Thanksgiving with a little before and after

In typical Shackelford fashion, we started off the week of Thanksgiving with Andrew having a stomach virus. I think I did 7 loads of laundry, used a can of Lysol and washed my hands in lots of bleach...okay not really on the bleach, but honestly, I felt like it.  Andrew and I skipped church that morning and school on Monday.  He was back to normal by Tuesday and thankfully, no one else got it. 

I found him on the couch with Dash Sunday morning.  He said leaning on Dash made him feel better. Bless him.

This was my view on Monday...my computer, a little boy covered up on the couch, and a dog with attachment issues sitting in my lap.  It was a good day.

Fred's brother came in town for Thanksgiving for the first time in several years, so it was nice having all 57 of us together.  Just kidding.  There are only 19 (sometimes 20) of us when we are all together.

Tuesday night we got to ride on a hayride through Starry Nights.  All the kids loved it.  It was so nice.

We had dinner Wednesday night and managed to get a picture.  Considering the sheer number of us, this was no small feat.  But we did it.  Hooray!

Thursday morning these two turkeys got up to run a four mile turkey trot.  Jack did get his other sock and a shoe on before the race.  Thankfully.

They met up with these turkeys and had a great time. 

I told Dash that it was Thanksgiving and he stood guard at the door to ensure that nothing suspicious was going down in the neighborhood like falling leaves or birds or squirrels in our yard.  I'm pleased to report that everyone in the house was safe, thanks to Dash.

My crew came in for Thanksgiving.  Everyone brought a little and then we had a huge feast.  We ate and talked and ate and played games and I made a video of my grandmother making boiled custard.  It was an epic Thanksgiving.

Remember the boiled custard?!?  Yep, these boys enjoyed it as always.

Friday, Memphis had their final home football game.  Since we've been in Memphis, my grandmother gives us season tickets to the Memphis football games for Christmas.  We just love going to the games together.  Some of us really love the concession stand, but the game is fun too!  This game was no exception.  Memphis came back to win the game in the last 1:30 of the game. It was exciting!

Because we are season ticket holders we are members of the 901 club.  Since we are 901 club members we get to go down on the field after the game.  We typically don't take advantage of this, but on Friday we did.  Andrew even got his picture with Tom the Tiger.  He's come a long way with team mascots.  When he was younger he would hide in the bathroom to avoid seeing the Grizz at the Grizzlies games.

As if the game and concession stand wasn't enough, one of the players threw his glove to Jack.  He was one happy boy.

Saturday morning we had one objective...find our Christmas tree.  We walked all around the Christmas tree farm until we found just the right tree.  It was a long search, but we were successful.  I tried to convince the boys to go to Costco to get a pre-cut tree, but they would have none of it.  It all turned out great in the end.  We got everything decorated and cleaned out and ready to go for December.  Buckle up is what I keep telling myself.  The season is upon us.

It's been a while...

Whoops, it's been a while since I've updated the family blog.  We are in a busy season and by that I mean, the last 13 years.  I kid.  Things are a little crazy around here and really the only way I remember what has happened is by looking at my pictures on my phone.  Sad, but true.

Halloween was an epic event.  I asked the boys about 2 months before Halloween if they'd like to dress up and the only taker was Andrew and he had about 1000 ideas for different costumes that he'd like to wear.  I wish I could remember everything he went through to get to a SWAT team member.  On Halloween night, he added a puppy to the back of his costume so that he was a SWAT team, K-9 unit...I can't make this up.
As you can see from below, Jack, Clayton, and Fred got in on the action as well.  In a flurry of activity and discussion that involved a glue gun, everyone was out the door for our fall trunk or treat at church.  Everyone had a blast.
Jack is a baseball player.  Fred is a Chia Head.  Clayton is Peter Parker.  Andrew is a SWAT team member of the K-9 unit.

My parents came for the fun and my mom rode the hayride with Andrew...while Andrew ate a hot dog.

I came dressed as a  38 year old.  I think I nailed it.

A few days after Halloween, my mom came back for our annual shopping trip.  We usually go earlier in the fall, but this year because of our schedules, it kept getting pushed back.  We didn't get to take a picture of the clothes that I bought this year, but she did take pictures of two dressed I tried on for a luncheon.  

 Just kidding on actually buying these dresses.  It was a joke, but we got a good laugh out of it!

While Mimi was here, she stayed with the boys while Fred and I attended our first Christmas party.  We had delicious food and even played games.  It was a delightful evening.

And then life and school and life happened until Fred and I left for Tennessee Baptist Convention in Sevierville.  We actually stayed at an indoor waterpark, but didn't take the kids.  Unfortunately, we are to a point where our oldest can't miss three days of school for an indoor waterpark.  I chose not to tell them where we were going.  Fred did not choose this path.  There were moans and groans that they were not going, but in the end just Fred and I left on the trip...without bathing suits. 

Our good friends also go to this conference, so we met up in Cookeville and had dinner. 

After dinner we drove the rest of the way to Sevierville, except Melody and I drove together and Fred and Corey rode together.  We had the best time in the car just talking and catching up.  We even met for breakfast one morning at the hotel restaurant in our pajamas.  We had three really good days just hanging out together and catching up while Fred and Corey were in meetings.  So fun!

Fortunately, we didn't stay in our pajamas all day.  We got dressed for a couple of events.  Remember the dresses from above? They were for this event below.  I sent the pictures to all of these girls to ask them which dress would be best.  We all got a good laugh.  This is what I actually wore.  Thankfully. 

Before we left for Sevierville, we attended a wedding of a sweet couple.  The bride was from the first church Fred and I served at as a married couple. The groom was from our current church. It was like the coming together of two worlds for us. We are so excited for Brandi and Logan and wish them nothing but the best.

And then there's life...one morning Jack told Clayton, "I used your toothbrush this morning for a little while before I realized it wasn't mine.  Sorry about that."  Well...whoops.  I'm pleased to report that this did not result in a fight.  They even paused for a photo op that morning before leaving for school.  Those are some handsome boys that seem to be growing up right before my eyes. Man, I love them.