Thanksgiving 2011

Happy Monday Friends!

I disappeared from the Internet last week because it was more important to me to spend time WITH my family fully, being present, than splitting my time between my family and the web.

I had a really great week! Aside from the fact that I came down with a cold on Sunday, which kinda dragged me down physically. I didn't exercise last week. I did everything in my power to get over my cold as quickly as possible, which meant tons of tea, water, cold-eze, neti pot, decongestants, Vick's vapo rub, Advil, water, tea, neti pot, and rest as much as possible.

Our celebration kicked off Tuesday evening with the arrival of my paternal grandparents who live in Southern California. They were passing through on their way to the BIG family Thanksgiving celebration in Corvallis. I heard there was over 60 in attendance this year!

But the bigger surprise? My brother showed up completely unexpectedly!! Chris was just getting ready to head to the airport to pick up my mom and maternal grandmother when the doorbell rang. He opened the door and there was my brother! YAY for an awesome surprise! It really made my day and week to have my brother here with us.



Paternal Grandparents, Ron and Nelma, and my brother!

Chris headed off to pick up mom and gram. My two grandma's haven't seen each other since probably 1997 (when I got married). My mom and my grandma Nelma (her ex-mother-in-law) have remained close over the years, even though they don't talk or see each other as often as they used to. It was very special for mom and grandma Nelma to get to visit this trip.

My mom (on the right) and her former mother in law.

We all went to dinner and had a nice visit. Thanks Grandpa Ron for dinner! Grandpa Ron and Grandma Nelma headed off and we all went home and went to bed. Wednesday was shaping up to be a busy food-prep day!

Wednesday morning I made a quiche for breakfast. We all visited and had coffee and orange juice. Chris had to go to work. KC, my brother, or Ken as he is called as an adult, had some Southern Oregon exploring he wanted to do, so he took off to do that. The ladies and I spent the rest of the day running a couple of errands and baking! We made two pies, a gravenstein apple and a blackberry. Mom and grandma made dough for cinnamon rolls. I had school in the afternoon, so they also got started on dinner while I was gone.

It was really great to spend time in the kitchen together and to have so many helping hands for all the food prep.

Thanksgiving morning arrived and we had cinnamon rolls for breakfast! Delicious! Unfortunately, mom wasn't feeling well and spent a good portion of the day resting in her room. :( She did come out after dinner and have some pie, though!

We took some pictures, watched some football, ate some snacks, cooked the meal and by early evening it was time to eat!

My brother and me.

Grandma Marge and me.

Grandma Marge and KC

My sweety and me.

Prime rib, homemade cranberry sauce, dressing, mashed potatoes, turkey, deviled eggs, gravy and home made green bean casserole. Oh yes. Everything was delicious!

We, of course, had more food than any five people needed, but it was so yummy!

Ah....what a great Thanksgiving!

Thanks to all of my family that came to visit, shared in the cooking and clean up, the laughter and the fun times!

And, Happy Birthday to my mom and my brother, who both celebrated birthday's this week, too!

I hope each and every one of you had a blessed Thanksgiving!