Monday, November 28, 2011

Thanksgiving in Review

The long Thanksgiving weekend was a busy--but successful--one for us. Here’s what we did:

1. Since our parents live about five minutes apart, Honey Bear and I always eat Thanksgiving dinner twice. We usually take a little bit at this house and a little bit at that, and I swear that’s what I did this year. But I was feeling pretty nauseated by the end of Thanksgiving Take Two. (I’m blaming that on the baby and my squished digestive tract.)

2. The LSU-Arkansas and Alabama-Auburn games weren’t nearly as exciting as I thought they’d be:(

3. Black Friday was pretty leisurely for us this year. We left the house a little before ten in the morning and only went to two stores. We didn’t have to wait in line or even throw an elbow:)

4. Friday night, I rode my first commuter train. (I felt so Eastern and cosmopolitan:) ) We took our kids to Salt Lake City to see the lights at Temple Square and didn’t want to have to worry about parking a car downtown. If you’re ever in Salt Lake during the month of December, definitely plan on stopping there. It’s a sight worth seeing.

5. On Saturday, we celebrated Honey Bear’s grandmother’s eightieth birthday. Grandma Dear, as her grandkids call her, is one of the nicest, most genteel ladies I’ve ever met (and she’s not even from the South). It was wonderful to spend time with so much family and to learn more about this awesome lady.

6. On Sunday, we went to church with HB’s parents. One of the women from their ward, or congregation, gave a lovely talk about living in thanksgiving daily. She didn’t say anything earth-shattering or revolutionary, but her words reminded me to focus more on what I have and less on what I don’t.

Well, I think that sums it up. I could go on, of course, but I don’t want to bore you with the details of road-tripping with a four- and two-year-old. Suffice it to say that there was much screaming, much whining, and much producing of cracker crumbs. But we made it. Barely:)

How was your Thanksgiving weekend?

14 comments:

Kelley Lynn said...

It sounds like a wonderful thanksgiving! Love spending time with family :)

Mine was good too!

Vicki Tremper said...

Sounds lovely. My boys are a little older - 8 and 5 - which makes traveling much easier. One reads in the car and the other listens to music. Some of my husband's family joined us at my parents' house, so we were able to enjoy everyone at once.

Feel good!

Kayeleen Hamblin said...

Sounds like a great holiday! We stayed here in Kanab, but had a great time with hubby's parents and two of his cousins who couldn't fly home for the holiday. Too much food was consumed. And not enough sleep was had.

Jessie Humphries said...

Oh I bet the lights at Temple Square were so lovely. It sounds like a great holiday week for you!

Krista Van Dolzer said...

Kelley, spending time with family is especially nice since we don't get to see them that often. I'm sure we'll move closer someday, but not until the housing market makes a miraculous recovery:)

Vicki, my in-laws often do that, got both sides of the family together at once. I love it! (And how jealous am I of your seasoned little travelers!)

Kayeleen, we never get enough sleep around the holidays:)

They were, Jessie! Do you guys ever get up to Salt Lake to see the lights?

A.L. Sonnichsen said...

We stayed home and just drove down the hill to my in-law's house for the meal. They were nice to me and all I had to bring were potatoes, sweet potatoes and rolls. Ahh, starch!

I ate WAY too much, though, and had a definite turkey hangover!

I'm glad you had a fun time!

Jemi Fraser said...

Road tripping with little ones is always such fun... :) Glad you made it!

We had our T-giving last month & it was filled with fun, food and family too!

Ben Spendlove said...

Maybe this will be the year we take the kids to see the lights. It's only a two-hour drive. Well, four if you count the return trip. Our oldest has seen them, but hardly remembers it. Sounds like a lovely long weekend. Mine was, too. (And I ate a LOT. That's why I felt sick Thursday night.)

Krista Van Dolzer said...

Amy, how cool to live so close to family. (Some of it, anyway. Do your folks still live overseas?)

Oh, right, Jemi! They celebrate Thanksgiving in Canada in October, don't they? I'd forgotten that. (Makes more sense, actually, since late November isn't exactly harvest season...)

Ben, that is a long way to drive, especially if the weather's bad. (I don't so much as glance at Sardine Canyon if there's even the slightest bit of precipitation. (Except when Honey Bear's sister got married in Logan last December, but that's an entirely different story...)) If you do make the trip, you'll have to let us know how it goes!

E.D. said...

Sounds like a nice and relaxing weekend! It's great to be so close to family - most of mine is thousands of miles away.
But a long and relaxing weekend I welcome any time.

Krista Van Dolzer said...

E.D., that would be so tough, to be so far away from family. I like feeling independent and being out on my own, but I also like knowing that our family's only a five-hour car ride away. Hope you have a wonderful season.

Dana E said...

Thanksgiving was wonderful! My in-laws came from Florida and my sister and her family came from the backyard. (They live behind us.) Last Thanksgiving, my sister was facing breast cancer, surgery, and chemo. She is now doing well and this gives us something to really be thankful for!

And now I am trying to find more time for my new best friend, the treadmill!

Suzi said...

I understand the road trip screaming and whining. We had a 11 hour drive to visit my husband's extended family, which was the 1st time we did it for Thanksgiving. A long time in the car with a 7 and 4 year old. Was a fun trip still.

Krista Van Dolzer said...

Dana, wonderful news! It's always easier to see the silver linings in life when things have been a little stormy.

Suzi, I salute you:) I hope you didn't have to drive that whole way in one day...