Texas For Thanksgiving

Nathan's jobs are beginning down in ABQ area and so he is spending his weeks there and then home on the wkends. We are anxious to get moved to ABQ as soon as Kaleb is done with school (Dec. 17th). Nathan got in Saturday from Phoenix...he had to drive a truck back for work. Monday morning he left for ABQ again and then got home on Tuesday late afternoon. We left as soon as he arrived and spent the night in Sweetwater, TX. It is about a 12 hour drive AND more from Raton! I'm glad the kids are so good at traveling since they've been doing it for the last 2 1/2 years. We did break it up for our sanity! We stopped at Robert and Linda Klepzig's for about an hour on our way in and then on to Aaron and Emily's where we will stay a couple of nights. We were at Don and Jeannie's for mtg tonight and was able to see my dear friend Kelli and her husband, Randy! I miss our rooming together days....we had some fun times as single girls but glad we both got some winner husbands.

Thanksgiving Day at Aaron's

My grandparents with Aaron and Emily

Their new house

Uncle Lee, Aunt Tammy and my cousins

Joy and Aunt Tammy

Aaron and Emily got married in Antigua last Friday, November 19th. So, to celebrate, Aaron and Emily had BBQ catered and several family members came to enjoy. My Uncle Lee and Aunt Tammy (my mom's sister) and their boys, who live in Dubai, were able to make it! It's been years since we've seen them so I was so grateful it worked out. Even my mom's cousin, Joy, was able to come! Several of Emily's family came. It was a perfect Thanksgiving day...so much to be thankful for! We are excited to add Emily to our family!

Grandpoppy and Granny (Kathleen)

Thought this was funny of Mariah trying to text while holding Ana (this is the newest grandbaby to our family....Kathleen's son, Andrew, and his wife, Sophema, had Ana 3 months ago!) She is absolutely precious!

Emily, her mom, Phyllis, and Mariah

Friday, we went up to Dad and Kathleen's place, Harmony Ranch, and had a traditional Thanksgiving meal. My grandparents came; Aaron and Emily; Sophema and Ana; and us. We had such a wonderful time together! Of course the kids had a great time riding the 4 wheelers, and fishing, and hunting, and horseback riding and shooting the guns, and the list goes on!

Lunch Time

What a scrumptious meal! Well done to all the contributors. Kathleen's turkey turned out absolutely awesome out of the oven; dad deep friend another turkey which was wonderful too! Nothing like a Thanksgiving meal and the desserts...I just ate way too much!

The Huntin' Crew

Friday evening, Kaleb and grandpoppy took off for a deer blind....Nathan and I took off for a different deer blind. It had been years since I shot a deer but what is more fun then sitting in a blind with your husband (well, maybe I can think of a few things...but it brought lots of fun memories of things we'd do when we dated...like hunting together!) Dad is trying to get rid of some 8 pointers off his hunting ranch so we were glad we could help! It was about 30 mins in the blind when this one showed up. I was going to let Nathan shoot him but he had just gotten back from his elk trip and so he let me....I was not arguing! I love deer meat and there is just something fun about hunting! Anyway, sorry to any animal lovers out there....But I didn't shoot Bambi...I just shot his big brother! =)

Kaleb ended up shooting a 9 pointer. Dad and Kaleb had the drill down....1 ,2, 3, squeeze! But, Kaleb shot on 3 and killed the deer instantly...we later found out he heart shot it! Wow, what a little hunter. Dad took Kaleb 2 years ago and they shot a 6 pointer together...this time, it was all Kaleb! Great aim, son! You'll keep meat in our freezer with that kind of shot!

Fun with Granny

Mariah helping Granny make an apple pie

Granny helping Kaleb with legos

One Beautiful Baby!

More Fun...

I didn't see Kaleb all day because he was with his grandpoppy in the woods trying to get another deer. However, Mariah was Kathleen's little shadow and so we got some cute pics of them together! They went fishing, fed horses, and rode them! Anything Mariah was wanting to do, Granny was game for! I'm sure Granny was worn out by the end of the day! What fun memories!

Saying "See You Soon"

Who likes good-byes? I don't so we say 'see you soon'! The kids were so sad to leave! We are sooo glad it worked out for us all to be together....we enjoyed our time sooo very much and are anxious for the next time to be together! We had planned to leave after lunch but didn't get away until after supper! We plan to drive a few hours tonight and make it to Sweetwater again! The kids are exhausted so it's best to drive when they are sleeping!

A Great Surprise

Sunday morning we stopped in Lubbock for meeting and ran into the Crittenden's. When I asked them how they were related to Julie they told me they are her parents. WHAT? I hadn't seen Julie since '93! She lived in Austin and would come hang out at my parent's house or she'd take me to her apt and we would hang out there! Even though she was several years older then me, she was a good friend. We ended up getting to go to lunch with her! I was sooo happy it worked out! She is the same ole' Julie...sweet and funny!

An Afternoon at the Park

We went to the park this afternoon waiting for daddy to get home from his week long business trip. I also was taking pics of this little boy who turned 2 recently and was adopted 1 year ago today! Very amazing story! It's been fun getting to know his mother who works with Nathan. The kids had sooo much fun and their favorite part was just playing in the rocks! I should of gotten Mariah a load of rocks for her bday!

Happy Birthday, Mariah!

Happy Birthday to our 3 year old girl! What a special little girl she is and we feel so blessed to have been given such a wonderful gift! (We feel that way about Kaleb too!) She is so loveable...in fact, I think her love language is touch. She loves her babies and is such a good little momma. She loves to help clean, cook and is my shadow for most of the day! She is adventurous with lots of expressions and sayings! She loves to talk and she keeps us on our toes and laughing every day!

"Hod me, Lori." Mariah loves people to hold her and Lori is very gracious to do so!

Mariah and Tess

Carson, Kaleb, and Creed

Thanks to some special friends who we have met here in Raton, The Chatterly's....they invited us over for Mariah's bday party! Nathan was out of town this week on business (from Tempe, AZ to NJ) so he couldn't celebrate with us! However, the kids had a lot of fun together. Mariah loved her new cinderella shoes, and phone, and coloring books that she got! A perfect little birthday party

The Hunters

Last Sunday (11/7), Toby and Cody arrived here in Raton and hung out on Monday with the kids. Tuesday morning the three bros took off to go elk hunting near Craig, CO with their dad. There will be 13 hunters this year. Nathan has been going for the last 3 years and this is Cody's 1st hunt and Toby's 2nd hunt. They are has giddy as school girls. They got home tonight with all their 'big hunting tales' and still were as giddy as when they left! Cody grew more burly on his trip...Nathan didn't get that gene! Great memories together!