This week was Thanksgiving!  The girls only had two days of school this week.  Even so, Sarah had her first junior high basketball game Tuesday after school.  It was hard to tell, but I think I may have even had more fun than Sarah just watching her be in the game!  She was a starter and played great.  The score was 26 to 32.  We lost, but Sarah scored 8 points!  Go Sarah!

After Sarah's game, we got everyone piled into the van and drove down to Las Vegas!  We got there around 11pm their time (midnight for us).  It was worth it, though!  Then we had all day Wednesday to visit family and enjoy the beautiful weather!  We went to the park with Grandma and Grandpa and met Diane there with her baby and Amy's.  Savannah and Mariah decided to go see a movie while we were there.  Kevin, Grandpa, Sarah, and Megan all played basketball.  Grandma, Diane, and I visited while the little ones played!  My Uncle John arrived soon after that and back at the house that night, once Amy was done with school, she brought her girls up to Grandma's and while she was there, Maggie arrived with her family!  It was quite loud for a space while the cousins all screamed in their excitement to see each other.  My goodness!  We split the cousins up to different houses this time so that they could spend more time with their "favorites."  It was fun.

 The next day was Thanksgiving!  Mom had done a lot of preparing before we even arrived so there was not much to do that day as far as cooking was concerned.  Dave arrived that morning and it was great to see my little brother again!  Kevin, Jason, and friend went to play basketball as did Megan, Mariah, and Rebecca.  We all met again at the church around two o'clock.  The gym was decorated and the food was ready . . . Actually, I think a lot of work went on in the morning, I just didn't do any of it!  I really did offer . . .  Nonetheless, I was a happy beneficiary!  The gym was lovely, the food was yummy.  After we all ate, the adults talked while the children prepared a show for us.  After much practicing, the curtains were drawn and we were regaled with humor and history and hoopla!  It was terrific.  A little basketball, a little clean-up and we headed back to Grandma and Grandpa's house to hang out for the evening!

On Friday we all met again at Grandma's house.  It wasn't as loud as it sounds like it might be!  The kids played in small groups or outside.  Maggie's family had to leave around noon, so we bid them a sad farewell.  Grandpa barbecued some hamburgers and hotdogs for us for lunch!  My friend, Kim, and her little one, Brooke, came to visit for a little while that afternoon and that was fun.  Grandpa, Kevin, Sarah, and Megan went to the courts and played some doubles tennis,  Jason and Paul went to cheer them on.  We said goodbye to the last of the cousins that evening.  Bethany and Emma cried the very most at being parted! 

Did I mention that many sports games were also viewed that week by the men?  But after the sports were through Friday night, Grandma and Grandpa stayed up to support us while we finally finished the puzzle we started that morning.  Victory!

Saturday we packed up and drove home!  Bethany, who slept most of the way on our way to Las Vegas, asked if it was going to be a long drive.  I told her, "Yes.  It will take all day."  This was true since we left around 10, we lose an hour with the time change, and it gets dark in Utah around 5.  Still, it went well with minimal amounts of screaming.  Yay!

We had a great time.  As usual, we missed seeing my brother, Pete, and his family.  It was great though to see my Uncle John who I haven't seen in years and watch him interact with my children.  Yay for my mom's big brother.  He is so fun.  Yay for Thanksgiving and family and tons of food!  Yay for memories that will last for years to come!