Thanksgiving!

We had a fun and busy week off school.  As I put Candy to bed tonight, she asked what we were doing tomorrow and I laughed and said, "School!".  And she said, "Not me, right?  I get the whole week off!".  Time flies when you're 5 and having fun--she didn't believe it had been a week.

We started last Monday with picking up our groceries for the week at 8 am.  We met up with Dan's sister and drove down to Galveston just before 10 am.  Stewart Beach was almost deserted and it was the most perfect beach day.  72 and bright and sunny.  We were having so much fun we didn't get home til almost 5.  It was awesome.  Family night was by Megan, she found some Friend articles to share with us (they weren't really related to one another, but she was excited to have planned the lesson on her own--the one I remember most was about how to get more out of sacrament meeting).

Tuesday we walked to a nearby park and my friend dropped her kids for me to watch while she got some packing done.  We all walked home and had lunch and the kids built forts and played.  I finished my Thanksgiving craft at quiet time--just in time!  I ran to Kroger after putting the kids to bed that night to get some last things for Thanksgiving.

Outside in the morning.

Lunch with the friends.

My finished craft (the blocks) and the new shelves.

Wednesday after we all got up, I ran with all the kids BACK to Kroger to exchange the tablecloth I had picked out (I had grabbed the wrong size).  Then Ali called and offered to let my kids come play so I could get ready for Thanksgiving.  I dropped off the 4 big kids at 10 am and came home and BAKED up a storm.  I made Key Lime pie, 96 rolls (I got them all shaped and then stuck them in the freezer to bake the next day), sweet potato souffle-my fave, and green bean casserole.  Dan got off early around 1:30 and I put him to work making jalapeno poppers while I started cleaning.  Ali kept the kids til 3:30!  It was so nice.  I made them stay outside the rest of the day and made a quick dinner and got them to bed.  Dan went to play basketball and I kept on cleaning and got it all done around 11 pm. 

Snuggled in their pjs to watch TV in the morning (a treat since they can't do it on a school day)

Riding the horse at Kroger. It costs a penny.  They each had a turn.

Thursday was just fantastic.  We left at 7:15 am for the parade and met up with Shad and Jamie and their families and Dad there.  Lots of street races, talking, and laughing while we waited for it to start.  Great parade.  We got home around 11:30 and started baking everything we had prepped on Wednesday.  Ali's family and our Bishop and his family came for the big meal at 1:30.  Great food and great friends.  We had 6 adults and 15 kids there.  The elders had been planning to have Thanksgiving with us but realized on Wednesday night that they hadn't updated their meal calendar and another family had signed up to feed them--so they ate there at noon and arrived in time for pies at our house around 4 pm.  They were so funny trying not to offend me and tell me they had eaten one thanksgiving meal already.  We sent them home with plates from ours.  The weather was great and the elders ran around playing football and soccer and racing all the kids.  Everyone headed home around 7 pm. 

 I'm just documenting that my house was actually all clean all at once!

Ali was watching our friend's 3 boys that day (they had a wedding out of town) so they came too

My friend Colette and her fam (her husband is our bishop)

Our family!

Friday we got up and packed and headed to the lake house.  It was great weather and we had a fun day of boating, playing games, and chatting.  Dan pulled his hamstring pretty good trying to get up on the surf board so he was icing it that evening.  We stayed up late playing games til about 11:30.  Dan and I and our kids were all in the bunk room with Carrie and a bunch of the other cousins.  It wasn't the greatest night's sleep (our kids were so excited they woke up before 5!).  

Saturday was another fun day.  With Dan injured, it was my turn to go out and I tubed and watched the kids tube.  It was cold even with a wetsuit!  Dad and SAlly and Sally's boys made it up in time for some tubing and surfing and lunch after that.  I was in charge of lunch that day and we had taco soup--Dan actually got it all ready while I was out on the boat.  Then after eating, we started packing and cleaning and we all were headed out around 4:30 or 5.  Our kids slept the whole way home and after a quick cereal dinner they all went to bed pretty early.  I was wiped out too and fell asleep before 9.  Dan stayed up to watch most of the bYU game (they beat Utah state). 

thankfully Dan wasn't too injured to fish!  He caught a bass (yay!) and a turtle (poor turtle).

It's been a great Sunday despite some meltdowns in the morning.  Our Bishopric spoke about keeping the faith and another sister spoke about prayer.  My class was about Moroni's teachings on faith, hope, and charity.  I had the kids dress in their Christmas clothes today and we took pictures.  I went to choir practice after church and we had a yummy dinner.  The weather has been just amazing so the kids played outside til it got dark.  Then scriptures and prayer, books with mom and dad,and bed.  Dan fell asleep reading a few minutes ago (It's only 8:30!).

Getting spiffed up before church.  Rub a dub dub.

They clean up pretty good.

All of us after church.  We bribed them with cupcakes.