thanksgiving 2011

We returned home last night and it feels good to be home. This was such a fun week spending time with my family but a little peace and quiet is nice too. My parents' home was a jam packed house, full of kids playing and adults laughing. I found myself just observing this family of mine. We are a large clan (there were over 50 of us at dinner - and that's just my immediate family) with loud opinions so when we get together it's not a quiet, peaceful occasion. But boy, is it lively and enjoyable. Here's a few things I observed.

Saw:

The table setting (which I decorated, thank you very much).
My nieces in dress-ups (including some of my old formals and performance costumes).
William attached to the trampoline.
The not-quite-ripe citrus on my parents' trees just waiting to be picked.
Mom wiping down the kitchen counters . . . again.
My parents and siblings country dancing at a cowboy restaurant.
William hugging Beck for wayyyyy too long and wayyyy too often (Beck wasn't fond of it).

Heard:
Nephews playing the piano really loudly.
Legos being poured on the ground for the millionth time.
Jenga "oooo"s and "aaaahh"s.
Two-year-old Beck's guitar performance complete with amp.

Smelled:
My mom's homemade bread baking.
Apple custard pie.
Clementines being peeled by the box.
The scent of "sunshine" as my nephews played army guys.

Tasted (favorites):
Darin's corn succotash.
Our favorite Mexican food (a few times).
Derby pie.
Baby Margot's cheeks (we all took a few nibbles of that deliciousness).

One of the best things that happened was on Friday night when David and I attended my cousin's wedding dinner. We left William with a group of my family who were all going to see the temple Christmas lights. We put William in footed fleece pajamas, a striped sweater and sneakers (a lovely ensemble) and left my sister with a stroller and hoped for the best. When we returned they all told me that while they were at the lights they decided to watch a video of Luke 2. As the movie started William sat still with eyes wide and glued to this large screen. Soon the movie came to the part where Mary and Joseph conclude that Mary will have to give birth to the Son of God in a stable. As they looked around sorrowfully at the pitiful sight not fit for the King, the scene panned to the area surrounding the manger. Cows, donkeys and sheep . . . that's when William let out a loud and distinctive, "BAAAAHH!" I had (and still have) a good laugh when I heard the story. Oh, my boy.