Mayo Kids Exchange

I love that every year my family gets together and it gives me an opportunity to take a picture of each of the nieces and nephews (that are local).  Sadly, my two brothers don’t live here and so I can’t easily get pictures of them.  But of the MO Mayos’ here is the lineup. 

The Ransom Edition:

The Wiley Crew

The Pennington Clan

 

And the Smith Group

And the newest subgroup??  The Farrimonds

And lastly me with my fabulous SISTERS! 

Decorating the tree

December was booked everyday and double booked many days before  it even started.  So finding time to squeeze everything was a challenge.  James wasn’t home when we decorated the tree so I only got a few pictures. 

Eli is TWO

Not a lot of fan fare this year.  And it took us a few day to celebrate fully due to the closeness to Thanksgiving.  But he didn’t mind.  And was super happy with a chocolate cake.  And somehow he knew the minute he turned two and cranked up the sassy. 

I love this sweet little man though.  He is our biggest kid by far as he is already wearing 3T and a few 4T clothes.  He loves to wrestle his brother Ben and grab him around the waist and slowly lean over to pull him down to the ground.  His grin and eyelashes still melt my heart even when he is being ornery.  He is completely in love with Sariah.  Every day when we go to pick her up from the bus, the minute he sees the bus he starts yelling- RIA RIA RIA.     

He is now super into puzzles and trains.  And loves to claim the iPad as his own. 

Not a big talker, but still knows how to get his way.  And when he says woove you momma- gosh he can get whatever he wants. 

Cookie day

As the Mayo tradition continues, cookie day was the day after Thanksgiving.  Started by my mom, we get together and make a bunch of cookie dough.  We bake some up to enjoy that day and then freeze the rest for all those events you need last minute cookies for in December.  This has now passed on to the grandkids. 

And the newest sweet baby making her appearance…. Brielle.  I always knew I was great, but it is official now.  I’m a great aunt. 

My nephew Tim is a daddy and my sister is now a GRANDMA!!

Thanksgiving

This was my first year to host Thanksgiving for the Ransoms.  Usually my mother in law has hosted, but this year it was at my place.  Thankfully, we do potluck so I wasn’t cooking every single dish.  But I had never cooked a turkey before so I was pretty stressed that I would give everyone food poisoning and salmonella. 
Wednesday, we made apple pie.  The kids wanted to help with the dough. 


And the glorious bird….  Thankfully it was cooked all the way through.  No one got sick.  And it even tasted good.  Thanks to my sister Meg who walked me through it and told me how to do it all.  Of course getting up at 5 AM about killed me and I hate nightmares all night about forgetting to start the turkey, so hopefully someone else will host next year. 


Some family shots….



James’ brother Mark wasn’t there.  So this isn’t all of the grandkids.  Not sure they will all fit anymore. 

The siblings and spouses minus a few sets. 




We barely squeezed into the front room.  But it was lovely to have all the adults at one table.