Mackenzie's first cereal and visiting Uncle Ray & Aunt Pat and the Berger family

After our return from the Carolinas, it was time for Mackenzie to graduate to "real food". She had her first meal of baby rice cereal mixed with milk. She didn't mind it too much and did really well opening her mouth for the food. We had a special "Carmody Family Crest" bib for the occasion:

My Uncle Ray (my mom's younger brother) and Aunt Pat were out to Coloraldo for a visit. My cousin Debbie and her family live up in Longmont (45 minuets away). Mattie, Mackenzie and I drove up for a visit one night while Kim was off on a business trip:

My cousin Debbie and her husband Bob:


Here's Mattie goofing around with her 2nd cousin, Christy:

With Kim gone for a couple days, big sister Mattie helped out with feeding Mackenzie. She did a great job!:

Mackenzie can't have her picture taken without one taken of Mattie as well:

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving 2006!
We had great Thanksgiving feast in Sunset Beach. I don't think we planned it this way but we had our meal during Mattie's and Charlotte's naptime. That allowed the adults to have a "civilized" quite adult meal without too many distractions. We also celebrated Ash and Linda's 25th wedding anniversary with a bottle of Dom Perignon. Very nice!




Mackenzie decided she didn't want to sleep through her first Thanksgiving:




"The bubbles make me giggle!":






I prefer to sleep and watch football after the big meal but everyone else wanted to go for a walk. So we took all the troops out for a walk around the neighborhood and looked at the early Christmas lights:






Uncle Mikey and his girls:


You can't have Thanksgiving meal without dessert. Mattie was very generous in helping Charlotte with her dessert:



Bath time!


Charlotte was dying to hold "baby" so she finally got her chance:


This has to be one of my all-time favorite photos. It's sooo cute:


We had time for one last walk the Friday after Thanksgiving before Mattie and I left for Denver:



The Carmody's, Murphy's and Ashley's all had a wonderful visit. I wish we could spend more time together. Mattie and I had to fly back a day earlier than Kim and Mackenzie because of the tickets we used. The Murphy's stayed a few days longer as well.

The Carmody's, Murphy's and Ashley's pre-Thanksgiving

After our visit in Raleigh with our old Colorado friends we picked up the Murphy's at the Raleigh airport. Mattie was very excited to see her cousin Charlotte (I think Charlotte was pretty excited as well!). Mike and Stacy had to deal with some lost luggage so Mattie made sure to hold Charlotte's had to protect her:

Uncle Mike and Mackenzie:

Mattie and Charlotte read, colored and played with each other constaintly:

Aunt Stacy and Mackenzie:

Everyone went out for a nice walk:

Mattie insisted on looking at and playing on all of Gramy's toys:

Grampy had one of those "Billy Bass" siging fish and Mattie had to make it sing every chance she got. "Take me to the river.... Drop in the water...":