I ❤ My Family

I am glad for many things

Thanksgiving 2013

Thanksgiving 2012

What a fun thanksgiving! Sams parents were in town the whole month of November since Ryans baptism. We hosted dinner at our house and as always Sam cooked the turkey. We actually forgot about getting a Ham until we were sitting down to eat and realized we never bought it :) This year we researched and learned how to brine our turkey to made it super juicy. It turned out great. Everyone brought a dish or two to share and we were well fed. Mandy, Lucas and family joined us as well as Joe, Amy, Lucy and Kevin, Tiffany & kids. Mom & Dad Bainbridge and Kati made 23 total! We played Jacobs "Feast Pursuit" a game he created for school with a seasonal theme.

That night we went black Friday - which has turned into black Thursday night - shopping. We left just before 10p.m. and what a nightmare.....Breathe!!! so in the past, Ive shopped at Walmart & Target and its been pretty pain free. Not this year.....I was not in Walmart for more than 10 minutes before I started to feel claustrophobia and stress. I couldn't maneuver the cart anywhere, couldn't find anything on my list and couldn't breath - at all!!! I called Amy and she, Cecelia and Tiffany had all come to the same conclusion. THIS WAS NOT WORTH IT!!! One of the few times I have left Walmart empty handed....boohoo....tears and snots...not really!
We decided to get a jump on the line at Target only problem was it was 11p.m. and they didn't open till midnight. We got our spot in line, Cecelia and I picked up some hot coco and M&M's and we met two cute twin sisters behind us to chat with. It was fun. When Target opened, we got pretty much everything we all wanted but I vowed there and then that this was the finale for me. It just wasn't worth a sleepless night, standing in the freezing (freezing for us Trudi) cold and on top of it all I picked up an ear and sinus infection that lasted for week. I know I sound like a total negative nancy, but for real, I don't want to forget this next year and head out thinking "ah it'll be fun, worth it, exciting...." NO IT WONT..... bring on the online shopping and realistic 7a.m. Friday morning shopping.

On the Saturday after thanksgiving we took all the kids to a Circus for Eli's birthday. It was a bit cheesy in parts but the kids soaked it up. Some of the shows were really death defying and scary. The elephants were awesome. We had a good time.

Thanksgiving 2010

We had a small, quiet and uneventful Thanksgiving this year. Joe, Amy & Lucy as well as Kati B and her roommate Liz came for dinner. After a turkey induced nap and some more sugar we had a Rock Band session for a couple of hours. It was really fun and I got the best laughs watching Joey rock out. The kids loved rotating between drums, guitar and of course the mic.

I'm so thankful for everything we have, this great country we live in and the freedoms we enjoy. I'm grateful for a home, food, shelter and the luxuries of life. I'm reminded at this time of year especially, how fortunate I am, compared to some, to have these basic necessities of life.

I'm truly thankful for my family, immediate and extended, and the love we all share......for friends that bless my life and help me along. Gratitude for the gospel cant be expressed in words! No day can be a bad day when we reflect on how much we actually have in our lives.....it dispels any thoughts of "I wish I had......"