WE ARE FAMILY!!

Around our house we don’t ever under-do anything.  Everything is a production, a celebration, a time of utter chaos.  It is how we roll and I would have it no other way.  So we went all out while Sam and Gracie were here for a week.  I cooked a few meals for Sam because that is what I do.  I like to feed people.  We had his favorite Monday night, country fried steak and gravy, black eyed peas & rice, Granny’s fried corn bread and banana pudding for dessert.  Tuesday was spaghetti, salad, garlic bread and Gracie’s cupcakes for dessert.  Wednesday was “all the family night”, we even had our newest adoptee (Annie’s cousin)—Stephanie eat with us.  It was b-b-que pulled chicken over home made mashed potatoes, green lima beans, corn, rolls, and brownie sundaes for dessert.  Thursday was fried pork chops, steamed green beans, wild rice and chocolate chip cookies for dessert.  And of course Pug had to make comments about how he was glad Sam came so I would cook a real meal.  But it is obvious by just looking at all of us that I do my fair share of cooking.  It would not be a get together without Pug’s hysterical comments.


We played games. There were many Uno and Guess Who tournaments.  One night of Scategories.  We had a few dance parties.  We had a tap and ballet demonstration.  The best by far was the banana dance (thank you Lauren).  Everyone got a turn to participate in which ever event they felt like participating in at that given moment.  There was definitely fun had by all!  Some more than others. 

 
Gracie got to ride a horse and a tractor.  We got a picture on a tractor at the barn.  We also got to dig peanuts with Uncle Pug but his camera card ate the pictures and we could not print them.  But it was really fun.
 
We did a little shopping.  Gracie and Sam got some new Gator stuff for the game.  Gracie got a new “build-a-gator”  and she named him Albert.  We also got two new books—”weird but true”!  Gracie is a great reader and she wowed us with many interesting facts while she was here.  we also made some yummy cupcakes.

Not only was this the first Gator game of the season… it was Gracie’s very first Gator game.  I usually don’t go to many games but I was not going to miss out on this one.  It was even more fun because Taylor got to sit with us.  We had fun tailgating with everyone before the game.  It is great to be a Florida Gator!!  And thank goodness we WON!


We swam in the pool, ran some errands for Uncle Pug and watched quite a bit of the Disney channel.  Annabelle came and played too and that was so much fun.  They played dress up and had the best tea party.   Gracie also went to Sunday School with me and did a great job keeping up with the 11 –14 year olds in my class.  She went in the nursery with Annabelle during church and they had big fun.
 
But the absolute best thing we did while Sam and Gracie were here was “Family-time”.  We do that really good and really just can’t get enough of it!!!




We are so very blessed to have such a big, loving, and amazingly - extended family.  If you have one and you don’t appreciate them… shame on you, get with it and love your family!!  if you don’t have one then by all means go get yourself one because after all family is not about blood… while blood is thicker than water, love is thick than blood.  Family is about people being loyal to each other, having each others backs – no matter what, and knowing the true meaning of unconditional love.  We have that and it is the greatest gift we can get from God besides the gift He gave of His son, Jesus.