Farrell's Thanksgiving

Hi All - This is all new to me, being a first time blogger, but I'll give it a try. We had an enjoyable Thanksgiving up at Mairsey's this year and of course Janie outdid herself once again with all the delicious food. We all arrived up at Annie & Dave's house about 2:00 and enjoyed the fireplace and appetizers. I drove Maggie and Bea and Grandma Farrell up and Pat & John came by themselves and Bridget & Tara & Sean and Finnigan came together. We went over about 3:30 to Mairsey's and Jack & Joanie Mansell were there with Janie's other sister Midgie. Davey & LeAnne and Breanna & Luke & Bryan were also there. Of course we had to have 3 tables to accommodate us and I made the mistake of getting up and Davey sat down and took my place, but we all enjoyed the food but most of all we enjoyed just being together. We have so much to be thankful for this year, most especially having Mom and Pat with us, who had their trials and tribulations this year. We're thankful Pat is a Survivor of Breast Cancer and she's finished with her treatments. Now we have to pray her through her surgery (cancer they found on her kidney) on January 4th. We'll appreciate any prayers you send her way. We are all blessed just having Mom with us for another year and for all the new generations that keep this Family Tree growing with the strong Irish Roots it's always had.

Thanksgiving at the Farraher's

Nobody makes stuffing like my Gram-Ma. I wait 2 years in-between servings and boy is it worth it! This year saw Phil & Vee McEntee, my Mom & Dad, Mary Louise, Ann McEntee, and my family squeeze in around the table and stuff ourselves full. Here we see a picture of Phil, using the New York Times website method of carving the hallowed turkey.



One nice thing we got to do after dinner was each go around the table and state why we are thankful. Each of us shared a special reason and the mix was as diverse as to the opening of the 31st street bridge as it was to being thankful to the troops serving overseas away from their families.



Dessert was out of this world, sporting pumpkin, apples and chocolate pies along with hot coffee. We then each took turns reading thanksgiving prayers from various cultures, as spotted in a Post Gazette article Mom found in the paper. Phil read an e-mail about the Pilgrims struggles during the founding of the Plymouth colony, and connected it to today's reasons to be thankful.

Our family has a lot to be thankful for.

Christmas Gifts this Year

Just a note to my friends and family. (saves a mass e-mail blitz campaign)

Just to let you know, this year when it comes to Christmas gifts, Sam and I are going to be doing some things differently. I'm sick of giving over my cash to Wal-mart & big box stores buying gifts for people which they may or may not need. The commercial holiday shopping spree has run its course in my mind, and I don't wish to feed into it any more. Nor am I a scrooge who hates the holidays, but I do hate what the holidays have become... a compulsive shopping fest.

Instead for this year, I am taking the money we would spend on gifts for people and making donations (on behalf of those I love) to Doctors Without Borders charity foundation. I figure the kids of the Sudan or the 3rd world can use the money for medicine and anti-retroviral drugs, and this seems more in the true spirit of giving for the holidays.

So this year, you won't be getting a physical gift from us. Instead you'll be getting a letter from this charity stating that we made a cash donation (in your names) to make a difference in this world. If you were trying to figure out what we want for Christmas, please feel free to do the same. I would rather you give the money to a good cause rather than to somebody's 4th quarter retail profits. I'm sick of the mega-corporations of this world (retail & consumer goods) reaping all the benefits of the holidays.

Lets all give a gift that really counts this Christmas,

Lets take back the holidays, and revive the spirit of giving.

Cullen & Sam

Happy Birthday Gram and Erin

We all took a ride over to the "dark side" to visit Erin and her and Grandma McEntee to lunch to celebrate their birthdays. First, we stopped to see Erin's house. Maggie and Grammy Farrell never saw it. Everybody loved all the old pictures. After the visit we all went to Aladdin's restaurant and had a great lunch. Presents were given as you can see.

Little Luke's Birthday Party

Grammy Farrell got to play a duet with Liam. They played "Ode To Joy" by Beethoven. She and Gillian played "God Bless America." Then Tristan took the bench and stated that he would rather play alone! But they ended up playing Happy Birthday together. Annie and Dave hosted the party, and it was a wonderful event.