Getting together for the holidays can be somewhat of an effort with scheduling, some out of town and some with other priorities.
My immediate clan gathered together for chili, snacks and a grand old time this weekend.
This group contains ( not necessarily in order) Darlene, Darren, Donna, Hagan, Janet, Jacqueline, Henry, Kate, Robert, Rebecca, Devin, Blaise, Hadley, Nick, Jared, Laurie, Jaime, Susan, Chris and myself.
Merry Christmas.
Henry brought his mom and dad by late Sunday afternoon for some gumbo. Well, Henry wasn't too hungry but the rest of us sure got into that pot.
After dinner, we went outside to battle the mosquitoes (Something wrong with having to fight mosquitoes this late in the year) and try on a Harley. In another couple of decades, I wouldn't be surprised if Henry wasn't riding one with regularity. Let's see....I'll be......hmm....a VERY old man then.
Miss Hadley dropped by early Sunday afternoon to pay Nannie and me a visit. Nothing cuter than a one year old just now getting comfortable on the legs. She doesn't talk much other than the "Dadda" and "Mama" words but has a decent vocabulary in American Sign Language. She's quite capable of expressing "more" of anything, complimenting it with the sign for "please."
She's definitely not deaf but her mom and dad read that teaching them sign language at an early age reduces frustration in her own attempt to communicate.
After getting home and barely unpacked, I remembered a promise to a pair of 11 year olds regarding a weekend camping trip. "Camping" as defined as going to Lake D'Arbonne State Park and living in a tent overnight.
Friday afternoon, I picked up Susan's son, Nick and we headed up to Monroe to meet up with my grandson, Devin and to spend the 
night there.
It was promising a light rain but perhaps the new tent would keep us dry. Reasonably early, Saturday morning, we drove up to the lake, picked out a sight and through up a tent in the piney woods of north 
Louisiana. There was the occasional light drip or rain but it came nowhere close to dampening the spirits of the little boys. At one point, I was confident that I had a pair of pyromaniacs in training. However, much to my relief and I'm sure the park rangers, we 
managed to not set the woods on fire.
It was only one night but we came back after a great time, bringing with us lots of smokey smelling clothes, dirt on jeans and a desire for a decent night's sleep.
Click here for the pictures (evidence).
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