Fun fall festivities

November... I was never a fan of this month... I don't like Thanksgiving food, this is the busiest time of the school year, and the weather is funky.

Until this year.

Since this is my first year out of school, I wasn't busy taking tests, doing projects, or preparing for the end of the year exams!  November this year was a time for food, friends, family, and relaxing :)  This Thanksgiving, Nathan and I went to the Shug to be with my family.  We left after work on Wednesday and woke up to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday morning.  This is definitely my favorite activity of Thanksgiving!  I made Nathan watch it with me this year (I don't know if he's ever been awake for it before) and I think he actually enjoyed it.  Partially because the first thing we saw was a Johnny Cash impersonator.  This year we had the Smarts, Georges, Hills, and Toni over for Thanksgiving lunch and everyone brought amazing food!  Except for the Cashes.  :)  We were told they didn't need any Hot Pockets or guacamole for lunch so we just observed the hustle and bustle of getting everything together.  My mom used antique silverware and China that was just perfect.  It was great being with everyone and relaxing the day away!

Part of the Thanksgiving spread

Sleeping the day away

After lunch, we all went to the movie theater--- the boys saw Unstoppable and the girls saw Morning Glory.  Great chick flick!  We also enjoyed nibbling on popcorn and a Coke (shhh!).

The rest of the weekend, we shopped till we dropped!  My mom, Nathan, and I went to Wal Mart at 12 PM on Thursday night so Nathan could get an Xbox game.  Yes, he has an Xbox.  No, I don't want to talk about it.  Wal Mart was filled with all of Sugar Land's population getting tons of pots, pans, mops, shop vacs, Wii games, you name it.  We left with an Xbox game and a steamer mop... Ha!

Friday Betsy, Grandma, my mom, and I had a fun day of shopping and relaxing... We went to Gap, Banana Republic, Macy's, Dillard's, NY&Co, Old Navy, Pier 1, ATL, etc. etc. The lines at Macy's were absolutely CRAZY!  Of course we had to take a break for lunch at La Madeline and sit by the fire and then make our way over to P&L Nails for a mani/pedi.  Of course.  We finished shopping around 7 pm and came home to a house full of boys playing Xbox and watching football games on TV.  I guess they didn't miss us at all!




We also had a Dethrow/Cash/George family photoshoot out in Sienna!  They turned out great, thanks to my photog Mama.  I think all of our Christmas cards will come from this shoot...  Here's a glimpse:

For our family holiday dinner, we went to Hugo's in Houston.  What an interesting place!  We tried grasshoppers for an appetizer..... They were very crunchy, especially when you got a leg stuck in your teeth.  After dinner, we came home and decorated the Christmas tree!  That is my favorite activity of Christmas because my mom and I get to pull out all the ornaments and tell their story, I put up all the ornaments, and then my mom apparently goes behind me and rearranges them!  I had no idea until this year!  I guess it's like how my parents used to eat our Halloween candy after we went to bed (didn't know about that one until a few years ago...).  We made the boys mute the football game so we could listen to Christmas music while decorating.

Sunday morning we went to SMBC and then my mom and I met Cayla for lunch in Downtown Houston.  It was great seeing her and catching up!  We ate at a precious little place called Farrago's where I had some amaaazing stuffed french toast.

November has come and gone.... now time to enjoy the Christmas season!