As I stated before the food was delicious! I think we all had a hard time fitting all of the food we wanted on our plates. But we didn't let that discourage us! We just went back for seconds a few times to make sure we had tried everything. Here Adrianna is just getting started with filling her plate up with our yummy feast.
A sweet picture of Mel and Becca before they pigged out on dinner.
A sweet picture of Mel and Becca before they pigged out on dinner. 
Dad is wondering when it is his turn to go through the line, while Mom seems shocked about something.
The Kitchen and Living Room were decorated so neatly with little paper turkeys which the McDonald kids had made. They each had something that the kids were thankful for written on them.
One angle of the adults table. Here the McDonald's, the Michael's, and dad and mom are enjoying a good conversation. 
The kiddo table. They all look really happy here. The food must have tasted good! 
A different angle on the adults table. Peter got to graduate this year from a kid to a young adult-ish. ;) Jess and I also had our first whole glass of wine at a Thanksgiving feast. Maybe that explains why... oh never mind. *grin*
Peter and Mel love to dry together. They also love to get pictures while drying. 
The day before Thanksgiving Melissa had cut her finger pretty nasty while slicing sweet potatos. And I felt so bad for her not having the use of her finger I went and cut mine on a broken edge of a plate. It was totally not planned to have it on the same finger though. ;) 
The little girls enjoying a game of Scattergories.
Becca, Jess, and I love to get pictures together! 
Here we are eating some yummy different pies!
To end our wonderful day Tiff suggested that we call the Hector's and wish them a Happy Thanksgiving as well as a Happy Anniversary! We were all more than happy to! So we called the Hector's and ended up being passed around to almost everyone in their family talking, laughing, and comparing our day. It was a nice way to end the time we had. 
A Note: For Tiff as this was her last Thanksgiving with us... :( (You other people don't have to read if you don't want to.)
What joy one has when they find a like-minded, loving, happy, and true friend. It brings tears to my eyes to think of all the ways Tiffany McDonald has changed my life. Tiff is an amazing older sister to her wonderful family. But she doesn't stop there! She has lovingly adopted my family as her "family" as well. And we are all so thankful for that!
I can still remember my family's first years at our church Providence. We were having a big switch over in our family. Learning how to eat healthy as well as live the life God intended for us. I remember my parents telling me to be more like the McDonald girls who were always in the kitchen and yet always ready to help with a little one. I know that the McDonald family is not perfect! (Who would want them to be?) But they still had the heart that my parents wanted in me. So for these past three years, I have been watching Tiffany and her sisters. I have been changing the way I do things with my family so that I could be a little more like them. Now that I have had the pleasure of knowing Tiffany these past years, I have only grown to love her more and more as an older sister. But never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that God would knit my life and heart so closely to hers! For one thing I never expected to be so honored as to be asked to be in her wedding! That was a total shockingly happy experience for me!! I am so unbelievable happy for Tiff and Ben! My heart sings with joy just at the thought of them being a happy couple and I cannot wait for the day to come! But than I get to thinking about how far away California is and I kinda start to be a little happy that May is such a long ways off. Kinda selfish of me I know. But who can be happy to not have the joy of seeing their sister every Sunday? Then again.... California for visit sounds really nice too! You can truly believe me when I say I have mixed feelings. *grin* I just went in a total circle.
Anyway Tiff, I am so happy for you!! But know that you will be missed beyond belief! I love you my dear sister!! Thank you so much for putting up with such a goofy girl like me. ;)
God bless!
~Meli
I think I'm going to missed her the most!! You have no idea how much she means to me, well, maybe you do, but that's another story! =D
ReplyDeleteThe post is so great! I love it all!!! I'm so glad y'all got to come again....is next year open for y'all? ;) We MUST keep this a tradition!!
Love you Meli!!
*Hugs*
Mel <3
Now you're making me cry...*HUG*
ReplyDeleteI have to disagree and say that *I* will miss her the most. ;) But I'm so thankful that I have friends who I know will try and at least slightly fill that empty whole that she'll leave.
I'm so lucky/special/blessed to have a friend like you, Meli *and* your wonderful family!
Love you, bestie.
<3, Jess
Oh, Meli-my dearest, darling friend!!!
ReplyDeleteI thought I had shed enough tears for one week, but you've gone and done it again! You are so very sweet, and I don't deserve to have friends like you, and Jess and Mel!
After moving here, I missed the way things used to be...three years down the road, I wouldn't trade this part of my journey for anything! Your friendship has meant so much to me, and without our big move, we never would have met. It's amazing to see how the Lord puts twists and turns in our life and brings us the greatest blessings...ones we never would've imagined would eventually be ours!
Leaving here won't be easy, and I'm glad to hear that you don't hate me for marrying Ben (I'd have to do it anyway!). ;) My wedding day would not be complete without you...you are my sister and the Lord has done it all! We might not have extended family up here, but that's okay, because we've had y'all!
Know that you are loved beyond what you can imagine. You will always be my sister and friend. And you are ALWAYS welcome in California...my door will be forever open.
I love you, my dear! And I'm so humbled to have a friend who would go over and beyond to write something so precious for me!
<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3
Oh...and I don't think any of y'all (Meli, Mel and Jess) will miss me as much as I'll miss the three of you! <3 So, COME VISIT!!! :D
ReplyDeleteMel darling, naturally you and your family will miss Tiff the most. BUT I get second place NO matter what!!! Okay? :)
ReplyDeleteYou may as well plan the menu cause I am definitely coming to you house for next Thanksgiving deary! *hugs* Love you too Mel! <3
Jess my Bestie, *hugs back* I would say that I am more blessed to have all y'all for sister's than you are to have me! Love you very much! <3
My dearest sister Tiff, I didn't want to make you cry as well! I just wanted you to know how I feel about it all. And you can bet your bottom dollar that I will be out to CA as much as I can once you are there!!! Love you so much Tiff!!!! <3 <3 Trust me, I could NEVER hate you darling!!! And especially not for marrying my adopted-big-brother! It's too perfect in my opinion. *grin*
I am so thankful for all of you girls!!!