Thanksgiving Week (TONS of pictures!)

Jason and the kids were off all week!  Grandma and Grandpa Turpin pulled in with their RV on Tuesday.  We had two Thanksgivings and one birthday.  Lots of food and lots of pictures!

Lots of dancing.                                            Joy was reading to her baby.  I thought it was so cute!  When I pulled out the camera, she had to show me her baby.

Cyndi came to visit us on Tuesday!  Bella LOVED Michael.  Michael was a good sport about it all It was wonderful to spend time with Cyndi and the boys.

Grandma and Grandpa got here!

Tuesday afternoon to fulfill a Faith in God and a Personal Progress experience, Sammi, Jessi, Lizzy and I went to the Museum of Natural Science.  Sammi wanted to see the Dinosaur bones and Jessi and Lizzy wanted to see the minerals and gems.

Earthquake table and plasma ball

                                                                              Sammi’s current obsession is owls.

Wednesday Sammi, Bella, and I went down to her Pulmonology appointment and to get her GJ changed.  Afterwards everyone meet us down at the Japanese Gardens.

 

 

 

Which brings us to Thanksgiving Day!  Decorating for Christmas…

The food…and the family

Cuddles and the haircut

On Friday we went up to the farm and did all the eating again!  It was also Sammi’s 13th birthday!  Happy birthday Sammi!

The Daddy/Kathie tickling/pinching battle.  Kathie won.

We also had a scary few minutes.  After dinner, the kids and Dads were outside playing.  We mothers had gone to inspect the almost finished apartment.  When we came out, no one could find Zaba.  How terrifying!  We all searched and yelled.  I am sure I wasn’t the only one praying.  That little toddler had toddled off to the pasture.  So scary!  We were so grateful to hear the shouts of “We found her!” ringing through the air.  Another reason to be grateful during that Thanksgiving feast.

After our feast, we all headed over to the Magnolia church building to witness Mandy’s Baptism.  What a special time for Mandy.    Congratulations Mandy!  We love you!

After the baptism, we had to say Good bye to Cyndi and the boys.  So sad.  They live so far away.  Hugging my little sister, I just wished that I could shelter her and protect her from the hard things in life.  Maybe it’s from being the oldest, but I so often wish that my struggles could be enough for my family, that no one would have to go through hard things.  But that isn’t the way and it isn’t why we came to this earth.  Progression sure is hard sometimes.  Especially when it’s someone else’s progression.

While Cyndi and I were talking, my girls and Cyndi’s boys saw a whole herd of deer just walk right up to the church.  They didn’t seem as fearful of us as I thought they would be.

 

The rest of our time

Becca’s fabric came in for her newest quilt.  (Joy is helping)

On Saturday night (alas no picture, still kicking myself!) Gary and Sandi took Jason and I, Danielle and Jon, and Marissa and Jay to dinner at Perry’s Steakhouse.  To say it was delicious and wonderful would be redundant.  We were all waddling out of there several hours later.  But what I enjoyed the most was the time to sit and listen to everyone.  I don’t think we have ever gone out to dinner just the eight of us before.  It was really nice.  There were no interruptions, all we could do was sit and enjoy each other.  I had a really nice time.  Thanks everyone.