Thanksgiving and Then Some!

It was an eventful 4 day weekend!  Sometimes it felt like 5, sometimes like 2.  

Part 1: Thursday thru Saturday morning.

Robb's sister, brother and their families came over for lunch.  We had the usual Thanksgiving fixings with Robb having smoked a turkey and making most of the sides while I had gotten the house ready for company.  They all had to leave by 3pm, so the rest of the day I hung out with the kids and started getting the stuff put out to take over to the hall for Friday.  The entry way and dining room table was over flowing with boxes of various things, pots, pans, parchment paper, etc.  Robb was planning on going over early in the morning to get the turkeys going.  

I know...  we're not supposed to go Good Black Friday shopping on Thursday, but hey!  The stores were open and in the past we'd sometimes hit a matinee movie on a Thanksgiving afternoon...  And since I would have NO time on Friday to take advantage of any of the sales and I actually had a little money to spend this year, I said Okey Dokey.  PLUS, why make Thanksgiving more Holy than Christmas??  The girls and I left around 7pm, fully expecting to be standing in lines until well past 10.  We had gone online and made a list of the items we were interested in so we could go into Walmart prepared!  The parking lot was jam packed.  I'd NEVER seen so many cars!

One couple were coming out as we locked up the car and I asked them if it was a zoo in there.  The husband started laughing maniacally...  Apparently they were going to herd you like cattle in there and the number of people in that place were way more than the fire code allowed!  REALLY??  We went in anyway.  Yep, the aisles were all boarded up with police tape which led you in a circular motion around the store.  I went under one to get some pants for Leon...  We got done and saw a HUGE line back by the electronics department.  Apparently all those people were waiting for some more stuff to be brought out at 8pm.  hmm.  We hung around a little longer to see if it was anything from our list.  Nope.  

To actually check out, you had to go through the ladies lingerie department, ok I kid, it was just women's wear...  But the Father Ted episode about getting trapped in the ladies lingerie always cracks me up!   The area to start the check out maze was well hidden but we found it by asking.  It pays to ask!  There were NO lines at the check out and we got out of the store and home by 9:30pm!  Yay us!!  

Now on to Friday...

Leon woke us up around 3 or 4:30.  I can't remember back that far.  I had not been sleeping well all week, mostly due to him and my neck is out I think...  I really need to see my chiropractor some time soon.  So it was going to be a long day!  Robb and the girls got the turkeys and pans all loaded up and he took his kindle to go to the hall and cook the meat and read while he waited.  I waited for a sister to show up and when the girls took the dogs to the kennel, I found out she was running behind, so she wouldn't be here until noonish anyway.  Oh well.  I took the girls with me instead and we picked up the root beer keg and a few other items that we hadn't gotten yet for the day.  We stopped back by the house briefly for a couple things we forgot and then went to the hall to unload everything plus the groceries and found we'd forgotten a few more things at home in the garage fridge.  Oops.  Robb and Maddy went back for them.  

We threw a surprise 80th birthday party for my dad at 3pm.  Surprise!!!  You were probably wondering why no one celebrated a couple weeks back...  He WAS surprised!!  We had a great time visiting with my immediate family before the aunts, uncles and cousins showed up.  The kids all played with play doh, games, kick ball and piano.  

Can you tell??  I'm their favorite!  

Just kidding...  Each of us had individual shots...

 

Everyone else showed up by 5 or 6.  We got dinner on the tables when the kids got back from watching the big tree downtown get lit up.  I heard that Santa didn't even show up for it!  

Silly Santa!  He usually rode in on a firetruck...

After we ate, everyone hustled, got the tables cleared off and chairs set up for the talent show.  Ryan and Meri led the pack by singing a couple songs.  Ryan had written a song about his breakup that I'd challenged him to do without any swear words in it.  He met that challenge!  

Then he and Meri sang a song that only the young adults knew.  He and she changed some of the words and phrases to make it more acceptable in this setting.  If you're finding it difficult to replace a bad word, reword the whole phrase!   They did a good job remembering the new words.  Clean versions rule!!!

Robb decided that if the girls and I are able to start playing Christmas music 3 months earlier than Christmas, he can play Easter music early too.  He played I Know That My Redeemer Lives on his pipes!

My favorite cousin's two boys did some renditions of various popular songs on the recorders.  *wiggle wiggle*  They are hilarious!

Leon had my camera through a bulk of the talent show and got a lot of photos of either my cousins crotch, the floor or his own tummy and forehead.  He'll figure it out!  But only after I finally clean the griminess off the lens.  

 

Here is most of the group this year.  Ryan and his friend left just before this unfortunately!  And a few people were hiding in the kitchen doing dishes.

  

Leon and his 2nd cousin Norah.  Cuties!

 

 

My mom and her sister Dorcas, played some Christmas song duets!

 

We got home at a VERY decent hour!  11pm!!  Usually it's been past midnight when I finally drop the hall keys into the lock box and leave.  We got up early on Saturday morning so Robb could drive my sister to Des Moines to catch her flight to the Philippines.  Her car will be left in our drive way for 2 weeks.  I might have to take it for a spin...  While he was gone, I got the breakfast underway.  I made an egg casserole, biscuits and gravy and pancakes, orange juice and coffee for the relatives that hadn't left town yet.  They came in shifts which is a good thing because where would they all sit??  

Leon got to play with a second cousin alone for a little while until they decided to drive back to Kentucky Saturday instead of staying over.  I think my nephew was worried that we only wanted him to stick around to help haul in the Christmas tree!  After they left, things quieted down even more.  We all relaxed a little before the next big deal that was to happen.  Getting ready for Christmas!!  

 

And as Leon would say... "later..."  More at you tomorrow!  I hope you had a fantastic Thanksgiving!!!