{thanksgiving}

We always have a wonderful Thanksgiving here in VA.  The Lakes have now joined the Anderson fam for the last 5 years, so it really is becoming a tradition for us.  The guys always play football in the Turkey Bowl, while us women are home slaving away.  Just kidding....Julia ends up doing most of the work and it is such a pleasure eating this meal in their beautiful home.

Liv made the darling place card holders---Martha Stewart-inspired!

We had a really great day and some delicious food!

And what is a post without a gazillion photos of Izzy?  After all, she is the birthday girl!

Liv and Mckenna

Ashley made 5 delicious pies!

my uber-yummy chocolate chip/cinnamon chip/caramel cookies!

Jax and Cole

Emory, Taylor, McKenna, and Liv

Izzy ate about 9 rolls--no turkey, no potatoes, just rolls!

Jenni and Regan

Brian and Michele

Jennifer and Justin

Jenni's famous 10-layer Jello---to-die-for!

Izzy and I loooved holding Brielle

Sabe took all the kids for a ride in the Gator--Izzy was so proud that her dad was the driver!

{jaxon turns 9}

Jaxon turned 9 on November 17 and what a special boy he is.  I would never have guessed I could love a little boy this much.   I remember so well the day that I found out that I was having a boy....not another girl.  My brain had to switch directions.  What a perfect and sweet baby he was. He weighed just over 5 pounds and is still trying to grow....one day he will not be the shortest kid in the class! (I tease Sabe all the time that our kids inherited HIS height)  

Anyways, Jaxon has continued to be a very caring, gentle, and obedient child.  He is such a great big brother to Izzy and there is not other sight that I love more than when she hugs him around his waist.  So cute.

Jaxon gets a lot of attention at the skate part with his half-pipe skills and we hope that he continues to love skateboarding.  Sabe built him his own half-pipe in the barn and we keep invisioning Jax and all of his teenage-skater-rat-friends hanging out there listening to the Beastie Boys.   He loves most every other sport.  He is so great at soccer and is playing his first season of basketball this fall.  

I tuck him into bed every night and thank him for being such a good kid.  I love you, Jaxon!

Jaxon requested that I bring donuts--not cupcakes--to his classmates at school.  So I spent $25 on some really fresh glazed donuts :)   Izzy cried her eyes out as we left Jaxon behind at school. The night of his birthday, Sabe came home with food for the requested meal...Chicken Fettucine and the added surprise of a Spongebob cake.  It was fun celebrating this special day as a family.

The following weekend, he had his party with all of his close friends at the rec center.  They swam and then had pizza and cake.  BOYS ARE CRAZY at this age!

He got some really great gifts and especially loves his new skateboard!!!