I’d love to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving today! We are out and about with both our families and enjoying the moments with all of them and I hope you are doing the same whereever you are this year.
Last weekend, we had both our families over to our new house and it was so much fun! Luckily the weather cooperated and there was no rain. Many of Mark’s immediate family were able to come, but some were not, so we will have to catch up with them later on. All of his 4 girls have been over to the house and 3 of them made it to the Open House.
I managed to catch Shingles, so it’s been a very crazy week for me. Just 2 days before our open house, I started getting some symptoms and did research online and self-diagnosed Shingles. I was able to get in my Primary Care doctor’s office and confirmed that it was Shingles the day before our party. We were scrambling around trying to see how contagious this stuff is and apparently, it’s not contagious at all for Shingles, but can be for Chicken Pox. One of his daughters was a little nervous to bring her 2 boys over so they skipped it, but most everyone else came over. The new baby stayed home too, she didn’t want to take a chance with Baby Rose either and I can understand that. The doctor told me that it was safe for me to be around people, just to not hold any newborns. He said as long as I was covered up, it wasn’t a problem. I was wearing 3 layers at our party.
I’m feeling OK (not 100%, but low energy), but this stuff takes time to get over and the doctor gave me an anti-virus medication to take for 7 days. I know it has to run its course, so I’ll have to deal with it. I was in some pain the first couple of days, but it’s not too bad now. It’s been about a week since it all started. All of this right before the Holidays! Hopefully it will be gone in a few weeks. It sure is ugly! It has gotten worse looking every single day, but now after a week it’s looking better and not so fiery red. Have any of you had shingles? I know they recommend the Shingles vaccine after age 60 and of course, I didn’t get one. I just hate getting vaccines and am a little anti-vaccine since I’ve been so healthy all my life. My sister said she’s getting the shot now!
OK, on to party! Enough about my ailments. Now I feel old!
Mark and I have been working so hard to get the house ready for the Holidays and to show it off to our families. Since we had a party on the calendar, it made us get things done so we would be ready. Mark worked hard on the yard, getting all the leaves up and making it look so good.
I worked on the inside, setting the table with some of my serving pieces and getting the food picked up. I didn’t attempt to make all the food myself, we were expecting at least 25 to 30 people, so I had it catered from Chicken Salad Chick. Smartest decision ever and the food is really good! We wanted to keep it simple and so it was sandwiches and sides with desserts.
Assorted sandwiches with a lot of chicken salad, of course, along with potato chips, their Grape salad, Broccoli salad, and fresh fruit I picked up from the grocery store.
Their mini-croissant chicken salad sandwiches are delicious, by the way.
I picked up desserts from a local bakery we all love, Gabriels, and picked it up at the location here in Acworth at the Old Mill, if any of you know the place. Love their desserts! It was a fun and festive time and I think everyone enjoyed it.
Mom and dad were there looking spiffy as usual. They really loved the house and Dad particularly loved the woods behind our house with all the trees.
Lauren, Philip, and the girls came in for Thanksgiving holiday and came straight to the party after driving in. It’s always good to see them and those little girlies, we just adore them. Parker is getting so big and looks much older than her not quite 4 years old (in February). She’s a smart girl and talks up a storm.
Two of Mark’s nieces, Chelsea and Devin, were there, with 2 of their little girls. They both have 3 children each and these two are just adorable. Luckily the weather held out and we were able to put tables on the deck.
Mark’s mom and dad were there as well and I just think the world of these two. They raised a really good son and I’m grateful to be in this family, which is large and fun loving. From their 3 children, they have 11 grandchildren and I don’t know how many great grandchildren. A true blessing! I had met all of Mark’s extended family and he had met all of mine too, but the families hadn’t met each other until now.
It was really nice to see our moms hug and meet for the first time. We just hadn’t taken the time to get them together before now. Last year his parents went through a lot of health issues and half of this year, dad has been dealing with them as well, so it’s nice to have them all mostly healthy now. I love that we both still have our parents, what a blessing they are in our lives!
Alex and Kelly, one of Mark’s 4 daughters. She’s expecting baby boy #1 and he will arrive in January. Very excited to welcome another baby to the family soon!
Mom and Baby Iris, who is now 18 months old, looking so adorable.
Lauren wanted me to mention that she made Iris’s dress, isn’t it cute? Dad and my cousin, Brenda, in the background. She and her daughter, Denise, were there too.
Philip, Parker, my sister, Renee, and Iris.
Mark and two of his daughters, Traci, and McKenzie. Traci just had the baby that I shared earlier, baby Rose and McKenzie is the baby of the family, on the right. He has 4 beautiful daughters and I’m enjoying getting to know them better. The oldest, Lyndsey, decided not to bring her boys around my Shingles, so you can meet her another time.
It was a very nice day with our families and we enjoyed opening up our home and showing it off for the first time since getting the main level mostly finished. I’ll be back next week to share the main level before Christmas decor goes up, so you can see it all as it is now. It’s not all completely done, but done enough for now. I’ll have spaces to fill and things to add in, but those will all come along the way.
Enjoy your Thanksgiving and thank you as always, for supporting and reading my blog!
I always enjoy seeing pics of your family and now Mark’s as well. Your parents look wonderful. How blessed you both are to still have them. I can’t believe how big both of your great-nieces are. I must have missed a few pics or it’s just this old memory of mine. Haha.
I’m sorry about the shingles. I had the vaccine because I knew several people who really suffered through them. I hope yours have eased and will pass quickly.
Sorry to hear you have Shingles. My daughter had them a couple years ago and they were very painful. It looks like the party was a success, everyone looks so happy. Isn’t it great to get the whole family together?
I don’t like vaccines either, but after watching my Sunday school teacher really suffer with shingles, I decided to get the shot. After having pneumonia several years ago, I asked the doctor for the pneumonia shot. Last year I took the second shot because the pneumonia I had took about five weeks for me to fully recover–bad stuff!
I really enjoy your blog and the emphasis on family. Today I will have my four children, their spouses, and sixteen of the seventeen grandchildren. It will be chaotic at times but the best fun ever!
It looks like your open house was a success. I know that you were not feel 100 percent having the shingles!
The food looks delish! Nothing like chicken salad to make this Southern girl feel happy. The house looks beautiful. It was good to see you and the house last week. Your Mom and Dad look amazing! Mark’s Dad and Mom look like sweet people too!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and Mark! Please go get that shot! You don’t want those things again!!
Happy Thanksgiving!! Love seeing that picture of your folks – Dad looks great. Thanks for showing all those sweet babies.
I had shingles in my early 40’s and it was at a time when I had a lot going on in my life and things were really busy. they say the virus can lay dormant in your body and raise it’s head when your immune system gets run down. I definitely think that is what happened to me. Get well soon!
I went two weeks ago to the doctor for my physical and she told me to hold off on the shingles vaccine because a new improved one is coming out. Your mom is styling in those cute booties!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Rhoda – How lovely to get both sides of the family for your open house! Good idea to bring in food rather than trying to do it all. Shingles is often caused by stress – please take it easy!! Your parents are looking well and your nieces are so sweet and certainly growing!!
Happy Thanksgiving to you all!!
Celia
Happy Thanksgiving to you, Mark, and your families. Thank you for sharing. I am amazed at all the changes you and Mark have accomplished in your new home. I really like the blue grass cloth. Sorry to hear about your bout with shingles. My dad had them, and my mother-in-law suffered from them too. I did receive the vaccine and encourage my husband to do the same.
Happy Thanksgiving Rhoda to you and your family! Our Canadian Thanksgiving is early October, so at the moment I’m getting my Christmas decorations up.
Sorry to hear you’ve got shingles…not fun. My MIL had this many years ago and I do remember her talking about how painful it was.
Your Open House sounds like it was a success. So nice to see your Dad well again.
Happy Thanksgiving Rhoda and Mark! What a joyous family gathering and how blessed you are to have all 4 parents. My doc told me to get the shingles vaccine at 60 and 3 months shy of my birthday, guess what I got. I put a sign on my door at Clemson for my students per his orders…”I love you but don’t come in if you haven’t had chicken pox!” Got the shingles and pneumonia vaccine after that. P.S. I could eat my weight in the grape salad front Chicken Salad Chicks!
Lovely family. Your dad looks great!
Happy Thanksgiving to you, Mark and your entire family! It’s so exciting to see you all celebrating together! Your dad looks so healthy now and the pics of you mom and baby Iris always make me smile! My youngest daughter had shingles at age 15….very rare! And I am getting the shot as soon as I turn 60. I hope the pain lessens and you are able to enjoy all the blessings on this great Thanksgiving Day. I am certainly thankful for all you blog posts and idea sharing!
Looks like a lovely day. Your parents looked healthy and happy. What a blessing to have them in your life.
What beautiful families you have and so blessed to share time and your beautiful home together. Happy Thanksgiving!!
Happy Thanksgiving!
What a beautiful family you and Mark have, and what fun for them all to meet! We are thankful to really like and enjoy all of our kids in laws.
I’m sure everyone had a great time in your beautiful home.
Rhoda, I so love that you share all your family with us. It makes us relate to you so much better. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Chicken Salad Chick!! We have one here in Athens and my daughter and I go eat lunch there once every week!! Happy Thanksgiving!!
What a beautiful family! I absolutely adore the picture of the Iris’s!!! Thank you for sharing your lovely family with your blog land friends. We are all looking forward to learning more about Mark’s family as well (but tell them not in a stalker-ish kind of way…lol). Happy Thanksgiving!!
Thank you, Julia, I’ll share more of Mark’s family as I can along the way. I don’t think most of them mind that I share them.
Everything looks lovely! Glad to see your parents looking well! Iris looks as pretty as her big sister. Lauren did a great job on the adorable dress. Looks like you have married into a very lovely family. Marks daughters look very sweet. I am sorry you have the shingles. I have heard how horrible the pain can be, My son at 7 mos old got them. It was horrible. He was the last of my 3 to get chicken pox at 3 mos old. He didn’t get a full case of them and the Pediatrician warned he would get the chicken pox again. He was crying and had a weird rash around his waist. So that poor little guy had a double ear infection, cutting teeth and the shingles. Let me tell you it was rough! Lol. Happy Thanksgiving. Thank you for sharing your home and family!
OH, how awful for a baby to get it.
So sorry about your shingles. You are lucky it’s not visible, it’s not very pretty, Time for me to get the vaccine! Have a wonderful day with all of your families! Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi, Cheryl, yes for sure, it’s on my back and already looking better.
Thank you for sharing these great photos. You have a beautiful blended family, and home. Happy Thanksgiving! Your blog is wonderful and I look forward to it every day.