Thanksgiving in Missouri, 2006

Normally at this time of year we are preparing for a trip to Missouri for Thanksgiving (folks back home call it "Thanksgivin'"). Not this year. We're staying in Texas, and waiting until Christmas to head to Missouri.



Last year's trip was a great one! As is typical for us, there were several road trips during our stay. Thanksgiving day was spent at Mom's with most of the family (aka "kinfolk") present. Throughout the afternoon more family members and friends of the family typically pop in to say hello (actually they'd say "howdy" or "howdy youns" -- exactly what IS "youns"???) and nibble on more food and desserts (also known simply as "grub" or "vittles"). It is not unusual for 50 people to have come and gone throughout the day. Where there's food...people come out of the woodwork! Especially when my mama's been cooking!



The days after Thanksgiving and before our return trip to Texas were spent driving around, site seeing and of course taking lots of pictures. Marty was a great sport driving us all over. His one request this year for our trip is "can we please not spend so much time driving other places once we get there???"

Both my sisters as we walk down to the creek (pronounced "crick" by locals) to look around and take pictures. Regina's on the left, and Lacey's on the right. (Of course if I'd said this several years ago I'd have said, "we walked down the holler to the crick.")

Marty and me on the trek to the creek.

Typically at some point during the visit all the girls go out for coffee. Mom couldn't join us this day, but Regina, Lacey, and JoAn did. Here is Regina with Heather.

Heather with her Uncle Levi.

Regina and her family.
Regina, Greg, Danielle and Brandon.

Marty, me and Heather.





The whole crew (well, there were many others in and out, but we didn't get a group shot of EVERYONE at one time)




My siblings and me.

Lacey, Regina, Levi, Davy and me.

(I bet we've always been this cooperative for a picture! I was sitting beside them but they kep knocking me over so I moved to the back! )

Marty and me

(taken at the Precious Moments Chapel in Carthage, MO)

Mom and CeCe on our hike to Falling Spring.

Regina. This is a typical stance of Regina, Mom, JoAn, Nana and me at any given time.
Notice my brother in law Greg in the background? He's showing you the typical stance of the men waiting, and waiting while we take pictures.

The kids (Brandon, Danielle, Heather and Marty and Greg) found this trolley set up for the Conservation Department to use to cross the river at Greer Spring. I think if the guys could have figured out how to unlock it, they'd have actually used it to cross the river. What an example that would have set for the teenagers!

Scene at Falling Spring.

Posing for a picture on the hike down to Greer Spring.

From the left: Greg, Marty, Mom, CeCe, Regina and JoAn.

My cousin Willie with Lacey.

Some of my family members are as redneck as they come but I love them all! Sometimes I wonder if Jeff Foxworthy has used some of my relatives for references for his jokes!
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Happy Birthday, Elizabeth!!!

You're older than me for a day!

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