Happy Thanksgiving

We are getting ready for our thanksgiving.  We went to Ryan's grandma Thomas's side of the family dinner/ lunch and it was a lot of fun.  We got up and got ready for the day, packed all the bags because we knew we were going straight from the party to Idaho Falls and then Island park.  

Max had a short little cat nap on the way to the party and I just loved how he was still holding his football while he slept.  

Num Num Num

We went to a church in Clarkston and it was the coolest church building.  The chapel was two floors and had a elevator.  

Alexis had a zit that she picked so  bad it left a mark that made her look like she has a nose ring.  

Max had so much fun playing with the balls at the party.  He loved watching all the older kids play basketball and loved running around.  They played fun games and started a talent show and then we had to get on the road.  

It felt like we were in the car for five hours..... we made a couple of stops on the way at target and I had no idea that the sales were starting right as soon as I pulled in.  I couldn't believe all the people that were lined up around the building waiting to get in.  

The cabin was so much fun.  The kids  all have so much fun together and they loved playing out on the ice and it made me so nervous.  I felt like it hasn't been that cold and not enough snow so I wasn't even sure they should go on the ice at all.. but I guess it was fine because they said it was 6 inches deep. 

Max loved playing with the cute peddle plane.  

Brad always has the best t-shirts ever.  We had a lot of fun watching the edited movies that Annette brought up.  There was a couple good ones that we watched a couple times. 

Max was a good boy and just played with toys and hung out.  Ryan made a surprise trip to see us and he was so excited to see his da da.  (we were all so glad to have our Daddy with us for the weekend)

Brytlee loved fishing and caught some great fish.  I couldn't believe how many fish they caught and they were all big fish. 

Elizabeth is getting a little to big for the  little snowmobile.... so sad.  The kids had so much fun pulling each other around on the sleds with the snowmobiles and they all were safe.  It was so fun to see them so happy and having so much fun.  

I love this picture.  They are such beautiful girls.  

Brytlee was a great little driver on the snowmobile and was such a little pro by the time we left. 

do you want to build a snowman?  Adison really wanted to drive the little snowmobile so I sat on the back and helped her drive.  The seat is so small that there wasn't very much room for me to sit.  She gunned it one of the times and I flew of the back and had nothing to grab onto but her.... she looked at me like I was crazy and said.... "why did you do that?"  I just laid in the road and laughed and laughed. 

Such a little stud muffin.  We had a lot of fun playing rummy cube and Cindy went and picked up a game called uno flash that was a lot of fun to play.  Max loved sitting at the table and putting the tiles from the game on the holding peace.  

I took Max out for a little while to see if he liked it and he LOVED It.  I should have taken him out more because he was so mad when it got dark and cold and he didn't want to come in at all.  

He liked to lay in the sled and didn't really want to sit up at all but Brytlee said he was just laughing the whole time in while I was pulling him behind the snowmobile.  

I loved this face max was doing in the car.  He did it for a long time and didn't even act like it was a big deal.  

I am so thankful for times like this together with family that we can build our relationships and our memories.  I am very blessed when it comes to the family department.  I am born into a amazing family and I have married into a amazing family.  I love to see my kids with all of the people I love and know that they are gaining such great memories and friendships that will last forever.  It was sad this year to not have my parents with us and I know that it made them a little homesick to know that we were playing without them.  But next year we are going to party like crazy.
I have been thinking a lot about what I have to be thankful for and the list is endless.  If you really sat and thought about all that you have to be thankful for it is amazing.  We are blessed with so much and have so many great opportunities around us.   I have five little children that I look at and I am just amazed that I am lucky enough to have them in my life.  I have a wonderful husband who loves me, I have a beautiful home that keeps us warm and does so many other things for us.  I have amazing parents who have done Sooooooo much for me and have taught me the gospel.  I am so thankful for the gospel in my life and the things it teaches me and my family.  It helps us be happy and so much more.  I do love the saying, "what if you went to bed tonight and only woke up with the things you told god you were thankful for." (or something like that)  It is so true.  If we thought about it like that I think we would be on our knee's for hours thanking him for our bodies and every function they do and for the air we breath and all the other things we take for granite.  I love this time of year that we can sit and reflect on what is really important and we get to be around our friends and family more and just enjoy life.