Thanksgiving Weekend 2010

In a nutshell:

Wednesday we cleaned and cleaned, and then went shopping for coats and boots. I bought a grandma coat that goes down to my knees and has a big, furry hood.  I decided that day to become one of those people that loves winter, and my strategy is simply to dress for the weather.

I figured going to the mall with all our kids the day before Thanksgiving was better than going to the mall with all our kids the day after Thanksgiving, right?  I DON'T do Black Friday. Well, I do, but on my laptop in bed in my pajamas.  Annual tradition.  You crazies that sleep outside and stand in line and push through the crowds . . . go back to bed with a computer.  I'm telling you, it's not worth the hundred bucks.  Whatever it is, you don't need it that bad!

Thursday I spent the morning making a second batch of homemade rolls. I used a different recipe this time, and they were good (especially with strawberry peach jam from Kneaders), but I'd go back to the Lion House roll recipe again next time. I took both to Thanksgiving dinner.

We went to Brandon's Dad's brother's house for Thanksgiving dinner.  They live about a half an hour away, and most of their ten kids and some of their grandchildren were there.  Great food - all the right classics - and even better company!  It's nice to have some extended family nearby, especially such great people.  We ate too much and stayed too late, but that's how we like the holidays! I regret that I didn't take many pictures, but I love these three of Uncle Don carving the turkey, Aunt Marsha with the pies, and baby Howie chowing down:

Friday we did what we always do while the (m)asses are shopping their brains out: we got our Christmas tree.  Lucky, lucky, lucky us, there is a cut-your-own-tree farm about seven minutes from our house.  (Are you kidding me? Nope.) It was a pretty chilly day, but none of us wore those boots we just bought because the ground wasn't too snowy, but we should have, because the kids were whining about their toes after about 20 minutes. I could have stayed out there for hours looking for the perfect tree - I eat that stuff up - but finally Brandon told me to stake our claim with our 8 foot stick at the "last" perfect tree I found (it has to be at least 8 feet tall or you can't cut it down), and we brought our little beauty home:  

                                       

In California we always went to Claim Jumper after getting our tree, but the closest restaurant like that here is Texas Road House, where the kids can throw their peanut shells all over the floor after they eat them by the handfuls from the bucket they put on the table before your meal. The perfect ending to a perfect day!

Saturday we hosted a little BYU/UofU end of the season (and era) football game party. The schools won't be in the same conference next year and have been bitter rivals forever, so I think the true die hards are going to miss the drama. Even though both Brandon and I are BYU alumni, we just don't get into sports that much, but I happened to read an article in the paper that day about the rivalry and - wow - I had no idea it was that serious! My favorite line was something about "Church vs. State" - what a crack up!  I mean, why even argue about it?  Everybody knows BYU is God's university! (And you'd better believe some ungodly Ute will have to comment on that.)

It was fun to have a room full of Cougars and one lonely Ute that day (as well as a bunch of "game food" to further destroy our diets). Brandon's brother Damon, his wife Angie, and their kids were in town for the weekend, so they came with a friend, and then my kids' favorite babysitter from Iowa, Ashley, and her boyfriend, Ian, came over too. Ashley first babysat Kate when she was three, so we've known and loved her for a long time and are glad to be in the same state again! Ian was lucky to be among nice BYU fans since he was rooting for the dark side.  (Final score: Utah 17, BYU 16. Utah blocked a kick in the last 10 seconds!)

After the game, Ashley and Ian stayed and introduced us to a really fun game called "Killer Bunnies" - we need to play again!

Sunday we went back to Orem to go to church with Uncle Don's family to hear their youngest son Spencer's final address before leaving on a mission to Mexico. They had a taco bar with family at their house afterward, and we did more talking, eating, eating, and talking.

And THAT was our long, fun, busy-in-a-relaxing-way Thanksgiving weekend! Family, friends, food, faith, fun - that's a lot to be grateful for!

Wow. That was a pretty big nut.