An Arkansas Fall

We spent 3 days in Arkansas celebrating Thanksgiving and Granny's 80th birthday with the extended Burress family.

Jadyn with 2nd cousins Xandree and Myranda

Since fall/winter visits with Aunt Staci, Uncle Mark, Kaleb and Jacob are extremely rare, we took advantage of the time and celebrated our little Christmas together Thanksgiving night.  Honestly, I was very nervous about all three families staying together under one roof.  Don't get me wrong, I love being all together, I do well with chaos, and I don't mind noise.  I just also know first hand three different families of children can stress mom's and dad's out.  When mom's and dad's get stressed out, well, nothing good comes from it.  I am very excited to say though it was great!  We had fun and everyone did really well!  I think this comes from our kids getting older.  Year by year we are slipping further and further away from that unpredictable baby phase.  Kind of an exciting time!

Decked out in matching pajamas (made by yours truly :), they exchanged the gifts they had drawn names for.    This does appear to be a fool proof way of getting 7 kids to look and smile at the camera.  Give them presents.

The weekend was filled with shopping (no 5am Walmart adventures though!), hanging with family, quick photo session for Christmas cards, playing in the leaves, and a trip to Roaring River State Park to feed the fish.  It was gorgeous!  

I now will warn you before the next post.  It is a part 2 to this Arkansas trip.  It will be a big dump of cuteness of my family and my Colton.  That is all.  No real stories behind the photos.  Just a mom/wife thinking her husband and kids are gorgeous.