A Thankful November

UPDATE:  when I hit publish it only put up the pictures for half the post.  No words:(  So I've tried to write them (at least some of them) again...

We started November with a soup, salad, and homemade bread celebration in honor of Tim and Jessie's embarkment (I know it's not a word) on the journey of parenthood (in like, 3 days now--whoa!)

Actually, Molly and I were the only hosts.  Ryan had an impromptu week long business trip to Oakland, California.  Even so, it was a lovely gathering of friends and family with lots of laughing.  I love laughing with that group:)  And I'm now anxious to meet baby Judah, or Alice...

Speaking of babies....the next thing we did in November was share with our families that WE were expecting a new little one too!  The three of us skyped my parents and we let Molly share the news.  The next evening we shared the excitement with Ryan's parents in person (this time Molly wore a "big sister" shirt) in Mississippi, our Thanksgiving destination.  

Speaking of Thanksgiving...as I mentioned, Thanksgiving this year was spent in Mississippi.  It sure was good to spend time with family we hadn't seen it quite awhile.  Swaylor and Molly donned their handmade matching owl hats for their adoring fans:

These two are about 3 months apart.  Swaylor was just weeks away from her two-year birthday.

On Thanksgiving day we drove to the camp in Quitman to meet up with the whole Sellers clan to celebrate our thankfulness.  Molly enjoyed her very first 4-wheeler ride with Daddy.

Uncle Michael's giant 16' Santa greeted everyone:

Passing the time before lunch:

Ryan stealing samples as Ben and Amy get the turkey table-ready:

Tad and Josh chatting with PawPaw:

Molly digging into her feast:

Hannah and the newest addition to the family, her nephew, Sam (Amy and Ben's baby boy):

A Christmas happy from Aunt Betty Carol and Jenna...a new apron, hat and accessories (which she proudly wears daily!):

Fun with Sam!:

Beautiful girls!  Hannah and Jadyn:

We coupled the Thanksgiving gathering with a joint birthday party for Zayke (1/2) and Swaylor (12/9).  MiMi baked the cakes and I cut and decorated them as a cowboy boot and a horse.

The Birthday Boy:

The Birthday Girl:

There were also various other activities--like shooting at the pond--that I didn't get pics of.

Here's Jenna and her buddy, Molly (pardon the red-eye):

And a beautiful mother/daughter picture:

That evening we set about having an early Lucas Christmas.  Swaylor and MiMi:

The next morning Molly got to open one of her presents:  

When she saw the picture of the tricycle on the box she got very excited and jumped up and down until it was all unveiled:

What a cool tricycle!  Thanks MiMi and Pop:

That afternoon we all went to visit MawMaw Lucas.  It was a sweet visit and we got some great family pictures before we left:

And there may have been an incident involving me and a player piano...but we'll never know.

And that evening Molly and Swaylor got to open their things.  Proud of her fancy shoes:

MiMi and her little girls:

Pop, MiMi and their brood (even if they're not all looking:):

So much to be thankful for!

Two happy girls!