My Wonderful Thanksgiving and WOW's

Good Eveing Ya'll! I (we) had a great Thanksgiving!  It was a wonderful gathering of my family.   This was the first year that we have gotten together as a large family.  My brother recently remarried and now has three step-children and it was their first time with the whole family for a celebration, besides the wedding.  There were only 10 humans, 4 dogs and a stray friend and dog or two, but it was so much fun!  The drive the Alabama was SOOOOO long.  9 hours of rain and junk.  But we made it safe and sound.   My oldest neice walked by me and then took a double take.   She has not seen me since the wedding when I was at my heaviest, so this new look was a total surprise for her.  I think that this WOW made my day!   My SIL was surprised too, but she had seen the current pics so was not as shocked as my niece.  I ate what I could and stopped, a holdiay first for me.  I was shocked at how much food others ate, but kept reminding myself that they had normal stomachs and I have a pouch.   "Alice" did get a shock from my bro. though.  I love olives and he told me to "try one of these"  It was a habenero stuffed olive!  Alice was not pleased and my bro got in a lot of trouble for that one.  On Friday I got up early to go shopping with every one and had a blast!  I had no money to spend, but managed to spend everyone elses!  I kept up with everyone and was not winded or tired at all.  I fit into a booth at breakfast and had room to spare!    While everyone else napped in the afternoon, I played on the computer and watched a movie.  No triptophan or carb overload for me!!!   The drive back was peaceful, 6 hours and I slept through most of it.  It was such a great weekend.  I am looking forward to doing it again next year.   I realized this weekend that I could wear clothes from normal stores and I don;t have to shop online all the time now.  Look out world here I come!!  Ya'll have a great week and tell me about your wonderful or not so wonderful Thanksgivings.   I did miss Scott's side of the family though.  We will see tham for Christmas.  Check out Scott's blog ( Bald Is Beautiful ) for our family pics from this weekend and the food porn! Beth

So glad you and your family had a great Thanksgiving. I know it made you feel wonderful when your neice did a double take. I can't imagine riding in the car with Scott for 9 hours and it seeming boring or long...LOL.  Glad you guys made it to and from okay and made some nice memories to share with us.
Melissa

Melissa, I love your new avatar, you really look great!!!   Shelia Beth,         I am glad yall had a really great Thanksgiving, I wish I could say the same for the entire weekend, but my MIL that has nver supported this surgery, has really made it difficult for me with snide remarks.  I will post more about this later, maybe, I am just so angry that now is just not the time!!  Keep me in your prayers. Shelia

Hey Melissa, the new avatar looks great!  As for riding in the car for 9 hours being boring...I tried to sleep!  The rain kept me awake.  Otherwise I would have been a bundle of fun! Have a great day!

That is great Beth, I know that you were excite dto see everyone and I'm glad that you all had a great time.  We did miss you here, but it will be very soon that we see each other.  Email me with some christmas ideas for R.J.  I have to get all my shopping done before the 13th .

Hey Beth. Like your new avatar it is so cute. The girls and I had a good Thanksgiving, we went to my grandma's. She did not have the traditional meal just some baked chicken and some black eyed peas. It was good and we all had fun spending time together. My ex Mother in law did send some turkey and dressing home with me .. stayed away from the dressing but still have turkey.. yummy protein. Glad you all had a good Holiday.

Sounds like you had a wonderful Thanksgiving in spite of the weather. We drove to Humboldt, Iowa (14 hours) in rain and snow. We picked up rain in Clarksville and it changed to snow at the Kentucky/Illinois border. I loved it!! Dinner was at my brother's house. By the time I took a tablespoon of the things I wanted, I had a plate full of spoonfuls. Like you, I ate what I wanted and stopped when I was just full instead of stuffed. When they broke out the desserts a couple of hours later, I had a bite each of 2 of my full sugar favorites and another couple of bites of "no sugar added" apple pie that I brought. Mostly I enjoyed visiting with everyone. Friday we went on a hike with my brother and his 2 boys. He wanted to show us a tree that is in process of being documented as the oldest and largest cottonwood tree in the state of Iowa. They estimate it's age to be in excess of 300 years and it is about 18 feet in circumference. I'll post a picture Bill took of me standing in front of the tree. I look like a child's doll placed against a tree trunk. Our shopping consisted of going to the hardware store for plumber's tape and I also got a wonderful pair of fleece lounge pants. They are so cozy!  We also stopped at the grocery store for a few items my mom wanted for a family gathering Friday night. Bill got tickled at the reaction of the store clerk when I asked for some help. Bill said when I stepped up to him and asked if "y'all carry spinach dip?" His face lit up with a big grin. He didn't just tell me where to find it, he went and got it for me! LOL It was wonderful to go for a visit and wonderful to get back home!

We went to ma's in Gallatin,   spent time with the family, and home by night, and the rest of the weekend was spent resting and putting up the decorations and tree. Playing with the kitties.  Glad to hear that ya'll had such a terrific time, it is great to be with family, and get to share.Barb P.S. Love the new Avatar, how cute!!!

Hi Beth:

 

Happy to hear you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family.  It sounds wonderful.  Mine was not so good,  I received a call on Sunday before Thanksgiving that my Grandmother passed away so I had to try to start making plans to get a flight to Houston during the busiest travel time of the year.  My poor family here.  I had to leave them and I missed Thanksgiving with my family.  It was hard to make funeral arrangements over the Thanksgiving Holiday.  Hard, well virtually impossible.  We were finaly able to lay her to rest on Saturday, and I was finaly able to get back to Nashville on Tuesday.  So I am still in somewhat of a blurr...  Now if I can quit crying long enough to find those darn Christmas decorations.  Everyday does get better...  But I miss her, and I did not get to tell her goodbye.

Jaded Julie

So sorry to hear about your grandma. I'm sure you have some sweet memories that will help you deal with the loss. I lost my remaining grandparent in May. This Thanksgiving was the first major holiday for my mom and her sisters to be without both of their parents. I think that is part of why I felt so drawn to travel up there to spend the holiday with my mom.