Thanksgiving was Awesome!

We traveled all day Wednesday arriving around 8 PM in Hawthorne. We stayed at a well-named hotel: The Sand and Sage Lodge.

Miraculously, we got a room with three beds! However, it was probably the nastiest room I've ever stayed in.

We picked up some amazing pizza that night with my folks, ate and retired for the night.

In addition to the general uncleanliness of the place, we found the next morning that our shower/bath did not seem to work. I showered in my parents' room next door. When we brought it up to the management, she turned it on with the special wiggle-while-pulling formula that should've been posted on the bathroom wall.

Before the Thanksgiving meal, we went took the kids on a mini-tour of Hawthorne with my dad.

Here's Ella peeking out of a turret type-gun

and the boys playing with the same gun.

Here's an outside view of the museum.

Who'd have thought they'd enjoy being around missles, mines, torpedoes and guns?

Next we headed over to the city park.

They don't make playgrounds like this anymore.

We had a wonderful meal around 2 PM and afterwards launched immediately into a great get-to-know-you game and other various activities brilliantly put together by my aunt and cousin.

This is Bryce, Dane, their second cousins, my dad and uncle coloring turkey pictures.

My grandparents at the Christmas Ornament table.
My cousin David and his wife Kathleen

Cam at the popcorn ball turkey decorating table.
My cousin Summer's work of edible art

Ella eating the decorations.This little guy was the CUTEST part of all! This is his mother Eve, my cousin.

Eve's husband was a big hit with the boys. He taught them to play Bocce Ball.He said that Dane did really well, but perhaps Ella was destined to be a softball pitcher.

Still coloring...My uncle Dennis is a profession artist and he really put a lot of time into his turkey.

The best part! My wonderful cousin Summer! She makes the drive worth it. :)