3 days, 3 Thanksgiving meals

What a wonderful Thanksgiving this year! Not because of all the food, but because of the time with family members.

On Thanksgiving Day, Mike and I drove to Fulton to eat with my cousins and my Uncle Dick and his wife. Although a glitch with the oven caused a huge delay in eating, the time was spent visiting and playing games. While some played Spades, Mike and I played Yahtzee with Dianne, Uncle Dick and Karen. This was the first time I played it. I got beat but boy did I have fun during the process! It was also a great time to talk, visit and reconnect. Little Christian, Brandon's son, suggested that everyone say what they were thankful for. Several said family, however, Mike said he was thankful to be living in the US. We all agreed.

The second meal occurred on Friday night with my brother and his family, nephew Chris and his family, and Mike and I. The house was filled with laughter and sharing. It wasn't your typical meal. We had baked spaghetti, garlic bread, etc. We played Mancala with Debbie winning most of the games, however, rookie Chris won a game. We also played Yahtzee and we had lots of fun. (I got beat again.) We ended with a new game, Word Buzz, with Mike and I actually winning. Wall to wall people in a small house with great food and fellowship. Winning combination!

The holiday ended with having traditional Thanksgiving fare with Mike's family. This year we met at a conservation club. Mike provided some candy from the "good ole days", so there was some nostalgia going on. Sadly, several members were unable to attend from health related reasons to military service. Bill, Mike's stepdad, was feeling ill, Martin was recuperating from a quadruple bypass, and Bradley is in the military. After doing the expected "catching up", Mike and I played Yahtzee with several of the children. Chloe really got into shaking the dice. Outside, most of the kids played kickball. Raven even played barefoot, despite the chilly weather and cold ground.

What made the holiday so special? Once again, being with family. So many of us are scattered around the nation and its difficult to get everyone together. In fact, our own children and grandchildren were absent which made the holiday bittersweet. However, I am so thankful for family. I was reminded of Thanksgivings in the past when I was a child. We would all bundle up and meet at my grandparents. Uncles, aunts, cousins, and second cousins would fill the house, causing the front room floor to be used for a table. Laughter would fill the air as we caught up with each other's lives. It was a good Thanksgiving this year!

I am The Photographer...

Yes. I am the family photographer. You know, the one that people run away from or hide from at family events? Love me or avoid me, but somehow I will get your picture to preserve family memories. Years later, as you look through photographs of cherished times, you will appreciate me. And believe it or not, I have had people seeking me out, pleading for me to take a picture.

I think I have always been the family photographer, starting in 4-H. There's just something about finding the right angle to catch that one-of-a-kind moment, that Kodak moment is what I call it. Currently, I have a Canon Powershot. I love that camera! I have had it for years and it gives me great photos. Although recently, I have found myself salivating over some of the newer models. 12 megapixels and 15 x optical view! (Calm down, Kathy!)

I've experimented leaving my camera behind when I 've gone to events. And guess what? Every time someone has come up to me and asked accusingly where my camera was. They had left their's at home because they knew I would be bringing mine. Go figure.

So, until someone else wants to take the heat, I am the unofficial family photographer on the prowl for those candid shots that you will beg for in the years to come.