The Nicolls celebrated Thanksgiving the Saturday before the holiday at DeeDee's house. As the family grows, the traditions change a bit. This year, we didn't all sit around one big table together for hours on end as we did before little ones began arriving. We ate in shifts and had conversations in smaller groups. While the way we ate was a little different, the food was as delicious as ever, and seeing all the family was as special as ever.
When we first arrived, Addison made a be-line for little Annalea.
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| Hugs! |
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| Tim, Bodhi, and Jyoti |
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| Dylan, Annalea, Britney, and Callie |
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| Rafael and Christa |
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| Jake and Michelle |
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| Addie loves Aunt Britney's dip! |
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| Angela and Bodhi |
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| Palte Fam |
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| Grandma and Mom |
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| Enjoying Thanksgiving Dinner |
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| Yum! |
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| Marsha and Bob |
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| Bodhi is one happy little guy! |
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| Annalea the thumbsucker |
On Thanksgiving Day, we headed over to Aunt Dale and Uncle Jack's house, aka The Homestead, to have our second Thanksgiving dinner.
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| All dressed up and ready to go! |
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| Happy Girls! |
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| Love this smile! |
Growing up in the Hicks family, we cousins have fond memories of the kids' table at Grandma and Grandpa's. We sat around the kitchen table, playing with candle wax and telling fart jokes, far out of earshot of the adults set up in the dining room. This year, Aunt Dale re-instated the kids' table, set up within reach of the adults for now.
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| Second Cousins' Kids' Table |
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| Emily and Addison are loving all the food! |
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| Annalea tries some after dinner skateboarding |
Aunt Dale and Uncle Jack bought Grandma and Grandpa Hicks' house when they moved to Windsor Gardens. Whenever we go back to the old Homestead for holidays, it brings back such great childhood memories. I have many fun (and itchy) memories from the old barn. Grandma and Grandpa had horses, and I loved going in to feed and pet them. The smell of hay and dust, the warm light coming in through the cracks in the walls, and the sound of stomping horse feet surrounded me as I'd climb up to the hay loft to help Grandpa toss lunch down to Elsie and Bucky, Clownie and Quinny.
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| Hicks Fam |
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| The Palte Fam (real classy, Em!) |
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| Cute Cousins! |
While the kids played, I spent a few minutes taking pictures of the now empty horse corrals.
Those are some great shots of your family. Everyone looks so happy and healthy and beautiful.
ReplyDeleteAnd what fabulous shots of the homestead. And your memories! What a beautiful post, Abbey. I can feel your love for it all. xoxo