Thanksgiving

I knew when we were driving back from Starkville after the Egg Bowl that it made me claustrophobic to look at the following three weeks on my calendar.  That would explain why it's December 23rd, and I am finally writing the text to the blog post about Thanksgiving.  You'll hear more about the days in between November 28th and December 23rd in my next post, but for now you can enjoy the highlights of our time in Andalusia and Starkville celebrating with family and friends!

Turner is showing my Mema (who we believe turned 90 the week prior to Thanksgiving) how to operate the laptop.  Particularly to play games on the VeggieTale website.

Oh the food...so yummy.  Mark's delicious homemade giblet gravy!

I took this picture to show some foods that are traditions at my house for holidays - cornbread dressing, mandarin orange salad, strawberry congealed salad.  But, looking at the picture makes me laugh also.  It appears the men in our family are just staring at the table waiting for someone to make the first move!

Because we were in Andalusia, of course Turner wanted to build a campfire in the yard and roast marshmallows again. 

And while some of us got carried away partaking of the oh-so-perfectly-charred marshmallows, Turner convinced Pop (mind you - a grown man) to climb up in the tree stand with her.

Mark, BB, and I headed out to the Andalusia Wal-Mart for some early Black Friday shopping and as soon as we left, Turner convinced Pop (do you notice a theme when I write about Pop?) to make homemade hot chocolate for her.  Of course she helped...

Let me talk about Black Friday shopping for a second.  I have NEVER in my life experienced anything quite like that before.  We went to Wal-Mart fully prepared to buy nothing, hoping to be entertained by the people watching.  Some deals started at 10:00pm so we arrived around 9:30, to find that there were hardly any parking spaces available and the parking lot was being monitored by several officers and cars from the local police department.  Seriously? 

We walked in the front door and started realizing that they had barricaded certain areas of the store "maze style" to direct traffic into and around strategic areas.  There were items in the center of the aisle wrapped in what appeared to be cellophane, obviously kept tightly off limits till the appointed time.  There were literally anywhere from 25 to 50 people waiting around certain cellophane stations - even at 9:30! We walked around the store for a while - looking silly to seasoned Black Friday shoppers I am certain - and visited with some old friends.  Until all the sudden at 10:00pm we heard this strange ripping sound - people were literally tearing into the cellophane and the grabbing and running commenced.  I watched grown adults rake 15 Barbie dolls into their shopping cart - my sister overheard a conversation that started something like this, "Yep, I got 17 Wii's and I only needed 9 - do you want to come and get the 8 I don't need?"

I stood and admittedly gawked at people.  I can honestly say there isn't anything I want or need bad enough to make me endure that on a serious basis.  If they were selling iPads for $100 maybe...but for a Barbie?  It was highly entertaining I tell you!! 

On Friday before we headed out to Starkville, we took some family pictures in front of the decorations located in the town square.  I cannot tell you how silly my family is - and how Rebekah and I found two men to fit into that craziness I'll never know.  We married two of the most brilliant and stoic men on the planet - but put them in certain situations and they never cease to amaze me with their silliness and humor.   

Mark may kill me for including these - but those of you who only know one side of my sweet husband need to know how much fun he has with his little girl.  :)

A flashback to the old prom pose.

There were some awesome pictures taken...

...and then we were back to the silliness again!  And so it went for about an hour!

Friday afternoon we headed across West Alabama towards Starkville, arriving just in time to enjoy a delicious dinner at the Capitol City Grille and stop in for a basketball game at the Hump.

Blurry picture...but I had Turner a MSU t-shirt skirt made.  TOO cute.

Yummy MSU icecream as a treat for being such a superb traveler!

One of the best things about visiting Starkville for me is the fact that Turner and I get to be immersed in a part of Mark's life that happened long before either of us came into the picture.  Mark has so many lifelong, forever friendships from his time at Mississippi State.  And through the years, though we don't see everyone more than about 2-4 times a year, these sweet friends have become to me and Turner what they've always been to Mark - a part of our family.  This particular trip was extra special because it's the biggest crowd of friends to gather that I've seen since our wedding.  

Turner with Kate (daughter of Carol and Wade - go check out their blog here).  These two were fast friends and the two Mommas decided that the Armstrong's need to make a trip to Arizona soon!

And I actually got these 4 friends and their 7 kids all smiling and willing to take a special picture!  These beautiful 8th/9th grade girls were just a little older than Turner when I first met them!  Sweet Kason in the gray shirt beside Turner was 5 months old at our wedding!!  Time flies I tell you!

Turner and Phillip - who is just 2 months younger than Turner but who on the day of his birth shared the same stats with Turner at her 2 month checkup earlier that same day!  He's quite a fella, and boy can they get into some mischief together!

Seeing how they measure up at 4 years and almost 4 years old - she's catching up with him!  Maybe?

Check out the stink-eye Phillip is giving Turner - he positively did not want to have his picture made.  And look at her cheesing for the camera. Typical!

We have so much to be thankful for!  Friendships, family, health, the ability to be able to travel and enjoy these blessings!