THANKS giving

I don't know if Lyle will ever have a traditional homemade thanksgiving dinner if I have anything to do with it. SORRY BABE. My family has had dinner catered since I was out of High School, and then for that last two years we've gotten a reservation to eat out instead!

Sadly, this Thanksgiving Lyle and I were on our own. I asked Lyle exactly what he wanted (since this is HIS holiday just like Christmas is MY holiday), and the only thing he needed specifically was FOOTBALL. Well, Lyle, your wish is my command. He played in the turkey bowl and I didn't even get upset when he was an hour late to dinner (because hello, I was expecting it--boys do NOT keep track of time when they are playing ANYTHING).

Dinner was hosted by our wonderful friends, the Crandalls. This may be the thing I was most grateful for (ok, not really) on Thanksgiving Day. I brought some dessert and helping hands, but they covered the rest. And boy did they prepare! Don't worry, Kimber has her very OWN fondue fountain!We didn't have a bottle opener (what are we...Mormons?). This new Russian Member (who is an actual immigrant and served in the Russian Military), opened it for us with a knife. Just imagine this is a machete or a sword.We had quite the feast with some friends in the ward. I am grateful to them for being such great friends in the City and for feeding us on Thanksgiving day.

The cook and ICan you believe they were even up to watching a movie with us later that night? They had had NO sleep the night before because they were cranking out dinner and then after a quick nap at home that evening, they came with us to see 4 Christmases (Lyle owed me this movie since he was late to dinner) which was funny and cute and didn't deserve the mediocre ratings! Maybe someday I will aspire to create a FABULOUS Thanksgiving FEAST, but for now, I will think of alternative solutions until we move out of our closet of an apartment.

This was the entertainment.

and these...

and this. There's a story there. Basically Lyle and I have played air hockey since we started dating. We played it on a date or two, played it the night after we got engaged on the cruise, played it here and there since we've been married. And EVERY single time we play? I win. You can imagine my excitement to play it ANY time I see a machine? For heaven sakes, his parents own a machine and mine never have, so he has had plenty of time to practice, but alas, it is a God given talent that I extremely enjoy. It's the one thing I can bank on winning every time. I have not yet learned the humble way to winning this game though. I must quickly learn so that Lyle will keep playing me. For now, he keeps playing because he thinks I will break under the pressure of my streak, but he has not yet succeeded.On this Thanksgiving Day we are grateful for so many things, most importantly the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, our family, dear friends, our health and energy, our love for one another, my job, Lyle's school, our safety in the economy, and the fact that we just can't stop laughing at one another (not WITH, but AT one another).