This year’s Thanksgiving was pretty awesome!  We started the day with a bike ride on the Queen Creek Wash.  I had promised Tim a day of sleeping in (although we didn’t do such a great job of keeping quiet!  Let’s just say the kids were not on their very best behavior) so Kelly and I took our kids for the bike ride.  Zane is not the fastest rider in town, but quite possibly the slowest.  We took turns riding ahead with the other kids while one of us stayed back to fix all sorts of Zane’s ailments like hurting ankle, sore legs, not able to pedal, etc. I thought Zane would have a future riding by my side but we certainly have lots of work to do.  First thing, teach him how to keep his foot on the pedals…

After our ride, which by the way ended due to somebody’s refusal to ride any further-not mentioning any names here, we went home to prepare for the next section of our day. 

Just like a story.

While we were combating our children’s behavior and loud, obnoxiousness, we were feeling thankful for this perfect AZ weather!  We were questioning our thankfulness for the kids.  ; )

We showered.  We got our Thanksgiving best on and went over to The Deli in Queen Creek with the Brown’s.  We love that place.  It is a family run restaurant and they take so much pride in their food.  I wish I had picture but I don’t so moving on.

Our food was delicious and we had plenty leftovers to take home!  Zane didn’t TOUCH his food.  As a matter of fact, he determined that he didn’t like it before he even saw it and when he did see it he had a breakdown until I moved the plate away for him.  NO big deal, just more for me to enjoy the day after!  Zoe ate 3 corns of the cobs (that sounds weird) and some turkey and wasn’t interested in the rest.  AT what age do kids start appreciating delicious food (or in Zane’s case, just trying food)?  If you live in Kelly’s home, you learned the value of food when she was pureeing the the freshest ingredients.  She cooks wonderful meals for her kids and they evaluate options by using the “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” method.  I have even heard “thumbs middle” so they know how to make nutritious choices and they truly enjoy good food.  But, we are talking about the Heuer’s here…  if it doesn’t smell good first and foremost, the option is out the window.  Second problem, if it isn’t yellow or orangeish, it is most likely something to be considered disgusting. I really want to fix this problem but on the other hand I don’t want food to become an issue over here.  I don’t want it to be a fight, I don’t want them to eat for breakfast whatever they didn’t eat for dinner.  I don’t want to create a monster that eats everything at somebody else’s house because I didn’t allow it in mine.  I don’t want it to be a power struggle, etc.  It is just food and I am praying that someday they will do better at balancing their meals!  I don’t know what I am doing as a mother, just wingin’ it everyday!  I should start saving money for their therapy.  : )

WOW… where was I?  OK, finished our meal then home for naps.  Is there anything better than a nap after a Thanksgiving meal?  ahhhh…

Naps led us to the next part of the story-to Lindsey’s for dessert.  Lindsey fixed a spread for my parent’s and Tvedt’s mom, Dori and Dori’s husband.  It was delicious too BUT they had a lot of time, cleaning and money behind that meal (the things we opted out of for this Thanksgiving and probably many more in the future)!  After our meal, we went to the park to play a little baseball.  I was the self-appointed photographer and had fun watching all the kids’ personalities shine!

Zane didn’t play ball but did play “Tonka Truck” and went up and down the hill with the Tonka truck until he was tuckered out!

As the picture taker, I was in my own world trying to get these sunset pictures because there wasn’t any hope of getting a clear picture with the light that was left.  Boring for you (them) fun for me!

Just some fun baseball game shots

  Happy Thanksgiving!  I am so grateful, so so grateful for my family, my friends, and all the wonderful people that have touched my life!  I am grateful to be a mother of 2 awesome kids, I am grateful to be a wife to someone who continues to love me through thick and thin, I am grateful for the Gospel and the direction it gives me in my life, I am grateful for the small everyday treasures that happen, the miracles and blessings!  I am grateful for books, naps, computers, cameras, cars, sweatshirts, bracelets and necklaces, trials and errors, and so much more (but this has gone on forever already).

Thank you if you read this and ever have left me a note, how you feel about my writings and how it has affected you.  Thank you for the encouragement to be me, keep writing the happenings of me.  Sound selfish?