FAMILY, FOOD AND GAMES

Debra and I had originally planned to have Gordon and Josie over for Thanksgiving along with their four girls.  Ashley was to join us, too, making a total of nine turkey eaters in our home for Thanksgiving.  This was going to be the first time we've had more than three guests in our home since moving to our little house in Talent.

 

The more we thought about it, however, Debra and Josie both agreed that it would be easier for the kids if Debra did the cooking, as planned, and then we transported the food to their house.  More room for the kids to play around after dinner that way.

 

It was a good call.  We ate.  We played.  And I was the first one to leave, since I was the only one in the group who had to get up and go to work the next morning.



 

The Thanksgiving crowd included (clockwise, starting at the front of the table) Ashley, Rylie, Gordon, Baylee, Debra, Alexia, Josie, Makiah and me.

Just prior to dinner, Gordon, Baylee, Rylie and Ashley hung out in the living room.

Josie and Debra prepared the food while Alexia and Makiah waited at the table.

After dinner, Rylie and I played Jenga while Makiah watched in eager anticipation of an inevitable structural collapse.

The inevitable eventually happened.

I read a couple of books to the youngest two, then I went home while everyone else stayed.

BAYLEE BECOMES A TEENAGER

One-sixth of the grandchild population that Debra and I have helped to create are now teenagers.  Baylee is the second grandchild to join this elite group, which began last December when Daisy reached the landmark age of thirteen.

 

We were able to join about a dozen family and friends at Baylee's house this afternoon to celebrate the occasion.  

 

This is what a new teenager looks like just before an onslaught of cards and gifts are heaped upon her.

Alexia was honored with the prestigious job of gift-deliverer.

Baylee opens cards and gifts as her guests watch.

Four sisters.

Baylee anticipates the candle-lighting-and-blowing-out part of the party while Rylie's left index finger verifies that there are, in fact, thirteen candles on the cake.

Tom lights the candles.

Candle number twelve gets torched using a backhand technique that prevents first-degree burns caused from candles number one through eleven.

Baylee prepares to exhale with force.

Baylee empties her lungs.

The lungs prevail.

I bought my first digital camera in June 2002, and one of the first pictures I ever took with that camera was of Baylee who, at the time, had not yet celebrated even one birthday.