Who's my Turkey?

Turkeys, turkeys everywhere and just four little ones with this year's story to share.

I know that really doesn't make any sense, but it's what came to mind after seeing these pictures. 

So this year for Thanksgiving, my kids were missing the cold so we headed north to Utah to visit GRANDMA PARKER! YEA!  We loaded the surburban, and yes, I mean totally loaded as you can see from the pictures, picked up our daddy from the airport and kept heading north.  We made it to Las Vegas for a night stop at the Fower hotel.  Enjoyed good company, delicious breakfast, a shower and some sleep and then back in the car to make it to Odgen.

The kids did great!  Considering it took us a little longer, due to pit stops, one of which we all wore flip flops through the snow and into Wendy's to grab lunch as everyone else came in in heavy jackets and boots.  I think we were a little out of place, but we didn't care.  We were hungry.  But all in all they did well, and even for a little while we got Max to wear his headphones so Jared and I could listen to the radio as they watched a movie.  Technology makes traveling so much nicer!

When we reached Grandma's we were so happy to see her and to know that we didn't have to get back in the car for a while too!  Since Grandma's cancer has spread a little bit into her ribs and both hips, and after a recent fall, moving has been a little harder for her so she resorted to having a walker.  She doesn't like it, but who would!? She is such a strong woman and never lets you see her hurting.  Her strength is one I have never seen and the care she has for others is amazing.  She has this ability to look past her own pain and suffering and relieve the pain of those around her.  She is such an amazing example of charity and true love for me to learn from.  I am so grateful for her and for her positive influence in my husband's, children's and my life.

While we were there, Max also grew very fond of Grandma's walker and when it was missing, we knew who had it and where to find it.  Grandma would push Max around the house as he sat on it, and boy did he think that was a great ride!

He also loved to climb up and cuddle with Grandma.  He took to her so quickly and we ready to spend all the time he could with this wonderful Lady.

In fact, one afternoon, I couldn't get him to go to sleep for his nap and so out he came to wreak havoc on the family room with his binkie and blanket.  He quickly found his Grandma and climbed up on her lap.  I ran to the store and within 10 minutes of rocking with Grandma, this is what happened....

Once a mother, always a mother.

There's always so much to do at Grandmas and new things to explore.  Here are just a few things we did for the week we got to spend with Grandma!

Playing with her wigs....

Lizzie

Max and Kate

Of course, for Kate it was a fashion show.  Don't you just love the snake around her neck?  And the light bulb changer in her hand?

These girls made me take pictures of each wig...you're lucky I'm not posting them all!

And there were Gingerbread Sleighs to decorate.

Cole

Cousins to play with (We couldn't get enough of the Wilsons, Jason Parkers, the Moons, and Chad Parkers!), parks to play at, shopping to do, walks to go on, and of course, ducks to feed - we would ride our scooters down to the park just a few streets away, play on the playground and of course, feed the ducks.  The girls even got to see someone catch a fish and watch it wriggle around on the pavillion.  Eww!  Was Lizzie's response.

I wasn't sure how Max would do, but I am quickly realizing he is one who has no fears of foreign things, animals, or people.  The verdict is still out about that....

We got to visit Grandma and Grandpa Storer!  The kids were in heaven running up and down the ramp in the backyard, seeing their garden and shed Grandpa built, and of course, there's always the candy they are so willing to share!  I tried to convince them to save the good stuff for me, but my kids know them too well and were happy to take a few Quality Street pieces off their hands.  It was fun catching up with my cousin, Ian, meeting his wife, and talking with Aunt Elaine, Aunt Tina, and Uncle David.  We even got to spend time with Brooke and Aaron and gang for an afternoon and play at McDonald's together.  My kids say we never stay to play and so they were ecstatic to play AND get their cousins too!  What lucky kids they are!  I miss my Utah family and grateful that no matter how much time passes, they take me when they can get me!  Love them!

 

And then, there was the big day....THANKSGIVING!  This holiday has changed for us in the past few years from where it began when we first got married.  It's gone from a day of work, setting up the Christmas Tree lots and even sometimes, dinner at a restuarant, to a day of relaxation, cooking, and eating, and eating, and eating.  This year Natalie and Steve were so great to host it again!  The Chad Parker family came up from St. George and most of Natalie's kids came home and this house was full!  Natalie always puts out a good spread and Steve did an amazing job with the turkeys!  I must say I did enjoy the fried turkey this year, but then again, who wouldn't!  Turkey - good, fried - good.

The kids were in heaven playing the day away with cousins and were quite sad when we had to go home that night.  They just don't get that there are only 24 hours in a day quite yet.

Megan, Cooper, and Kate

Jem (foreign exchange student from the Philippines), Lizzie and Anna

Sydney, Max, and Kendra

On our last day there and after a days worth of work cleaning the garage, finishing building the ramp for Grandma, and cleaning house, we packed up the kids and headed to the theaters to see FROZEN!  Michelle, the teenage girls, and I took the little ones to see Frozen while Jared, Chad, and Dorene headed to see the movie about the Missionaries who were imprisoned in Siberia or somewhere.  They thought it was pretty good, but not as cute as I think Frozen was!  Disney did a great job and my kids came out singing the songs.  I would say it was a total success! 

As we got out of the movies, the kids were starving so we headed to Red Robin only to find a 45 minutes wait.  That was a no go, so we looked for somewhere else and guess where we found...Marie Calendars!  A favorite of Fred's and the isles were pile high with extra pies from Thanksgiving, they gave us basically our own private room and what we thought may have been a mistake, ended up being a delicious meal and perfect for what we needed.  And at the end of the meal, with our bellies full, and my wits end with Max and trying to get him to sit down or at least, hold still, he let Chad hold him and within minutes, this is what happened....

Why is it, that he will do this for everyone else but me?

Then after several late nights, exhausted children, and so much fun, it was time to head south again.  Little did we know that we had a hitchhiker until we got in the car to leave!  That's right....Gus is back and found the perfect place to travel.  I just wonder if he had a headache after our 14 hour drive home?

Even though we didn't have snow or freezing temperatures like in New York, I must say I was so glad to be back with family for the holidays.  And even though I miss lots about New York, I must say, there's no place like home for the Holidays!  Happy Thanksgiving!