The Event ~ Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving 2010 was an exciting and memorable event ~ a family time, a time to celebrate and give thanks for all the many blessings we enjoy.  The Thanksgiving event started when the grand kids arrived on Tuesday evening.  Turning a home of two into a home of 11 overnight is an event in itself.  We are always eager to welcome them with our "western hospitality"  

They are always eager to come to the farm and enjoy some of the things that they don't experience at home.  This year it was hunting and branding.  Wednesday morning they guys headed out early to go pheasant hunting.  It was Jakob's first hunting outing, so he was very excited.  

The rest of the day was spent in Thanksgiving dinner preparations playing games together, and watching football on tv.  We all have always enjoyed board games, and it's always fun to share that with the grand kids.    We played alot of Nebraska Husker Monopoly, Cribbage, Sequence, and Scrabble.

Thursday   morning I had help in the kitchen finishing dinner preparations.  Mattie, Joe and Ben were a big help peeling 10 pounds of potatoes.    

We got out the desserts, and spread the food out buffet style as we usually do when having alot of company.  Cash was already home. Along with Tim and Janel and the 7 children, also joining us was Tim's parents, Tom, Kathy and Paul, Chris and Mia with Lily and Anya, and Bobby and Alexandra.  There were 24 of us altogether.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Following dinner, of course there was more football, more games, the kids enjoyed some quiet crafty things to do, all the kids ~ big and small ~ enjoyed their own games of football outside several times during the weekend.

 

Later in the day we all had to browse the Black Friday ads in the paper to see what special buys we didn't want to miss out on.  Janel and I got up at 4:00 am Friday morning and joined the other insane people who gather at the retail doors before daylight to take advantage of all those bargains.  As crazy as it is to do that, it is still lots of fun.    We didn't buy much.

On Friday, the celebration and eating continued as Annie and her parents  and sister joined us at noon for lunch and to watch the Colorado / Nebraska football game.  Nebraska won and secured a spot in the Big 12 Championship game next weekend. All the family from the day before returned for day two of the celebration, so we had 27 gathered for food, fellowship, football, and family sharing.   It was exciting to meet her parents for the first time.  Tim and Tom talked hay farming (he was a hay farmer) while watching football and  Beverly and I discussed wedding plans. 

Friday was Mom Stricker's 83rd birthday.  With all her family gathered around, we celebrated that special occasion also. 


We also gathered outside in the beautiful fall weather to snap a family picture.  Someone was missing.  Alexis was not here.  Family gatherings are not complete without her.  She is always in my thoughts and always in my heart when absent from the gatherings and activities. 

Saturday morning Janel and Tim and Cash took us all out to breakfast at the Emporium.  I tried to talk them out of it, since we were planning to treat them all to dinner after church on Sunday.  But they insisted on taking us out for an anniversary breakfast.  I finally relented, and suggested the Whistle Stop or Perkins.  They wanted to try The Emporium, but I didn't think they served breakfast.  So after a quick telephone call, they indeed did serve breakfast, so that was the chosen place.  

To our surprise ~ yes, they pulled it off big time ~ breakfast was a 40th anniversary coffee in which forty - plus of our friends gathered to wish us Happy 40th!  What a pleasant, fun surprise ~ a special anniversary event!  With all our eventful friends!

Saturday afternoon, we enjoyed a branding.  We branded eleven calves ~ 100% of our calf crop this year. 
The branding event is a separate post.  It was so much fun!

Sunday we all attended church together and then enjoyed dinner out for a huge breakfast/dinner brunch at the Gaslight, again in celebration of our 40th anniversary and the celebration of family. 

The entire Thanksgiving week was an event to be remembered with all its celebrations.  We are thankful for eventful family and eventful friends.