A Table FULL of Family!!

This Thanksgiving Day there were more adults than there were babies in the Bell house!

Amber thought this first Thanksgiving when the quads are too young to travel they would be spending the holiday alone. Not so! We decided to stay down here in Houston rather than fight the traffic to go back home. Especially since we already planned to go home for our visit at the end of the month.

Amber's dad called to see when would be a good time to visit the quads and THEY were free to come down HERE for Thanksgiving. Win! WIN!! Amber had BOTH sets of her parents - at the same time for the first time since her wedding day 6 years ago!

*update*
Louis Dean and I were just talking and we remember ALL the parents - including Mike's! - gathering at Texas Roadhouse in February 2010 when Amber and Mike returned for a visit mid point in the year they lived in Aberdeen, Scotland. Children - no matter the age - always seem to bring families together!

The two grandmothers! So many babies we could ALL hold one!

My beautiful daughter!

I love Trystan's little cheeks!

SHE sat at the dining room table with us and tried a tiny taste of my sweet potato casserole -

and she LOVED it!!

The quads Thanksgiving menu was pureed acorn squash.

Every baby got their own bowl, spoon AND feeder!!

Holiday or not - the babies get their daily Tummy Time!

Jesse and his wife hit the grocery store when they got into town and bought lots of goodies for this tray of appetizers!

There was PLENTY of food!

Louis Dean and I have been cooking all week!

Dessert was Pumpkin Cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory!

Amber had heard about it and we found one - at Sam's!

(It WAS very good!!)

Louis Dean manned the camera for us!

He looks so innocent here!

He was really trying to talk me into giving him a SECOND piece of cheesecake!

(He didn't get it!)

By the end of the afternoon we were all just as tired as Trystan!!

Eating and football watching can be exhausting!!

We were excited over the Texans WIN and disappointed over the Cowboys LOSS!

We came back to the camper and after a little bitty nap - took ALL the fall decorations down!

This place looks EMPTY now!!

Tomorrow we'll string up the colored lights which are Louis Dean's favorite!

Before he and I married I NEVER used colored lights!

But he loves them so!

After a pretty warm day - it has turned into a chilly evening.

I put my robe on and we watched the movie 'Blind Side' on TV while we ate a supper of crackers and milk.

While I finish up this blog post......

Louis Dean is sitting on HIS side of the table listening to music.

I think it's about time to put this day to bed!

We're off tomorrow so we will be hanging around the camper doing little projects.

It's been a wonderful Thanksgiving Day!

Thanksgiving EVE!

I think I enjoy the EVE of a holiday as much - if not more - than the holiday itself!

The EVE is full of anticipation and preparation - the hustle and bustle of getting READY!

I LOVE it!

It was a beautiful day here in the Houston area!

WARM - high was in the 80's and when I cam in from caring for the quads today the camper was HOT!

Trystan was loving her 11:45 AM meal of sweet potatoes!

So did Logan Love!!

Now that the feeds are FOUR hours apart - I had time to whip up a batch of Popcorn Crunch for us to munch on during the Thanksgiving Day football games!

It was an interesting day in the RV park....

as I left this morning a retired couple from Washington were leaving.

They were headed to New Orleans to meet up with some cousins.

When I returned this afternoon another big rig was pulling in from out of state.

They are here to spend Thanksgiving weekend with family in Spring, Texas.

This was the closest RV park with an availability.

They stopped by to visit for a few minutes and admire my Santa paintings. 

She wanted to BUY one of them! I had to tell her they are still in progress ....and not for sale.

We told them about the HEATED pool and great hot tub.

Guess where they are now?

Louis Dean is outside now carving up the turkey he cooked today.

I have already mixed up the stuffing made from homemade cornbread and wheat bread.

The pan I used is a vintage metal wash basin - all dented and full of character!!

I bought it at an estate sale years ago!

Wonder where it's been and the stories it could tell!

All is done now!! We are just sitting by the fire and counting our blessings!

This Thanksgiving Day will be a memorable one.

Amber's dad - my husband for 41 years - arrived today to see the quads for the very first time.

We will all be spending the day together tomorrow.

This will be the first holiday Amber has had BOTH her parents with her at the same time since she was 17 years old! Jesse will be with his lovely wife, Cynthia, and I with my beloved Louis Dean.

Together we will all celebrate the wonder of four precious babies.

Isn't the grace of God absolutely amazing?

To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven.  

~Johannes A. Gaertner

Preparations for Celebration!

It is Thanksgiving week and we are preparing!

I made the Company Mashed Potatoes, Sweet Potato Casserole and Cranberry Orange Relish!

They are all sitting in Amber's 'extra' fridge just waiting for Thursday.

The quads have taken to a new schedule and I am amazed!

Amber latest blog post: Quad Squad Feeding Frenzy tells it like it is!

Amber has added yet another clever piece of equipment to the mix!

ALL the babies love it - but this may well be Kailey's favorite!!

You can just barely thread your way through the house with all the swings, mats and baby paraphernalia around here! Before you blink twice it will all be replaced with soccer balls and tennis rackets!

This special time of infancy does not last long!

Tomorrow Louis Dean and I will be spending the day in Quadville - he will be making dinner rolls for Thanksgiving and I will be preparing the veggies for the dressing......as well as taking care of quadruplets!

I love the anticipation as well as the preparations for Thanksgiving.

Somehow I have never been able to bring myself to decorate for Christmas until AFTER Thanksgiving.

That may change next year - I don't know.

But tonight I am enjoying the comforts of having a menu, schedule, and to do list and know that all is going as planned!

It is even LOOKING a bit like fall here in the Houston area!

You don't see much color in these parts so I was happy to spy THIS!

One more 'Sneak Peek' at the recent photo shoot......

(this one is MINE! the last one was Amber's!)

Hope YOU are enjoying this week of Thanksgiving!