Babes

Tyler - Tanner - Everett - June

siblings aided in the propping of the photo

Doesn't get better than this
Thanksgiving was great.
We need to get all of the cousin's cousins born this year in one place at one time.
To have less than half was still great

Cousins, Cousins, Everywhere part2

Lindsey & Everett - Jen & Tanner - Laure & Tyler - Julie & June

Mackey - Michael, Marie - Julie, Blair - Jen, Eric - Lindsay, Everett -  Tyler, Laura, Robert

 The Illinois/Wisconsin contingent gathered together for a Saturday night dinner. Yes, we could have been at the BYU Basketball game , played here in town , but we forsook the hoops game for hanging out. I was going to take a picture in the basement but it looked like a bomb had gone off so i passed. The kids were having too much fun to be condemned by my camera. In the meantime it was calm for awhile in the kitchen so we took a couple  of photos. (Josh was with his  recouping girls  so they passed this round and were missed)

House Guests

We had wonderful visitors for the weekend

Jen Eric Tara,Tara, Tara Morgan Alex and Tanner

Julie Blair Eden Dean June Duncan

Gathering and Games

whether duck duck grey duck (read not goose)
or table chat it was all fun

The dinner

So nobody does it better.
We had a glorious Thanksgiving feast
a day late but clearly not a dollar short

It starts with a great soup

followed by a great spread

then great company

there is always the kids table

and drop in visitors

JenErica

None of the boys were home on Thanksgiving yet the house was full of fun and love and noise. A more predictable Christensen thanksgiving visitor you might guess would be Matt and Honor but NO. To our delight Jen, Eric, Tara, Morgan, Alex and Tanner drove up from St Louis for the weekend. A party ensued.

Mackey is one part favorite oldest cousin
One part favorite youngest aunt
To the next generation
Mainly she is kind and fun.

Thanksgiving Tradition

Rindy mowed the lawn on Wednesday so what else could you expect on Thursday but a warm weather tradition of croquet. The kids, well they love Mac;and Eric demonstrated skills we weren't aware of.

The Perfect Pie

What else would you expect?

She brought her ingredients;
She brought her utensils;
She brought her apron;
She brought her "A" game;

This is what she delivered

Got to love Jen

Let The Season Begin

There are many reasons to love Rindy and perhaps another post, another day, I might be inclined to list them all; but one of them is clearly her love of the season and ability to express it. Though it is a work in progress I couldn't resist taking a few photos and posting them. When I returned from work tonight the house smelled like Christmas, Pandora was playing Christmas, and the front porch looked like Christmas. Yes, the sights and sounds are returning thanks to Rindy. (And oddly, or maybe not so oddly, it made me miss my father) Nonetheless, the season is upon us, the door is open , drop by on the 24th for sure but anytime you can - we'll eat, we'll sing, we'll play a game in a festive setting.
Yes, yes, let The Season Begin.

A Pianist in our midst

Annie is a good conversationalist and I enjoy sitting down and chatting with her. As fun, is asking her to play what she is currently working on in her piano studies. So upon arrival at Robert & Laura's tonight the first thing I did was to request a concert. I love listening to the piano. Few things are more delightful than sitting in our living room listening to Rindy play. So, I figure my contribution is to provide a willing and ready audience to those who work on their gift of playing. If no one ever asks how do they become performers. Anne delivers in spades. ( I really should make a mini video next time)

on a side-note - laura makes a great pizza