Thanksgiving

This past weekend the whole Nelson clan descended on the motherland of Corpus Christi (I was the 7th generation of my grandmother's family born in Corpus!) to eat turkey, watch football and celebrate my grandparents 60th anniversary.  We ate "traditional Thanksgiving food" on Thursday and for the first time ever I made a "Big as Texas Brandy Apple Pie" from scratch!  It's from Peace Meals by the Houston Junior League--it's a great cookbook with really beautiful pictures!  The picture of this pie is what sold me on the idea of making it!

The pie was huge & took a long time to make but it was SO SO good!!  

Of course we all watched "The" football game that night (Gig'em Aggies!) and then victory partied all night long!!  :)  On Friday we toured the USS Lexington and learned all about fighter pilots, airplanes and life on a WW2 aircraft carrier.  My mom's dad was an oral surgeon on a ship very similar to the Lex during WW2 so our favorite part of the tour was getting to see the dental area where he would have been!  

Here's Bonnie and I on the flight deck--

Bonnie also shot down some enemy aircraft with some of our cousins in tow--

The next day we toured the Texas State Aquarium and learned all about the fish in the Gulf Coast.  Here's all the Nelson girl cousins-- 

After a delicious lunch at the Surf Club we went to the Red Fish Hatchery (part of the Gulf Coast Conservation Association) where we learned even more about fish!  It was actually pretty cool to see where and how they raise the fish before releasing them into the Gulf.  

That night was our big anniversary dinner--yummy steaks & a yummy yummy cake for dessert!  

I'm so thankful for my wonderful family and the incredible example of faithfulness my grandparents have set.  They are two of the most generous, loving and kind people I know.  Their three sons have grown up the same way and as their granddaughter I am so blessed to be part of this family legacy!  It was a wonderful weekend to be thankful for all the Lord has blessed us with!  

Coffee Scoop Clips

Here's a sneak peak at the crafts my mom & I worked on last weekend when I went to Corpus...

We ordered the scoop/clips from Amazon, beads courtesy of Hobby Lobby & wire from Lowes.  It was an easy & fun project & will make for fun Christmas gifties.  (Sorry if this is a spoiler!)  :)  

11 days till Thanksgiving & 41 till Christmas!  

Here's What I Love: Dressing Up!

Two weekends was the Grace Country Fair (the churchy "alternative" Halloween option)--it was such a fun time to hangout with youth kids, serve the community & dress up!  An estimated 2000 people came &  I rocked the fair like it was 1989 (one of our kids asked if I was 80s Barbie & I just went with it since they have NO IDEA who Kelly Kapowski was--so sad right?!).  Yes, I did puffy paint my sweatshirt and even though you can't see I was rocking some sweet sparkly leg warmers too.  The pic above is with two of my 8th grade girls--one of the biggest joys of my week is hanging out with them!

I went to visit my parents in Corpus this past weekend.  My mom's birthday is this week & it was a fun weekend full of yummy food, football (GIG 'EM AGGIES!) and crafts.  What more could you ask for, right?!  We had the best fish tacos I've ever had in my life at this place right down the street from my parents house!  A newly discovered favorite!!

The current countdown is 17 days till Thanksgiving & 47 days till Christmas!  Can you tell I'm excited!  Woohoo!  :)  My favorite time of year is just a few weeks away!!