Thanksgiving 2010

We had a wonderful GA Thanksgiving at our house this year. Most all of j's family arrived on Tuesday night and left on Sunday and we thoroughly enjoyed having one to many cooks in the kitchen, to many wet kitchen towels, lots of random candy wrappers, lots of chatter, laughter and loud football noise blaring from the tv. It was our first GA Thanksgiving and we couldn't have been more grateful.

This year was a bit different than all years past, because we are missing one of J's brother, his wife & their 2 children. They have decided within the last 2 months to cut all of us out of their lives...for reasons that are so shallow, that if I told you, you wouldn't believe it....

My SIL's & I have a Faceb00k friend that is an ex wife from over 14 years ago, they are so jealous that they can't see straight. Not only have they cut us out of their lives, but they have the 2 children hating on their own family who have been nothing but wonderful to them. We hate the whole situation and I am about to blow a gasket on them for putting my fabulous in-laws through this bullshit. Their behavior is unacceptable, but not shocking. My SIL has cut out her entire family, including her own mother and 2 of her own children....I just hate it for my in-laws who have never done a damn thing wrong to them.

However, even though they are not apart of our life right now, we still kept with tradition and gathered together at a new location and enjoyed being together 24/7.

I am truly blessed and grateful for my husbands amazing family and anyone would be proud to call them their own.

Preparing for the annual cornhole tournament!
EG preparing to unwrap a special gift...

The grandkids unwrapping...

A special wooden *treasure* box that Gra*mps had built for each grand child. Each child's wood is hand picked for them and W has a piece of wood over a 100 years old in his box on the lid. They even come equipped with a pull out drawer. I love how special it is and it's a gift that they will keep their entire lives.

My beautiful SIL's~

Aunt*e Ann putting make up on EG...

Gawwww, she LOVES make up!!!

She has encouraged my daughter to lose her God lovin' make up desiring self....

We had 2 turkey's and a ham being prepared along with about 482 sides of complete yum. I was very excited to see how a turkey was deep fried, that was a new concept for me and it was yummy~!

My other BIL made the most terrific organic, free roaming turkey I had ever had! I know he followed a specific recipe and I will share it if anyone has interest, but I gotta say, it was to die for yummy.

The DH's famous carmel applie pie~!

W loves food, he loves to cook it, taste it, help stir it and look at it. He spends countless hours thinking about food...I swear he's going to be a cook. He wanted a picture of him with all the deserts, so there ya have it...

~ W's Thanksgiving drawing~

I hope your home was as full of laughter, chatter & love as ours was this Thanksgiving year!

A Ge0rgia update

Helloooo? Anyone still there?

I thought I should give an update on life in GA as we know it...

When I came to GA, I never imagined that I would like it as much as I do living here. I've met some really spectacular people, many of which have become life long friends...cause I can already tell like that. If you've been a really long time reader & have leaped over from the first blog of way back when, then you know the drama we lived with behind our neighborhood gates. Though I loved my home and dreaded leaving my lil' cul de sac of bliss, I have found myself living in a neighborhood that is really cool.

Let me rewind to May 24, 2010: I pulled out of paradise with 4 kids, a dog on only a few hours of sleep. We literally cried all the way to Ge0rgia. When we arrived, we really didn't like this house. I remember standing on the outside looking in as all my kids took off inside to see where their new rooms would be thinking that I was cheating on my other house. For the next few days, my neighbor kept coming over to meet me and I hid in the bedroom, not ready to meet people, thinking I could never meet better neighbors than the ones I left behind. I kept telling myself I was only here for the over the top fabulous school zone.

Fast forward to today: I have met some amazing people. People that no doubt have become life long friends. Friends that I can honestly say I love being around. We girls have laughed, cried, shared, dreamed and spent a lot of time chatting about our lives, our kids, our families & our lives together. It has been my honor to get to know these new neighbors who live in a neighborhood where there is no drama, no hate, no calling the lawyer to stop the madness, no door to door knocking for BOD votes...nothing. And the big bonus is all the husbands really like each other & they get together all on their own. We have gone from not liking this house to falling in love with it and hoping the owner will one day sell it. I'm not sure if it's the house or the calm environment of life that I love. Everyone here is for the schools, so nobody wants to leave. It's an older neighborhood with lots of privacy and fully matured trees. We see no neighbors =0) I look at the million dollar neighborhoods all around me and I feel like we are so house rich at this time in our life.

My old neighbor called me the other day to chat and she asked me point blank, "If J was offered the same job making the same money, would we go back to paradise?" I said, "If J was offered the same job making MORE money, we wouldn't want to leave here." Something changed in me & I really love it here. Now don't get me wrong, I REALLY miss island time. Just the other day we were watching EG's video and as soon as the island pictures came up, my eyes filled with tears. I really miss spending island time with Pr*ncess Ann & her fun family. I desperately miss the salty air and hanging out with my girlfriends down there, but I can honestly say that our life has grown together as a family in a much better way than I ever dreamed. Life here is more family friendly, more affordable and tons more things to do.

My fresh outlook does have a lot to do with the same old drama that is still circulating our old neighborhood. I can't really speak about it yet, but after next weeks BOD meeting, I can tell you how I really feel and just how happy I am to not be living in that environment anymore!

So who's shocked about my new perspective on life not by the sea anymore?

Hall0ween 2010

We had an over the top good time for our first Hall0ween in Georgia.

We adults attended a party at my neighbors home and then went trick or treating the next night after all the fun kid activities at our neighborhood rec center.

I have to say, it was more fun than all the past Hall0weens.

We are really loving our new neighborhood and the lack of drama that goes with it.

My dh costume is a bit much, but we just told the kids he was JT from the 80's ;0)

It was an adult party afterall!

I went as a spider witch with big frizzy hair and lots of heavy makeup...so not me...

my neighbors

Jessica Rabbit, a spider witch & a candy corn witch~

Bam!

an adorable frog!

my little chef, there is no better costume for my little guy

the mummy wrap game

the donut on a string game

Trick 0r Treat