Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!

One of my best friends, Lis Lucy, once told me this little gem:

Thanksgiving:  The only day when gluttony becomes a patriotic duty.

Hahaha!  I thought it was a perty good one, but I'm sure you've prolly heard it before, eh?

I just thought I'd 'show' you how we do Thanksgiving in this house.  You know, 'give you a little taste of the glory.  See what it tastes like!'

Yesterday, Liza, Courtney, and I visited this little guy:

Blakers!!!  We went to visit Beka too, of course.  I have to keep indoctrinating him to know who his favorite auntie is. ;)  He's a great little kid, and I love 'im.

Then, we made a mad-dash to the grocery store.  Ma (being the all-amazing woman she is) split the shopping list into six parts, and gave one to each of her girls.  Twas an epic venture.  I don't think I've ever bought that much food in such little time.  We took it home, blasted the country music, and started the food-makin'.

This morning, my family participated in this:

The Turkey Trot - 5k

Dinner had to be earned, after all!  Max came in at just over 20 minutes.  Champion time. :)  And the rest of the clan wasn't far behind.  Ma and Papa even crossed the finish line together.  How precious! ;)

Then, we all came to clean and cook and to cook and clean.  Lots of food.  Like so much, we won't be able to eat it all "in.... three lifetimes." (Movie?)  A massive turkey, two kinds of sweet potatoes, heaps and mounds of mashed potatoes, pans of green beans, oyster dressing, normal dressing, and 18 pies (all made completely from scratch) for 12 people.

Soooooo many pies... :]  Delicious.

 Our beautiful table with china dishes and Waterford crystal. :)  It was loverly.

Then, of course, we ate.

My B-E-A-Utifully splendorful family!

Soooo good!  Dad's chipotle sweet potatoes and oyster dressing were a hit!  I also think my family should win the award for the longest eating/visiting meals ever.  I love it! :)

Then, we took a nap.

PSYCH! Not for us!  Daylight was a-wastin' and we hadn't yet completed all our Thanksgiving traditions!  We............ shot shotguns!!!  Like we do every year. :)

Aaaand Daddy just happens to be the best dang clay-pigeon thrower we have...

He's legit. :)

It was soooooo fun!  Home, home, home!  I love it.  I love my family.  It's just the best.  We watched "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" and "By the Light of the Silvery Moon" trying to fit us all on the couches.  (We were cuddling much closer than most family's would.  We love each other.)

I also made these:

Homemade caramel with pecans and smothered in dark chocolate.  I'm very proud of them.  You should try them.

We played games, had tickle wars, ate and ate and ate, shot guns, made chocolates, laughed and smiled, joked, rested, jammed, and for the last 3 hours, we girls have been gathered around our piano-playing mother singing our little hearts out in 4-part harmony.  >Siiigh<  I've missed that a lot.

Thankfully, I am home.  I am comfortable, well-fed, happy, and loved more than I can believe.  Life is good.

And I'm so grateful for Thanksgiving.

They're the BEEEESSHHTTT!!!

Sometimes. . .

I need a reminder that my family is--well, let's just say they're... FREAKIN' AWESOME!!!  Truly, they're the best.  Yessir!  I have the best family there is.  If you don't believe me, just ask 'em.  They'll tell ya. ;)

Whoa, whoa whoa, you say.  You can't just make a claim like that without any evidence to back it up!

Don't you worry, my friend, don't worry.  You ready to comprehend the awesomeness?  Buckle up.

1.  The idea for this post came about 2 weeks ago.  I went to a performance of the BYU Singers and Concert Choir.  Liza just happens to be the president of Concert Choir.  Like this:

And she sings like a dream.  Aand she's absolutely gorgeous.  Aaaaand she's amazing.  And I realized that my family has performed for years and years and years...

• Daddy is a perty decent piano player, hisself.  He's participated in the Lotoja and the Spudman Triathlon and a whole slew of other racing things. :) He's just waaaay legit in everything he does.  Aaaand his handsome self is always in attendance at our events.  He keeps his family mucho happy. :)

Here he is dancing with his wifey.  They're perty great. :)

• In 1998, Mamacita played the piano solo for George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue with the Magic Philharmonic Orchestra.  I was six, and I still remember.  She's legit.  She also had the patience to teach aaaallllll of her children (and a bunch of other peoples' children) how to play the piano.  She also possesses the voice of an angel.

She also plays the Uke.  So.  Cool.

• Sam played the piano and sang for his talent in Mr. DHS when he was a Senior.  His number was, "You Gotta Have Skin," and he sounded perty good.  ...I also don't think he had/has ever made me laugh so hard. :]

I didn't have a picture of that, but here he is juggling.  He can also ride a unicycle and fly a stunt kite. ;)

Here, also, is Sammy's better half.  Megs. Is. The. Best.
I love them.

• Beks won Miss Mini-Cassia and competed in Miss Idaho with her piano-playing expertise.  She also sings splendidly, and she and I often sing the same part in our group of sisters.  She's super-duper, and loads of fun!

I didn't have a picture of any of that, but here is Beka with her other half, Eric the Awesome.  He's perty great, and he adds to the handsomeness of our family. :)

• Liza:  Well, I already told you some of it, BUT she was Mini-Cassia's Jr. Miss once upon a day (a title she also won with her piano-playing expertise).  She's also a vocal-performance major at BYU (a veeeery tough program to get into), aaaand the president of Concert Choir.

Idaho State Jr. Miss Competition

• Madi-Kakes is s'darn cute!  She received an award and scholarship for her B-E-A-Utiful and attractive vocal performance last year in Jr. Miss.  Her voice is clear as a bell, and her piano-playing is soft, smooth, and delicious.  She can also play the clarinet like a champ.

Madi.  Singing like an angel. As always.

• Max-the-Man is perty dang awesome.  He plays piano (fake-book and Jazz style).  And he plays a sweet saxophone.  He's had multiple solos in the semester-ly jazz band concerts, and he makes sure his jazz is up to par.  He's the real McCoy.

It's a little small, but here is a family jam sesh.  Liza on the piano, Sam on electric guitar (that he made hisself, by the way), and Max on Saxophone.

• Every time, I get to go to a performance or race or anything else they have been working toward, I just beam with pride the whole time.  They 're so talented and splendid.  I'm a HUGE fan of all of them, and I want to grow up to be as cool as they are someday.

2.  They're attractive.  I have one daaaaaaang fine lookin' family.

Okay, I know it's hard to see, but it's all I could find.  Just believe me. :]

3.  On the way home for Thanksgiving, Granny Rodabough let me steal some of her mincemeat.  I don't care what you think, mincemeat pie is a delicacy.  It's delicious.  And she's a sweetie-pie for sharing some.

4.  A bunch o' them are running the Turkey Trot tomorrow.  It's a 5k.  Big deal, you say.  BUT they're doing it together, and they're gonna be awesome.

5.  They understand me.  In my family's eyes, I'm splendid and funny and everything I hope to be and more. Unconditional love runs rampant in my house.  Here, I can go a whole day speaking in movie-lines.  Not only can they identify the movie, they'll reply in movie-lines.  They'll laugh at my movie-lines.  They get my inside jokes.  They get me.  Like no-one else can.

6.  Tonight, Daddy and I made home-made chicken noodle soup (with rye-wheat/Dad's specialty home-made noodles).  Ma and Megs were makin' pie, and the preparations for Thanksgiving were in full swing.  The jokes were flying.  Everybody was helping everybody with everything.  Compliments and good-natured teasing were prevalent.  We were tasting Dad's cheeses and I haven't heard so much laughing in a long time.

7.  When I got home yesterday, Daddy gave me a good ole back-poppin' hug.  Ma gave me a hug.  Madi gave me three.  Max gave me five.  Megs, Liza, and Sambo aren't stingy with 'em either.  Without asking, I get at least a hug an hour from anyone in my family.  It's so nice to be loved! :)

8.  They're just super-duper splendid, and I love them so much!

This is my adorable nephew, Blakers.  I'm his favorite Auntie.  By. Far. :)

Doncha wish they were yours?!

Weeeelllll...you cain't have 'em!
They're mine!

All mine!

And I'm soooo happy they are.

:)

Lets Hear It for the Boy[s]!

Sometimes. . .

I think we girls are a little harsh on those who make up the population of the male sex.  I am not sure if that's a function of all boys being jerks excluding only those that surround me, or if girls are just a little ridiculous.  Me?  I tend to think it's the latter.  The vast majority of all boys I have the opportunity to interact with are right, swell fellows, and I hereby offer my recognition and gratitude to them for gracing my existence with their presence.  After all, they have some mighty fine qualities about them:

1.  They seem to possess a never-ending capacity for goofiness.  I mean, really.  No girl would ever come up with this:

P.S. If the full-screen doesn't work, just click on the YouTube link at the top of it. :)

           And seriously!  How awesome is that?

2.  They are good, honest souls.  I have very seldom found superficiality in a male.

3.  They entertain me all the day long.  With things like this or this:

or this:

or this:

or perhaps this:

or maybe this:

or who could ever forget the time we laughed for HOURS at this:

Let's just say, they're never lacking for entertainment, okay?

4.  How about these little treasures from Overheard @ BYU?:

"Relief Society has a feel good moment?  We should have that in priesthood!  Manly moment: 'I fixed my car yesterday while killing a bear AND giving a woman a blessing.'"

Hahahahaha! :P  I believe that is a veeeeery good idea.  Or how about...

Boy: *whips out calculator* Can I calculate something for you?

Girl:  Okay....?

Boy: I'm going to calculate your chances of being happy forever.

Girl:  ......

Boy: *turns on calculator* what's your phone number???

Hehehe :)  I don't care who you are or what you look like.   That's awesome. :D

5.  How many guys do you know that are an emotional basket-case all the time?  I'll wager you know many more girls that fill that bill.  My man-friends make me laugh.  Without fail.  Sometimes, when I'm having a rough day, I really don't want to talk about it.  Who do I go to?  A boy because, quite frankly, they don't usually wanna talk about it either!  But they're very good at getting my mind off of things. :D
P.S.  Watch this.  It's long, but hilarious, and it explains a lot:

6.  Most of my best friends in this whole-wide-world (not including my awesome and attractive family) are boys.  I guess this does include my three closest cousins, and about six "brothers."  They, all of them, talk to me lots, make sure I'm dandy, and say something to the effect of, "I love you, Sis!" on a very regular basis. Needless to say, these guys are champs, and they have one proud "sister!"   :D  They're some of the kindest, most wonderful people I know.  They take good care of me. :)

7.They're nerds.  It's an endearing term, I promise!  Just a few nerdy things I have come to enjoy (due to the influence of guys): Ninja-Turtles (Leonardo, in particular), Decepticon, MST3K, Kung Pow, watching Zelda and Portal 2, music/science/history/math/grammar/dumb-pun jokes, VVFS, Rejected Cartoons, Monty Python, and other such nonsense.  "How neat is that?!"

8.  They do like to show-off sometimes, and I don't mind one bit.  My cousins wanna show me they can cook?  Fine with me!...as long as I get to try it. :)

  My "brothers" wanna serenade everyone with guitars and voices?  I'm sooooo down with that because, lets be honest.  They sound gooooooOOOOOd.  They can show-off if they want to.  I'm impressed. :)

9.  They know how to have FUN!!!  They're game for adventure!  They'll be goofy and splendid, and many wonderful memories have been made this way.... :)

10.  They're straightforward, and they don't change with the weather.  If they wanna spend time with you, they'll make time.  If I tease them, they tease back.  If they say something sweet, they mean it.  They don't just fish around for words to try to be nice.

11.  They do manly things! I don't know if you noticed, but which picture is more attractive?

Of course!  The one where he looks most manly.  Why?  Because it's awesome.  That's why.  They're just so cool when they get together to watch football, or when they're driving tractor or workin' hard, or when they hold the door for girls.  They wear suits.  They're especially handsome when they sing.  Girls, they're the reason we feel like girls.  They work hard and play hard.  They're champs. Fo' sho'!

12.  Last, but definitely not least, most of the guys that have influenced my life for the better are real, true, solid, honest-to-goodness men.  A great many of them, though not all, are worthy holders of God's priesthood.  How wonderful is that?  All of them have helped me see my value as a daughter of God.  I could not ask for a greater gift from them.  So many of them--family and friends, old and young, Mormon and non-Mormon alike--are great blessings and wonderful examples.  They are honestly trying their hardest to be who they should be:

I, for one, think they're pretty awesome, and I thank all of them for blessing my life and letting me love them.

:]