Thanksgiving - Part 2

As promised, here is the update on our second Thanksgiving gathering, the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Usually my grandmother hosts this meal, but because she had quite a few house guests this year, my mom offered to host. It was different from any family meal we have ever had! First, mom had a list of jobs for everyone. The boys (ages 10-12) were supervised by Matt in carrying extra chairs and a card table from our house to my mother's. The high school girls were in charge of the drinks. Two aunts were given the job of decorating the house with "found objects" (holly, pine cones, and other greens from the yard, and then an assortment of candles and other decorative objects from around the house). Myself and another aunt pulled apart rolls and arranged them in baskets. Dad carved the turkey. In short, everyone had a job!

When the meal was ready, mom passed around a dish with a collection of small pieces of paper. On each slip of paper was a number. These matched with numbers on stickers at each place on the table. Everyone sat in the places for the numbers they drew. When dinner was finished, Dad shared part of a Thanksgiving sermon from John Piper. Then, everyone drew numbers again and changed places for dessert!

While most of the grown-ups lingered at the table to eat and chat, the kids headed outside to take part in another activity my mom planned: water balloon slingshot. A special tip was attached to the outside faucet. The kids filled up their own balloons (usually having Ryan tie the balloons for them) and then placed their balloons in the "pouch" of the slingshot. Ryan and Ben each held and end of the slingshot while the kids got to pull back and let-her-go! This activity was taking place just outside the dining room window, so it also provided great entertainment for the adults!

Of course, none of this has anything to do with Luke (though he was there and got to do a lot of visiting), but it was such a grand old time, I just had to write about it. I nominate mom for hosting Thanksgiving every year!

(View the rest of the pictures from the Hildreth Thanksgiving here.)