Traditions

I guess once you do something for six years it becomes a tradition -- no matter how far from different it is to when you grew up! Instead of spending Thanksgiving cooking and cleaning and hanging out at grandparents homes, we head to Abilene and stay in a hotel!! It is not too much of a stretch to say the Blakley women are not all into that cooking stuff and my dad doesn't like that cleaning up stuff -- so about 7 years ago, my sister and her family, my family, and our parents decided to start meeting somewhat halfway.

Abilene is a sweet, old, laid-back town with a great all-suites hotel that serves a good breakfast and a great Thanksgiving buffet. The kids love playing in the swimming pool, playing in the game area -- video games, ping pong, pool tables, shuffle board -- and throwing the football around outside in a big grassy area. They love going to Happy Hour every night to get a coke and maybe a snack. And the kids also depend on Aunt DD to bring the crafts to take up the extra time!

The day after Thanksgiving has been one of "discovering Abilene". We have been to the zoo, Children's Museum, parks, movies, and bowling alleys. It has been a nice, relaxing way to spend a holiday together without all the work that goes with it!! And, for my husband, who loves all the cooking, he only has to wait a few short weeks for Christmas to have a true home-cooked feast!

Craft time!


Waiting to eat!



Connor ate seven plates of food!


Working off all that food!


A tradition that will never change -- naptime!