Thanksgiving 2010

Plans to spend the week with my parents so Ryan could get some rest when he was home, were foiled by a terrible snow storm.  By the time we were able to leave town (two days later than expected) it took a little over three hours to drive on roads of ice, going 35 mph the entire way.  Luckily the boys were pretty good all the way down!

Thursday was filled with food preparation, visiting, and enjoying family.  During breakfast, I looked outside to see that the thermometer read twenty degrees below zero...and there it hovered, mos the day.  By the time we served dinner, it had warmed to about five degrees.  Brrrrrr!  Dinner was delicious, as always.

Because of Ryan's work schedule, he had planned to drive down for dinner Thursday morning, and then back home after eating.  Once again, because of the terrible roads and being exhausted, he stayed home and had a steak and potato for Thanksgiving dinner.  I was on the verge of tears most the afternoon because he couldn't make it.  (We recently got rid of one of our phones, and because of the bad roads, Ryan made me take the phone.  Therefore, it was very frustrating to not know if he was coming on the bad roads, etc.  We were able to email, and Ryan could text me on his Ipod, but it was kinda' hit-n-miss.)

My boys loved swimming every day we were here!  They had a blast, and thanks to my brothers and sisters for taking them, when I was busy with Kortlen.

Friday morning all of us siblings accompanied our youngest brother and sister in Lava for a brutal swim workout.  It. felt. awesome!  It was only an hour, but man, I needed it!  Afterwards, my mom met up with us at the hot-pots, bringing my boys, and staying in the lobby with my baby.  Tanner was amazed at how the water 'washed away' the cold so he could be warm.  He even ventured into the water alone...which is a huge break-through!   (The night before, I FINALLY got him to trust me enough to learn to float in the pool room, and kick on his back from one side of the pool to the other... Another breakthrough!!!)

Saturday brought a brand new experience to my little angels.  Being city boys, my children don't get to 'enjoy' the more finer things of life.  Tanner is at a stage where he's fascinated by everything science.  He loves to ask questions.  He LOVES to get answers.  My dad had a butcher coming to fill the freezer, and I was in the middle of packing up the car to return home...so I sent my big boys out with Clay (14) and Keith and Tricia, and put Kortlen down for a nap and packed.  I remember being fascinated watching my dad and grandpa Crandall butcher and skin a sheep and a cow when I was about Tanner's age...and since he's always asking where 'meat', 'bread', 'butter', and 'hot chocolate' come from,  I decided to let them experience it!

I think my sweet sister-in-law, Tricia, was a bit mortified that I'd allow my almost 3 and 5 year old boys to watch three cows be slaughtered, but they seemed okay with it.  We talked about the questions Tanner had on our drive home (Why did that man shoot the cows?  Do we have to eat the hair?  Where does the blook come from? and Will we get to eat that meat?).

We had a fabulous time despite my sweetheart not being able to join us...but he DID get some much needed rest, and for him, that was very important.