Giving Thanks

We moved in to our new house a few weeks before Thanksgiving. We were so excited about our new kitchen and actually having space, we volunteered to host it this year. And it only seemed fair since Julie is always the host. So we (for the remainder of this post when you read "we", I really mean "Dave") got started early. We were in charge of the turkey.
Gary made his signature brussel sprouts dish. It was the first time I ever had them! I don't know why they get such a bad rap. They were really good!

The kids played Operation while we were preparing dinner.

Except this kid. We told him that if he wanted a seat at the table, he'd have to build it himself. Thanks, Vincent!

Dinner was served. Our first meal in our new dining room.

It was odd how this moment....

...quickly turned in to this moment.

Why go outside in the cold when you can shoot out of your very own kitchen window? I guess when your neighbors are used to squatters living in your house, they are extra tolerant of shooting out of windows. We hope this patience lasts.

Being the sporting men that they are, they finally decided to take it outside.

Meanwhile, Aunt Julie was making gingerbread houses with the kids. She brought all the extra nice tools and candy that we weren't willing to buy. One of the many reasons our kids love their Aunt Julie.

This is one of my favorite series of pictures. First, Natalie showing off her gingerbread house.

Now we have Tiff who is trying to show off her house but her sister is stealing her shot. Note how she faces the camera, smiles, and shoves her sister all at the same time. A masterful job.

Finally, a solo shot.

And here is Andrew's mini house.
We had a lot of dessert to choose from. Here is David's beautiful apple pie. And, yes Joy, he still uses vodka to make the crust. But hey, we are the sort of folk that take screens out of our windows and shoot through them so are you really that surprised?

We gave thanks for our new house and for being able to spend our first Thanksgiving in it with a great family.