as always, love the pictures.

we rented spirited away for lily and arden while we were at the beach and they (especially lily) loved it. she keeps calling it "gone with the wind" instead of "spirited away" for some reason.

It is strange to look at pictures of a family gathering I didn't attend. Strange and fun. Love the pictures. I love seeing everyone even though I couldn't go. Charles is looking like quite his own person, a bit older, like I could pass him in traffic and not think it odd. Thanks for all the pictures of your lovely holiday. I would post some of mine, but alas, we forgot to take our camera.

g'day Kelly,
In Australia it is not a custom to celebrate Thanksgiving, probably because the first Europeans to arrive and settle in this continent, in 1788, did so as Convicts of the Crown. They had nothing to celebrate except years of deprivation ahead for them. SO ends the Hx lesson.

Loved these pictures, your photographic artisty is so evident, as you catch the mood so nicely. Life without shadows and tonal variation would be such a bore. Looks like you use combination of flash and natural light; what about bounce flash too?

For Amy, above; Perhaps little Lily is more aware of the Lord's ways, than she lets on, with her "Gone with the wind". Have a look at the start of Psalm 104, below,

This saint here in Paterson, Australia, sends his greeting.
Peter.

Psalm 104
1 Praise the LORD , O my soul.

O LORD my God, you are very great;
you are clothed with splendor and majesty.
He wraps himself in light as with a garment;
he stretches out the heavens like a tent
and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters.
He makes the clouds his chariot
and rides on the wings of the wind.
He makes winds his messengers,
flames of fire his servants.

i was waiting for the thanksgiving picture rundown... these are great kelly.

we had thanksgiving at my gramma's, and it was small - only six of us at lunch. reese stopped by after visiting her dad's, then left to go see her babies at their dad's. we were all sitting around watching nothing on tv, deciding which would be better: another slice of pie, a nap, or to go home. then we heard "uh-oh" in the classic little boy voice, and thanksgiving was saved. reese got to pick up the kids early, so she brought them over for us. for fifteen tear-free minutes, it was thanksgiving. then the babies got tired and left, and we slowly went home, one or two at a time.

so, i guess in my ramblings, i'm saying it's nice to see a house full of people with a table full of food - i hope you had a great time. : )

Your family looks perfect! They all look like they stepped out of a JCREW catalog. I hope you take that as a compliment, because I mean it that way. It looks so relaxed even though there a lot of people there and what a beautiful home.
Thanks for sharing and I hope your thanksgiving was great though it looks like it was.

i cant believe that is charles!!! he looks so grown up and shaggy. i love it. his hair would fit in perfectly in charleston with all the skating and surfing boys. he always held a soft spot in my heart, even if he was a little bit annoying sometimes. good ol' charlie. talk to you soon kel...two more weeks of school to go!

When you write and share pictures of your family, it makes me want to be one of you. Does your mom want to adopt another child? Although, I don't think she's much older than I am...darn.

amy. thank you. lily is cute. my sisters really like "spirited away". i've never actually sat down and watched it with them, so from what i've seen it looks really weird. i want to watch it though.

A. i put lots of pictures up so you guys could feel what kansas was like. i'm glad i got to see you, even if just passing through.

peter. thanks. i can't say i know much about photography...just how to turn the flash on or off on the camera, but i love framing shots, and trying to catch the mood.

steph. thank you. though there were lots of people, i think thanksgiving often end that way. that's what i like and don't like about it...and, i ate a little of the dinner, and lots of the dessert.

carla. i hope you had a good thanksgiving too. i have to agree, i think my family is beautiful as well, but more because they aren't perfect like a jcrew catalogue.

erin. i know, i know. i didn't recognize him when he walked in the door. marley said he scared her at first, because he looked so different. i can't wait to see you in a couple weeks.

deb. my sister amy said that looking at my sister michelle's blog and mine, it makes her want to be a part of our family...so you know, pictures and words are only a tiny bit of reality. you would be quite welcome though.