( a game where you stand in a circle and kick the ball/head the ball to keep it up in the air)

Baseball, for both the young and old!

Poker and Guitar playing:

Even practicing our runway walk in our new high heels!

Exploring every nook and cranny . . .

Let's hope Bekah is giving Margaret a "pat pat" and is not putting dirt in her pretty hair!

We enjoy swinging in the hammock with our long lost friend, Witt:

There is plenty of singing and dancing, such as ring around the rosie around the fire pit ( unlit of course!)

Playing kickball in the yard:

 I just loved passing time with them on the porch, with everyone in a rocker : ).

Even the kids saw the intrigue in this American pastime!

Another great pastime includes all 3 meals and TONZ of snacking! Aren't they so cute in their high chairs and bibs? You can only IMAGINE how much baby/toddler stuff there was at the ranch with 7 kids!

With 7 kids to hang out with for 4 days straight, I just know that all the kids walked away learning/knowing a lot more than they had coming into it, like about sharing perhaps? : )

And you are never too busy for a good book, we even save a moment  for storytime with Gramommy:

It's just the best to spend time with these kids that I only get to see on blogs!

Happy Audrey:

Henry and Margaret modeling for their Christmas Card pic:

Luke and Audrey, posing for a picture:

Witt and Luke, catching up like old buds:

Brinley, Henry and Bekah, having a late breakfast on the porch:

Luke showing Bekah a thing or two about being silly:

And with so many cute kids around, we will do ANYTHING to get a good shot!

The photogs:

I mean, Witt and Brinley could be in a Gap Add, they are looking so cute and stylish!

It's always fun to dress up the kids in western wear too!

Bekah with her piggies and boots on:

Henry and his boots and overalls:

Margaret in her camo:

For those who wish, they can ride horses, like Meagan, Rebekah and Rob:

Even Margaret couldn't resist the temptation! This sweet girl showed NO fear with the horses, she loved them!

We love to take the mule out to see the animals and this year the kids really knew what they were looking at!

(Rob, Witt and Zack)

Warminskis in the mule:

One of the longhorns:

Deer

And as much as I love all the daytime activities, oh how I love the game nights that follow!

One of my favorite, yet one of the most craziest times at the ranch would be the Thanksgiving Feast that we had!

With so many cute kids together for one feast, the "teachers in us" came out and we decided they must have costumes! Thanks to Meagan, Rebekah and Amy for creating the cutest little Pilgrim and Indian costumes!

Amy and Brinley looking so perfect in her costume:

Indian Henry:

And wouldn't you believe, my little girl, the one that likes to play dress up each and every day, refuses to put her cute costume on, and has to be bribed with fruit snacks to NOT rip it off??? She is is pondering the bribe right now . ..

. . . didn't go for the hat bribe, but was good with the collar and apron on . .. as the other kids sit so perfectly happy in their costumes!

Trying to get that group shot . . .

One man up and a few babies needing to be placed . .

Best shot we could get of ALL 7, and yes, that would be my daughter looking highly, and comically out of place!

After the group shot, she decides she will wear the hat, of course! Not sure if she is very happy about it, maybe she is just trying to look stoic and poised like the pilgrims long ago? : ) Teehee, looks pretty cute either way, sure am glad we got the shot!

After the paparazzi hit the ranch, we went inside for the yummy feast!

The parents working in the kitchen to get the feast ready:

It was both crazy and special, having those pilgrims and Indians eat at the same time as the grown-ups!

Eventually the kiddos moved from the kiddie table to the adult table for some lovin  and some extra snacking : ).

McAdams':

Hartzlers:

Louis'

So yeah, that was as far from a nutshell as you can get, that was more like a coconut . . shell! : ) Teehee! You gotta give me credit for trying though! Oh and thank you so much again to my amazing in laws for hosting all of us! It was an awesome long weekend with family and friends that we love so much and  who we don't get to see enough! Can't wait for next year!