Feasting with friends...

Saturday brought our third annual Friends' Thanksgiving with the Wheatleys and the Maudsleys.

This has become one of my favorite traditions in our married life, and it's amazing to see how much our families have changed and grown since our first dinner two years ago.

This year, the Maudsleys were our gracious hosts.

AJ makes a mean turkey, and Cindy's chocolate pudding pie is the stuff dreams are made of.

Camille rocked the rolls and mashed potatoes.

I took a stab at the stuffing and green bean casserole (and felt like a freakin' Food Network chef while cooking in my mother-in-law's beautiful new kitchen).

We all ate our body weight in grub.

Totally worth my new and improved muffin top.

 While the guys watched YouTube videos, the girls chatted about girly stuff and the kids pulled out every single toy in the apartment.

My heart pretty much melted as I watched Lola and Lyla play together.

When they weren't fighting over the same toy (oh, two-year-olds), they got lost in their own little conversations.

They dressed each other up.

They rocked their dolls.

They giggled to the point of happy tears.

It was so, so sweet.

 I love these babies.

I'm incredibly grateful for this group of friends.

We've been through a lot together -- trips, babies, new jobs, moves -- and to us, they are and always will be family.