ThankFULL

   Well, we had another successful Thanksgiving. Too much food, too much laughter, and too much pie!! Yes, 'food' and 'pie' are in different categories for Thanksgiving day. A lot of my family were missing this year, visiting their spouses' side of the family. We had 54 people last year on our roster (yes, you have to sign in before you can eat!).

Aunt Norma signing in!

This is a new tradition that we only started last year, but it was so fun to look back and see who all signed in at the "Hammett Family Thanksgiving." As we were looking over the list from last year, we didn't even know one person who was signed in! I hope they (whoever he was) enjoyed Thanksgiving with the Hammetts! (I am pretty sure it was one of my Uncles' buddies...)
   There is never a dull moment on Thanksgiving day! We always go over to Papa's house the night before and help "prepare" the turkey...and peel the potatoes! I, on the other hand, don't really do either of these things, I go along for the laughs that are SURE to happen when Papa is in the room. He is such a smartie-pants! I guess when I get to be 76 years old, I can smart off with the best of them too. I wish everyone reading this could "know" my Papa. He is such a special old ornery stinker! I love him with all my heart, and can't believe he will be 77 in February.

Papa...being ornery, I am sure of it!

   Thanksgiving day, for my part of the family, starts at around 9 in the morning. We haul everything over to Papa's house to start preparing the food! I literally do mean everything. That is another thing about Papa, he doesn't own any kitchen utensils, and the ones he may have are older than he is! So, we have to bring everything but the kitchen sink over to his house! The smell of turkey is already in the air when we arrive. Talk about a long 4 hours! You are starving the minute you walk in his house! Everyone else in the family is calling at different times to see when the dinner is going to start. We always say noon, that way, by one o'clock everyone is there to eat! Next year, I think we will tell them 10:30, that way we can eat at noon! :) Who am I to talk? I will be late to my own funeral! The only reason I am on time, is because my mom is the cook! One by one, relatives start to arrive with the dishes that they MUST bring every year. Everyone already knows what is on the menu, before it is even cooked, but none of us would have it any other way!

(and this is only the salads table!)

 We eat, all the girls at one dining room table, all the boys, in the garage (spread out with a LOT of room!). I think next year, girls will eat in the garage!

ALL the girls!



The guys...SOME of them....with TWO other tables, not pictured! LOL

   After the first meal, we sit at the table, and always tell stories...usually the same ones...and always laugh just as hard. Naps are being taken, games are being played, secrets are being told, pies are being destroyed....man am I ever thankFULL! The second meal is better than the first! We heat up what is left, and go to town once again! The second plate is full of stuff that wouldn't fit on your plate the first time around! It's like a whole other Thanksgiving menu! I love it!

  I made all of the girl cousins matching turkey shirts this year! They turned out so cute! I have since been told that I could have spelt, "acne" and "clean" if we would have had an 'L'....hahaha

Emily, Ammy, Cy, Natalee

On a serious note, I have SO much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. Family, health, shelter, faith, food and the list could go on and on. I am so grateful for the life I live. I wouldn't have it any other way! I love our thanksgiving tradition, and always look forward to this particular time in our crazy Hammett family.

"Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever." Psalm 107:1

Krystole

"Jofus"

   I was SUPER excited to get out the new wooden manger play scene for Natalee today! I bought it last year for $4 dollars!! I love a good deal, and the store Once Upon a Child.
   When I was 3 years old, I got up and told the Christmas story to my church at the Christmas Eve service. Now, if I could, I would put the tape on here for you guys to hear. It's not your typical "3-year-old-doesn't-really-know-what-she-is-talking-about" type of story! It is from the beginning to the end...Mary and the Angel, to the tax census, to the birth, to "Mary treasured all of these things in her heart." It is awesome, and I love hearing it! My mom bought me the bible on tape, and every night when I went to bed, I would have her rewind (weird that Natalee won't even know the meaning on this word) it to the story of "baby Jesus." This is how I had the story memorized SO well. Anyway...I could not pronounce Josephs' name....it sounded more like "Jofus."
   Fast forward (another term Natalee will not know) 25 years, and how does my daughter pronounce Joseph? Yep, you guessed it..."Jofus." Yay for lisps! Anyway, here is the video I took of the first time she played with her manger. I am so glad that God is already working on her heart. I pray that she will continue to grow in Him, and that God will help me to lead, guide and direct her to His path! What a big responsibility! I love teaching her about Jesus...

Isn't she adorable? Yes, I knew you would agree.

Krystole

It Can't Be...

Well, Thanksgiving is right around the corner. I am still in shock that it is the middle of November. Every year I end up asking myself, "How did that happen so fast?" Every year, I think it gets faster. The fast approaching "holiday season" always gets to me! I realize that another year has almost come and gone, that there is still so much left to do before the year is over, and that my baby will be another year older very soon! That is a lot to take in at the end of the year. I love the "holiday season." It means family, food, holiday cheer...what's not to love? It seems like the end of the year flies by quicker than the rest. You have Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Natalee's birthday....I guess there is just something "big" to look forward to at the end of each of these months. I just still can't believe it's November!

On another note, Natalee is still super cute! ;) I am still SO in love with my 'new boss' and my new job! I am so grateful for the opportunity to stay at home. With the cold weather and winter season coming up, I can't wait for jammie days! Natalee loves to color, play with her babies, and watch Backyardigans. She loves the little owl family that we bought her, and loves to read too. These are some of the activities we do every day. I love all the little crafts we have made, and even more...the memories we are making. Just the other day, we made pumpkin-shaped grilled cheeses to go with our tomato soup! Another fun fact...she LOVES soup!

Perfect on a cold day!

Pumpkin-Shaped Grilled Cheese...
although it just looks like a circle here! :)

KG Photography is really taking off! I've had a lot of people interested in photo shoots for the Christmas season. I am excited for the opportunity to take family photos. I really do enjoy it so much. I hope to, one day, go back to school for photography...you know....get some more initials behind my name so I can be even more cool! I would love to learn more on the photo shop program, and I know that AC offers classes just on that! How exciting. First things first...to have the money to do it. That may be a good thing. Here are a few photos from recent shoots:

Engagement Photo Shoot!

Stevenson Wedding!

Sibling Photo Shoot!

Well...I have rambled on long enough now, I am pretty sure there are about a million things I SHOULD be doing right now....but this was way more fun.

Krystole

Murder She Wrote

Yes, for those of you keeping up with my blog, I am playing catch up! This didn't just happen yesterday or last week for that matter! The point is, it DID happen and I AM documenting it. Let's get our priorities right here people.
So our super fun Sunday school class (no that's not our official name) threw a Murder Mystery party! What is that you may ask? Well, I can't tell you...it's a mystery! Ok, no, really...I can't tell you...I was so confused the WHOLE time! But I had a blast, doing whatever it is that we did! It gave us all an excuse to get together, dressed ridiculously I might add, and hang out. That is what we do best! It was something I have never done before, and even 'outgoing' me, even felt a little out of my comfort zone....I know...that never happens! Jeremy and I were "Gambling Jack" and "Annabell." He liked to well, gamble...and I liked him to win! We had lots of money, so it was definitely an ACT! LOL People were flirting, cheating, winning, losing, dying...I mean this party had it ALL!
In the end...I didn't do it...no, really! And neither did "Gambling Jack." It was a fun night, full of mystery indeed!

Krystole

Gambling Jack & Annabell

The Coldwell's



The Girls




The Guys