Thanksgiving 2011

We made the LONG trip to Oneonta, Alabama on Wednesday morning.  We arrived in Oneonta around 5:30 pm.  Oneonta is a tiny little Alabama town about 40 miles north of Birmingham.  We were not excited about getting in the car with 2 little ones under age but are so glad we did.  Making this trip is always a tough one, but we are always glad we went when we get home.  We arrived at the motel which is now a Days Inn...it was a Best Western the last time we went and ended up with a handicapped room.  We got everything unloaded, pack and play set-up, and headed to the nursing home where my grandfather, Grump lives.  We met my uncles, aunt, cousin, and dad there.  I didn't get to see Grump because he was pretty out of it by the time I arrived at the home.  We all made a plan for dinner and headed out!

Here is a picture from the car...as you can see...hectic!

We decided to go to Uncle Sam's BBQ for dinner...my family from Houston LOVES it so we all headed there.

Uncle Mike, Henry/Mom, Dad, Aunt Carolyn, Carrie, me, and Steve

 Since Bennett and Neil weren't in our first group photo...we had to do another one...

Then a random guy wanted to hop into our photo...

After dinner, we headed back to the motel for bed.  We were glad that Bennett got to stay with Gammy and Carrie the first night.  We just had Henry with us the first night.  Little did we know how easy it was to have only 1 kid in the hotel with you...

On Thanksgiving morning Neil had to drive to Birmingham to get my brother from the airport.  I had both of my little "turkeys" with me in the room waiting on them to get back from B'ham.

Bennett loves getting in the bed with Henry

When they got back from the airport we headed to the Highland Lake Lodge.  The French family rents it every year.  They have been getting together for Thanksgiving for the past 40 years.  The last time I went I was about 12 and wore my pink and white gingham pilgrim costume that I had worn for Halloween that year. That is when they used to meet at the Palisades on the side of a mountain.  Literally you could fall off the side of a huge cliff if you weren't careful.  I found out that they wouldn't let you rent the cabin there more than a year in advance so on December 1st, Aunt Sue would drive up there with a thermos of coffee and be the first one in line to rent it!  Since they don't rent on Thanksgiving anymore...we go to Highland Lake.  My grandfather had 2 brothers and 3 sisters and they are just the sweetest people.  There was no shortage of food, picture taking, and family on this Thanksgiving.

Grump with Bennett and Henry

me with my grandfather and Bennett & Henry

Bennett and Neil playing football before we ate

 Aunt Charlotte (actually my great aunt) organized the entire event.  She even organized the family pictures.  Neil called her the "me" of the French family.

The Guy French family

Bennett chowing down on strawberry cake

 One of my mom's cousins has 4 daughters ranging in age from 21-10.  Three of them were there and just loved passing Henry and Bennett around.  Henry would actually let them hold him so they would say "I have him next" or "I've been waiting to hold him!"  I loved it and welcomed the extra hands.

This is Virginia French with Bennett.  They made turkeys at the craft table.

Crafts with Uncle Frank

me, Uncle Mike, Carrie, FMJ, and Aunt Carolyn

Sally and Steve French

Carrie took this of me crafting.  I'm so glad she did because I am wearing the bracelet that Bennett made for me!

Uncle Wayne (Aunt Charlotte's husband and Grump's youngest brother) and his son, Kenneth busted out the guitars and microphones for some fun singing.  Bennett LOVED singing.  He sang Jesus Loves Me, ABCs and BINGO several times!

The ones with the talent

me and my brother

Aunt Carolyn and Uncle Steve

me and Neil

My sweet angel sleeping

Grump, Uncle Wayne, Aunt Bonnie, and Aunt Joyce

Everyone gathered around for the singing

Aunt Charlotte and Aunt Carolyn

Fun!!

Our family minus Courtney and Cal

Neil, Henry, Bennett, and me

The French kids...Mom, Uncle Mike, and Aunt C

I love this of my brother and Bennett

We LOVE Uncle Mike!

Dad and Uncle Mike

Me, Dad, and FMJ

Virginia loving on Henry

After our fun-filled day, we headed back to the motel to get a game plan.  Neil stayed with the boys while a few of us drove around the town looking for a dinner spot.  The only places that were open in the entire town were Wal-Mart and Pizza Hut.  We headed down the other way on the main street and saw they were setting up a big bon-fire for the Oneonta High School Pep Rally.  OHS is in the semi-finals for the state championship so the whole town was excited.  We pulled up to the event while they were setting up and I asked the workers "what time are the festivities going to begin tonight?"  They basically looked at me like I was crazy and then said 7.  Me, Mom, Michael, Carrie, and Aunt C decided it would be fun to go since we sure had NOTHING else to do.  We all got to Pizza Hut for dinner and tried to coax the rest of our group to go.  When we asked Uncle Steve to go he said he was leaning towards "not or definitely not!"  Ha!  Neil got a kick out of that one.  We dropped everyone off after dinner and headed to the pep rally!  It was hilarious and definitely a "Friday Night Lights" moment as Carrie said.

Here's the coach

Here we are in front of the bonfire...we left shortly after we arrived.

On Friday, it was time to come home.  I was so glad to get home!  After no nap for 3 days...here is Bennett as we pulled into Jackson, MS!

One tired turkey! (This is how we all felt)

It turned out to be a great trip and it is not something I want to miss next year!