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My words and photographs are copyrighted, and may not be used without permission, even on Pinterest.

~ Kathy M.

Showing posts with label thanksgiving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label thanksgiving. Show all posts

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Thanksgiving 2010:

Every year, we gather in the fellowship hall of the church that my Mom is a member of.  It is in Eugene, where some of us live.  The rest of us drive from other cities around Oregon to meet for our Thanksgiving Dinner annual event.


We arrange the tables, and decorate them.  


My cousins helped me get the decorations on the table.  
Of course, I forgot to take a "finished" picture.







My brother-in-law Rhett made this yummy apple pie.  Last year, everybody brought pumpkin pie.  This year nobody did.  Kari had a pumpkin topping on her homemade cheesecake though.


 Rhett, the pie maker.


Mom makes a birthday cake each year, because after dinner, we celebrate the November and December birthdays.  Maria is the beautiful model beside the cake.  Like Vanna White. 


Uncle Frank works on the mashed potatoes.
They are his specialty.


Nanny puts one of the turkeys on the platters.  
Zach is washing something in the sink.


Aunt Marty always looks so pretty!

She informed me that next year, I was in charge.  I said no way.  I live too far away, where there is ice and snow.  In the end it was determined that Julie, Kari and Amy will help to be in charge next year.

Tim and Amy are GREAT helpers.  Thanks, you guys.  That is probably one reason why Amy was put in charge for next year though.  In this family, you get rewarded for your hard work.


Michael and Mom are proud of how this dinner is turning out.



We gather around the room for the blessing.  Uncle Chunk makes the blessing short and sweet.  That is when I learned that Micheal and Alex are going to Afghanistan for a long, long time.  Whoa.  Uncle Chunk just puts in the most important parts.  When Uncle Frank gives the blessing it lasts longer and is a bit more flowery.  I enjoy both of their styles.







We politely get in line for the buffet:



Scott stood right by the food, so he was first in line.  Pretty clever!



The baby provides lovely music for our listening entertainment. 



After we are ready for dessert, Mom gathers everybody with a November or December birthday up.  We sing happy birthday.  The dude in the wheelchair is faking injury.  He just likes popping wheelies.



Casey blows out the candles.


Angie, Julie and Sally enjoy their visit.


Casey, Kari and Jen let me take their picture.  The next time we will all be together will probably be  next summer at Jen's wedding.


Kristin, gorgeous as always.


Ethan and Kari


Danny listens to his girl.

There are a lot more pictures, but I put them on Facebook.  I just wanted to show you how things go at our Thanksgiving.  I'll use my friend Lisa's phrase and just say that, for us, "It is a soft place to land."  I feel touched with the love of my family, and don't take anything for granted anymore, these days.

God bless!

~ Kathy

Friday, November 26, 2010

The Family Calendar:


I originally posted this last Thanksgiving, but that was before I knew about  Sepia Saturday, and since this week's theme is weddings, I couldn't resist.  I had another post planned, but I think that you guys will like this one a lot.  

Thank you so much for stopping by to visit, and Happy Sepia Saturday!

Kathy M.


Source:  Julie Anderson
My Cousin Danny and Grandma Jody (my Mom).
Photo courtesy of  @juliejulie

My Mom is so good to our family.  She helps to keep us bonded together in a very special way.  Each year she puts together a family calendar, with the best of the new photos and the best of the old photos that she can find.  Mom makes around 35 of these special calendars, which is a lot of hard work.  Then she writes everybody's birthday's and anniversary on their correct dates.  Mom wraps them in newspaper and hands them out at Thanksgiving, when we all meet for our meal at her church fellowship hall.  Thanks, Mom, for all of your hard work!

Mom is giving Maria and Dawn a sneak peak of this year's calendar:

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews


Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

Here are several of the older photos that she chose for this year's calendar:

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews
Here I am, trying to get Angie to hold still 
while my little bro watches the attempt.



Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews
My great-grandparents, Ben and Litha Hedrick
are holding my Nanny.


Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews
Nanny grew up to be a beautiful bride!  From left to right:  My Grandpa and Grandma Traylor, Nanny, Great Grannie Hedrick (Grandma T.'s Mom, if you can't tell), Uncle Frank, Aunt Mardelle and Mom.


Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews
 Here is Aunt Mardy when she was a baby.


Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews
 She grew up to be a beautiful bride too!  
Here she is with Uncle Frank.


Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews
This picture is really old.  It is hard to see, but my great-great Uncle Hobart is at the top of the part of this tree that is still standing up straight.  You might have to click on the picture to enlarge it.  He looks so tiny!  We used to have a lot of big old trees around the Pacific Northwest.

Anyway, I just wanted to show you that.  I hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  


~ Kathy


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Thursday, November 25, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving!



Hey, Everybody!

Please have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving.

I am thankful for you,

~ Kathy


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I LOVE THE STATE OF OREGON.

I LOVE THE STATE OF OREGON.
Links to My Oregon Blog Posts (Except for Central Oregon):

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