Thanksgiving 2011

Thomas ran in the annual Turkey Trot 5K which the YMCA puts together each year.

Of course I'm on the "wrong" computer to make the pictures come out right.  Sigh.  This is before the race, about 7 a.m.  He's going to do GREAT, I just know it :)

I was working for the Y that morning, helping people to pick up their race packets and then watching the kids left behind when their parent(s) went to run but did sneak out to get a picture of the crowd.

There were 500 runners registered and 423 that actually showed up to run (some of the registrations were for the kids' 1-mile fun run too).  Thomas was right out in front to start the race -- he's in the green cap right of center.

I left my post (again) inside 20 minutes after the race began and saw him already coming up the street!  (He did pass the guy in front of him in his sprint to the end.)

My dad was there, Tom, Thomas's sister Marie and his brother Frederick. . .all cheering him in these last few seconds.

I was (obviously) trying to get a picture of his time. . .officially it was 21:17.  WAY TO GO THOMAS!!!!  He ended up coming in 17th overall, out of those 423 runners -- yea!  So proud of him.

After the race was cleaned up and awards given (he placed 5th in his age category, 11-19) we headed home to clean ourselves up and head to our family about 80 miles west of here.  Nana and Grandpa Fred were here and went with us since it was the Bell family we were eating with, and my dad headed to Nashville because my sister and all of her in-law family was there for the weekend to celebrate the holiday at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel.

 Debbie's beautifully decorated table. . .

And one of my favorite things. . .her Thanksgiving tree!

 Cousins. . .















And brothers. . .

 

Grandpa Fred & Nana

Tom's beautiful cousin Debbie and me

And the entire family, all 20 of us:

We had lots and lots of food (of course):

 

We brought appetizers:  meatballs, chipped-beef cheese ball, and Dorothy Lane Market's spinach dip -- yum!

 

Patrick roasted a turkey, smoked a turkey, and fried a turkey.  Yep, that's three turkeys for 20 of us :)
And a self-service bar -- my kids are crazy about anyone that serves soda for dinner!

Time to eat!

The only pictures I have of Tom from the day. . .

Serving turkey. . .

and doing dishes. . .what a servant!

This picture cracks me up. . .the kids getting "instructions" on how to behave at the dessert table!!!

After the kids blazed through the adults took their turn :)

We brought cupcakes and Nancy made apple and pumpkin pies; Aunt Barbara also made a pumpkin pie and Patrick a carrot cake. . .look what the kids left for us:

Yep, the peanutbutter pie that we brought (of course) disappeared!

What a beautiful, blessed, full, happy, thankful Thanksgiving!!!!