After dinner we had the world premiere of the our summer beach vacation slideshow. We have a slideshow every year after our beach trip, but this year we took it up a notch and recorded the music ourselves. I have wonderful friends who record music on the piano for me, who sing into microphones for hours on end, and who let me take all sorts of pictures of them. And then they clap when the slideshow is over. I would say more about our really amazing slideshow, but it was pointed out tonight that we could really be sued for c0pyright violation this year. So I won't. But it was awesome. (As you can see the kids love making faux gang signs to show how really cool they are.)
By the time the slideshow was over everyone was ready for pie. We don't eat pie very often, but at Thanksgiving we go all out. And this year we had the added bonus of 6 very large cans of the spray whipped cream supplied by Ann. The kids were in heaven. Pie heaven.
After everyone had eaten as much pie as they dared we spread out throughout the house.
The little kids played computer games.
The medium kids played James Bond on the playstation. Or, as Jared calls it, James the Bond.
The big kids watched a movie up in my bedroom. (Still no remodeled loveseat, sorry--that's going to have to wait until after Christmas projects are done!)
And the very happy parents played games and talked.
I've been saving a quote from our last book club book for this post. It's one of my all time favorite quotes because it so perfectly describes one of the things I love about our friends. This is from Persuasion, by Jane Austen:
"My idea of good company, Mr. Elliot, is the company of clever, well-informed people, who have a great deal of conversation; that is what I call good company."
"You are mistaken," said he, gently, "that is not good company; that is the best..."
My life is enriched so much because of these friendships. When we lived in Idaho we had wonderful friends, but we were still also able to visit regularly with family members in Utah. Here in North Carolina it's a different matter entirely. Sometimes we've been able to go back to Utah and visit our families once a year; sometimes not. Some years we've been visited by family members; sometimes not. Our friends here have become like family to us. We have eaten together, celebrated together, grieved together, played together, and even vacationed together. We are already planning the family reunions we will have when all our kids are grown--we call them our "friendly reunions." We are lucky to experience so much of the "best" company.
And I do.
Thanks for sharing your photos. We miss you guys and the Rogersons. Wish we could have been there too.
ReplyDeleteJen--we miss you guys too!
ReplyDeleteMan..... YOU MAKE ME REALLY JEALOUS!!!!!
ReplyDeleteDid I tell you we made Death Bar Pie?
Death Bar Pie? Like you made death bars in a pie pan? That's very funny!
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking about this post for the past day or so since I read it and, I just have to say, that I don't find it coincidental in the least that you have such wonderful friends surrounding you all the time. You're just that kind of person...the kind of person who draws others in and makes them want to spend time with you. And, one of the things I love most about you is that you've somehow included your kids in that 'friend' circle as well. I hope that a little of your personality is rubbing off on mine. :)
ReplyDeleteLindsay, that's just the nicest comment ever! :) And I will rub just as much of my personality off on you as you'd like!
ReplyDelete