Happy Thanksgiving 2010

Dad & Autumn started off this Thanksgiving Day by being healthy.  Before going over to Mom & Dad’s, we got up and got cleaned up and packed up all of our stuff for the day and then went over around 9:30 to have some breakfast and be on the road by 10:30.  Dad was upstairs exercising and Autumn wanted to try it out, too.

We got out to Aunt Sandy & Uncle Robert’s house and luckily Mom had brought some of Maggie’s bean salsa for us to snack on until it was turkey time.  Here is Tyler presenting the turkey in dramatic fashion.

The kids had a blast having fun playing together and then we called them in so we could have the prayer.  We weren’t quite ready to say the prayer yet, but they were ready and already had their arms folded and for some reason all had their heads down on the table (except for Autumn who’s looking at them like, “What are you doing, your weird-o’s”).

Here’s our yummy spread.  We had turkey, garlic mashed potatoes, gravy, green bean casserole, stuffing, candied yams, rolls and 7-Up to drink (we pretended like it was fancy sparkling cider).  We went through and made all the kids their plates first and then went back and fixed our own plates.  The food was so good that the mashed potatoes and green bean casserole were gone super fast.

Zack was loving his big ol’ turkey leg.

We know how to par-tay!  Just look at Baby Peyton chugging that big 2 liter of 7-Up (with a little help from Uncle Robert).

We had 3 different tables set up to accommodate every one.  At the semi-grown up table there were Lexie, Jon, Nick, Zack, Heather & Rocky.

At the fancy grown up table there were Uncle Robert, Aunt Sandy, Mom, Dad, Emily, Tyler & me.  I actually got to graduate to the adult table this year!  WOO HOO!

At the kids table we had Autumn, Andrew, Shane, Caleb & Brooke.  They wouldn’t look at me so I said, “Who’s having a fun Thanksgiving?”  Then I got them all to look at me and raise their hands.

After eating, the adults wanted to talk and the kids were getting stir crazy, so I took them outside so they could run around and burn off some energy.  It was cold today (38 degrees) but the kids didn’t mind and I just bundled up while I sat outside and watched them play.

Lexie had asked me to take some family pictures for them to use on their Christmas cards.  I am far from being a professional, but I was more than happy to try.  I think we ended up with some cute ones and this was one of my favorites.

She also wanted a few of just her so she could use it for her Heritage Makers business.  This was a good one.  She’s so photogenic and pretty!

They wanted to get a few family pictures w/ Trace (the dog) but the other kids noticed we were taking pictures and didn’t want to play anymore.  They wanted me to take their picture so we got one w/ the kids, too!  It was really funny that Caleb just stood right in front of Jon.

Andrew liked this tree b/c it was just his size and had cool red flowers like his vest.  He’s such a handsome little guy.

I asked Lexie to use my camera and take some pictures of Autumn and I.  It just wasn’t meant to be, b/c Autumn was eating a roll and wouldn’t sit still and kept opening her mouth to show us her chewed roll and we both look so white and blown out.  Oh, well.  We’ll have to try and get some good ones of her and I later.  But this picture is real life and the way things really are sometimes.

We had all sorts of pies for dessert, and Aunt Sandy’s pecan pie is my favorite.  I was happy that my first time pumpkin pies turned out well and were a big hit.  We watched the Cowboys game on TV but then left at the end of the 3rd quarter so we didn’t get stuck in all the post-game traffic.  The kids both zonked out in the back of the Durango.  We got home and Autumn noticed the necklace that Lexie was wearing and kept playing w/ it and admiring it.  When Lexie asked Autumn if she wanted to wear her necklace and headband, Autumn acted as if she had won the lottery.  She was thrilled beyond thrilled.  I’m so thankful that Lexie is such a fun aunt and likes to indulge her in being such a girly girl.

Mom & Dad surprised all of us by telling us they had some early Christmas gifts for the kids.  They ripped open their gifts and it was a package of the old school clay-mation movies on DVD.  I love the songs like “Put one foot in front of the other” and “he’s Mister Heat Mister, he’s Mister Sun.”  I might have been more excited about it than the kids were, b/c I can’t wait to watch them with Autumn and hopefully she’ll love them some day just as much as I do and they can be something we enjoy together.

Lexie said that they already had those DVD’s but Mom had another surprise up her sleeve.  She ran in the back room and brought out this HUGE box for Andrew.  He was nice and let Autumn help him open the present.

It was his very own train to go around their Christmas tree.  I wasn’t able to get a picture of the look on his face, but it was priceless when he realized what it was and that it was all his!  These 2 grandkids are probably the most spoiled and loved grandkids ever!

It’s a tradition that we do a big 1,000 piece puzzle during the holidays.  Mom found this cool one that has random pictures that go along with sayings.  For example, there was a monkey wearing a business suit standing on a man’s back.  It represented monkey business, monkey see monkey do, monkey on my back, etc.  It’s a Proverbidiom puzzle and has a website where you can go to find a list of all the things in the puzzle.  We were all getting hungry by this point, so Mom made a huge pan of mac & cheese and we all chowed down as if it were the big Thanksgiving feast.  No wonder we were hungry…it was 11:00 at night!!!  We had no idea it was so late b/c we were having so much fun.  Lexie & I put the kids to bed and then she stayed up until 12:30 doing the puzzle with me and I stayed up until 2:00 am!

This was such a wonderful Thanksgiving.  It’s so nice to stop and take at least one day during the year to really reflect on all the blessings I’ve been given.  I am blessed beyond measure and hope that I express my thankfulness and gratitude every single day, but especially today.  I have my health, sight, I can hear Christmas music, I always have plenty to eat, I have a nice warm house to come home to, I have a car that gets me where I need to go, I have the most incredible family and friends, I have a testimony of the true and restored gospel of Jesus Christ, I get to hear and follow the counsel of a living prophet, I have the greatest daughter imaginable, and on and on and on.  I have thousands of things to be thankful for.

I hope all of you had a wonderful and full of thanks Thanksgiving!