A time for Thanksgiving....and Remembering

I know this is late, but there's just been soo much going on lately that I haven't had a chance to sit down and blog about Thanksgiving and the week before it. It is safe to say that our Thanksgiving did not end up to be what we had planned. Originally we were going to stay here at Ft Riley and celebrate the holiday with some friends and their kids. However, these plans changed the night of the 18th. We got a phone call letting us know that Mike, Adam's step dad, had passed away. Mike was diagnosed with throat cancer back in the summer, but had been doing really well with his treatment so his death came as a huge shock to everyone. Of course we immediately started making plans to travel to AR for the funeral. We got into Mountain Home Saturday afternoon and had several days before the service so we got to spend time with family which was nice. We were able to meet Adam's Grandma Billie's sisters and brother for the first time. They were great and I am so thankful they were there and willing to help me out with the kids. Entertaining the kids was a little challenging to do at Billie's house so she made a phone call and we were able to take them to play at the local youth center for a few hours. Andrew loved running around the gym playing kickball and basketball.

Ava carrying/kicking/pushing around the kickball

This is Kathy (Billie's youngest sister) teaching Andrew how to shoot a basketball

Grandma Billie and Ava waiting on our lunch at Hardees

Andrew and his Great-Grandma Billie

Of course Andrew just had to have a picture with his baby sister. Ava was not amused (we were several hours past nap time at this point)

After the service on Wednesday we drove 2hrs down to my parents house to spend a few days before heading back up to Mountain Home for the burial on Monday and then on to Kansas. While we were there the kids got to open a Christmas present from Nana and Pawpaw. They got Andrew a soccer goal (which they didn't want to mail so that's why it was opened early). He loves it! Ava got a dog called Jingle with a story book. Jingle barks and sings along with certain parts of the book. She really seems to like it as well, even if she won't sit still long enough to hear the story :-)

Andrew loving on his Nana

With his Pawpaw wearing the Hog hat. My dad has had that hat for as long as I can remember and Andrew loves playing with it.

Ava looking at a book with Nana

Andrew and Ava with their Great Grandmother (my dad's mom Frances)

On Friday my dad's family had their Thanksgiving at what is known as the "G" house. My 2 aunts live together and they are known by their grand kids as Granna and GiGi. It is always a fun time when this group gets together. We were missing a few people which is pretty common now that we're all grown (usually we are the ones missing). My youngest cousin Craig just recently moved to Virginia so he was missing and also my cousin Matthew along with his wife Beth and their son Brisco were home in Michigan for the holidays. We definitely missed having them with us. Hopefully we will all be able to get together again soon.

GiGi (in blue) and Granna (in white)...aka...Betty and Marilyn....carving the turkey.

Andrew, for once, sitting quietly on the couch playing a game

Sweet Eden and Lydia. These girls are only about 3 weeks apart in age and just adorable!

The girls convinced Adam to roll the ball with them. The odd contraption on wheels you see in the background is my cousin Brett. A few weeks earlier he tore his Achilles tendon while playing basketball. So now he gets to rest his leg on this thing while he wheels/walks around. Hopefully it won't be much longer before he can put weight on that leg again.

Andrew and the girls playing with blocks

Ava pretty much just walked all over the place checking things out. The "G" house has lots of pretties for her to look at.

Cousins playing




All and all it was a good visit to AR. Granted the reason we were visiting wasn't what anyone wanted, it was still nice to see everyone for the holiday. Not sure when we will make it back down there again, but hopefully it won't be too terribly long