Turkey Day at Granama's House!!!

This was such an awesome trip. Full of family and fun as well as a bit of the normal drama and prozac that should be involved in each family gathering! :)

The trip started on Wednesday when Emmalynn, Breelynn, Christopher, and I drove up to Granmama's house. We met Granmama and Pawpaw Dave as well as Aunt Naw and Mary there. My car, my wonderful, new Toyota Seqoia... made it's first long trip! We packed everyone but Mary (who stayed behind to be with her Gran here) into the car and took off around 4:30 for Lampasas, TX.
On the way, we listened to the sounds of the road, good kiddo music (because it was either that or screaming babies), and Emmalynn watched her DVD player (I think Mulan was the movie of choice on the way up there). We stopped to stretch our legs about an hour and half out and indulged in some good old fashioned, Blue Bell ice cream.
When we finally got to Great Granama's house it was around 9:30ish and the girls were in bed by around 11:30. That's when most of the adults proceeded to the hot tub with our wine / beer. We had such good conversation and rekindled the family bond that's always resting just below the surface of our daily lives.
Thursday, TURKEY DAY, proved to be VERY interesting. We had to take a trip up to the Wal-Mart for last minute provisions and decided to make it a family affair... so Emmalynn, Tinea, Aunt Naw, Christopher, and I all jumped in my SUV and ran up to the Wal-Mart. Christopher had noticed that my tire looked a little low so that's why he came, to air up the tire after we were done shopping. When we got to the air station and started pumping my car back up... it didn't pump. The tire started losing air faster than it was gaining air. I have fancy locks on my wheels which prevents people from stealing them... well... I didn't have the key. So after 4 male family members and a Tow Truck guy couldn't budge the lock, my pretty new SUV ended up being left at the Wal-Mart gas station for Thanksgiving night. No worries though... Dave and Christopher ended up getting it all taken care of in a matter of a few hours the next morning :) The rest of Turkey Day was full of food and family fun. The guys found their normal resting places on the couch after the meal and Aunt Chelbi, God love her, decided to play a little joke on Christopher... with red nail polish in hand, she started to paint his finger nails as he was fast asleep! He woke up once and didn't quite catch what was going on so he just nodded back off. Well... later that afternoon, when he woke up, he looked at his hands and his immediate reaction was "WHAT THE F.....???" - HAHAHAHAHA... it was totally worth it!
The drive back on Friday was much like the drive up on Wednesday. Kid music, kid movies, sleep, road noises, sleep, more kid music... and finally... we were home.
Thanksgiving is definitely a time to be thankful... and I am thankful for my girls, who keep me sane when everything around me is falling apart; I am thankful for my family, who takes care of me even though I know I test their own sanity; I am thankful for my Granama, because there is nothing like a Granama hug and her Turkey Day Dinners; and I am thankful for my Aunt Chelbi, who can keep us smiling with her fun loving attitude and her endless supply of good natured pranks. I raise my glass to the best Thanksgiving ever :)!!!