Thanksgiving Recap

For the first time since we've lived in Texas we didn't travel for a major holiday. Instead, we stayed home and hosted AJ and her boyfriend, Ferrell. The six of us spent three and half days together, celebrating the holidays (Thanksgiving and my birthday), catching up, eating and drinking, working off what we ate and drank at the gym, playing at the park, and watching football and all four Twilight movies. AJ and Ferrell watched the kids on Friday afternoon so Tom and I could go see a movie and do a little Christmas shopping, and I cooked my very first Thanksgiving dinner, as Hallie would say, all by my big girl self. (That's not entirely true, as I did have a little help here and there.)

We missed the rest of the Ferris clan, but it was wonderful to be at home and with at least some of our family.  Here's a recap!

On Wednesday afternoon, Tom took AJ, Ferrell, and Hallie
to Kyle Field while I took Will to a birthday party.

Ferrell and Tom, checking out 3-D TV.

Thank you Pinterest, for suggesting I create these
cute but simple candle and cranberry centerpieces!

This boy likes his meat!

Post-Thanksgiving-Dinner-Tom, COMPLETELY asleep, while
the rest of us enjoyed Twilight: Eclipse (if you look closely you
can see Bella on the television screen).

A beautiful birthday art project, created
by AJ and the kids, on the easel.

My haul.

After they both just started ripping open my gifts with reckless abandon,
we made them sit on the ottoman with their hands in their laps.  If they
stayed like this while I opened one gift, then I'd let them each
open a gift for me.  They were OUT OF CONTROL.

Super excited about my...

...new TOMS shoes.  Red with white polka dots!

"You want me to put this where?"  Hallie wasn't all that
excited for Tom to lift her so high up in the air.  

Tom and I have never had a star/angel/tree topper.
A week or so ago we came across this one, which
we all loved - Hallie because it was sparkly, Will
because it's bright and colorful, and Tom and I because
it resembles a Ferris Wheel.  It's perfect for us. 

Photo courtesy of Will.

Hanging ornaments on the tree.

Will's pirate and Hallie's ballerina nutcrackers.

Admiring their work.

Thanks for coming, AJ and Ferrell!