Now That It's Christmastime . . .

Let's not forget about our wonderful Thanksgiving! After a MOST hectic and stressful week preceding Thanksgiving, we were so thankful just to go down to my parents' house and relax. Only problem: our kids had been so stir crazy after our two-week-long lice episode (because of the nightly two-hour hair check and vacuum-everything-visible-time) that they went absolutely BERSERKO. And my cousin Drie was down for the weekend for her first visit to Georgia!! Bad timing . . . sorry, Drie! Really, they were crazy. But we were able to spend time together, and we threw Madeline a Turkey Birthday Party. Happy Birthday, Madeline! And Happy Thanksgiving!

Here was half of our birthday party gang for a round of Turkey Bowl.

Not your normal Turkey Bowl . . . we used a pumpkin and some "drumsticks." Thanks, Drie, for helping me make the drumsticks and a thousand feathers for the party.

This is our bowling ball after it hit a tree.

The turkeys took all of Madeline's presents. Luckily, they left a feather behind with a clue! Raleigh set this game up for Madeline, and she made such cute clues!

It was fitting for Madeline to have a Thanksgiving birthday because she is a naturally grateful little person. She notices things that people do for her, and she holds on to many memories and little treasures for their sentimental value. She's our lovebug.

Here we are falling asleep at the table, waiting for the boys to come home so we can start feasting!

This turkey held all of our love notes to Madeline . . .

Which she still has in safe-keeping. Happy Birthday, Madeline! We love you!

Grammy also helped the girls with a little sewing project, which was the highlight of their trip. Raleigh and Madeline gave them special names.

We've got "Birdie Kusherdie" and my favorite,

"Turtie" (not to be confused with terdie).

Now let's move on to Christmas!