Thanksgiving or Part Trois

For the past few years, Jay's family, either completely or mostly, have gathered together for Thanksgiving.  As we live in the same town as his folks, we get the benefit of a family get together without the holiday travel.  I've loved having the party here even with the missing pangs that come from being 1,000 miles away from my own family, who also get together at my parent's house every Thanksgiving.

Due to lots of reasons, (new babies, college travel, missionaries gone and the economy), none of Jay's siblings and their families decided to travel here for Thanksgiving.  Our kids were out from school for the entire week and Jay's work schedule was not at all holiday-ish (his only day off was Thanksgiving Day), I loaded up the minivan and added 2,000 more miles onto the 160,000+ odometer.  I'm going to drive that thing until it dies!

The boys travelled exceptionally well.  We listened to Harry Potter books the entire time, finishing books 2 and 3 and seven hours of Goblet of Fire.  My kids are kind of sad now that we are home and  no longer have 7 or 8 hours in the car for their listening pleasure:)  While the constant narration made their travel easier, the constant voice in the van wore me out.  The audio version is done really, really well and I was just as entertained as the boys but I usually get some quiet in the car when the boys get on their individual electronic devices and I noticed that I was crankier than usual at each stopping point.

We stayed the first couple of days at my parents house but moved to a hotel on Wednesday when everyone else arrived.  We had a bedroom this summer during the family reunion and I thought it was fair to take a turn at the hotel.  The rooms were nice but Daniel does not sleep well when sharing a room with me.  After a week of getting up at least once a night with him, I am remembering why babies are so much more difficult to travel with than my older kids.  The equipment alone (stroller, crib, diaper bag, weeks worth of diapers, formula, bottles and food) is kind of a deterrent.  I think if I were going anywhere else or being with anyone other than family, I might just choose to stay home for another year until we can leave some of this...stuff...at home.  However, lost sleep and sore biceps from carrying things from cars to hotels notwithstanding, I barely see my kids once home.  They are completely entertained by cousins, fed by grandma and grandpa and Daniel had arms to be held and entertainment to spare with all his aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents.  It was very nice to get away.

Here are some pictures of the week.  Just a few:)

Seth played basketball the entire week.   Hours each day.

I got my hair done there again.  The girl there does it so fast and I have easy child care:)

I am blonder!

Daniel drinking from my water bottle. He figured it out!

He enjoyed lots of attention this week.

The first meal with everyone.  That's the only downside to getting all together, in my opinion.  The feeding of the children.  It's non-stop!

We did the turkey trot on Thanksgiving morning.  Maureen pushed Daniel in the jogger.

At the back of the pack.  It was so cold going up this street.

The finishers minus Christopher (who took the picture) and Brendan, who decided to run home.

Pretty Thanksgiving dinner table.  My mom likes a pretty table, even when it's inconvenient.

Pretty table for the kids too!

My parent's kitchen is small so it's hard to get in there and help but mom and dad were professionals.  It's like they've done this a time or two or something.

The pies!

I love my mom!

The boys in my family.

Dad cleaning up....always.

Some panorama fun on my phone.  The kids downstairs.

The adults upstairs.  It's like those weird puzzles where you can't get perspective.  Where are the walls?

Instagram photo of Thanksgiving DAy.

Seth trying to get out of a picture.

How the cousins play 500.  It's more of a who can bat the football down sort of game.

Hood ornament!

Henry being Henry.  The kid entertains himself so well.

All 15 cousins!

Tara taught them a very fun game called Lover's Leap.  Cousins match up in pairs with a big and little cousin on a team.  Then, they have to run around and when a pose is called out, they have to find their partner and get in the pose.  The last pair to finish the pose is out.  This first pose is Lover's Leap (can you believe the green grass in November?  It was covered in snow on Monday!)

I cannot remember the name of this pose!

Toilet bowl (they little partner swirls inside the big partner's arms)

Man overboard

Chicken something (I'm failing, Tara!)

Lover's leap again.  Some of their "holds" makes me laugh.

Typewriter

Fire hydrant

Teddy Bear

A Family high five.

I want my kids to know their grandparents.  I hope by making these trips that they do.

We stopped in Salt Lake on the way home and went to see the lights at Temple Square.  It was insanely crowded but just as beautiful.  It's amazing.  

Try pushing a baby jogger around.  We got quite a few glares from hitting people's legs.

The view from our hotel.  Not bad!

I don't know what next year will bring.  Maybe we'll be here at home or maybe not.  My biggest blessing is having a loving family on both sides to spend it with.  Win/Win.