We celebrated Thanksgiving with the Foelker side of the family tonight. We normally celebrate the Sunday after Thanksgiving but my lucky sister and her family are going to Hawaii and we didn't want them to miss our dinner. We had it at our house and everyone contributed so it wasn't too much work (except for my mom who had to haul over the turkey and potatoes from next door!) She also made cute little place settings for everyone, conversation starters and fun word searches and games for the kids to work on. Before we started through the buffet line Ellie said grace and then everyone said one thing that they were thankful for. Lily said her family and house. Ellie said the food and her home. Robin said the snow...yes it snowed today! Papa said the three great grandparents that we have here that are healthy. Jamie said me...so sweeet! Aaron said the great elk hunting season he had. And the funniest of them all...Jalen said his swords...obviously we need to work on the meaning of Thanksgiving! My mom had the good idea of sitting the kids in between the great grandparents and aunts and uncles so they would have a good chance to talk with each other. The girls took the conversation starters quite literally and actually wrote down answers...it was more like an interview than easy flowing conversation but I don't think the grandparents minded! Here are a couple of the answers that were left on the table...
"What is the funniest or most embarrassing thing that happened to you?"
Papa Ben: "When I was late for a basketball game because I locked my keys in the car"
Papa Bill: "When a monkey spit at me"
Aunt Robin: "When I said AMEN at church really loud at the wrong time"
"What do you want me to know that will help me grow up to be a good, kind, responsible person?"
Papa Ben: "Obey all adults mom-dad-teachers.
Papa Bill: "Be kind and look for the goodness in everyone. Respect everybody...except monkeys"
Robin: "Be kind no matter what"
After dinner and dessert (pumpkin pie and berry cream cheese pie in memory of Grandma June!) we put the camera on timer in an attempt to get a big family photo. It was pretty comical...almost like something you would see in a movie...it's pretty much impossible with 6 kids and 3 great grandparents to get a good picture but we came close! We took a family picture too...which would have been great except for the fact that Jalen is wearing a red checkered soccer jersey! Seriously, its a cute picture and then your eye is drawn to this loud shirt right in the middle of the picture. The funniest part about this shirt is that before everyone got here I told him he had to go change (he was wearing swim trunks!) into something nice for our Thanksgiving dinner...and that's what he came down in. Apparently he thinks that jersey is really nice!
We really do have so much to be thankful this year...most importantly our family and friends that we love so much!
And the best part of the night...my sister gets aunt of the year award because ALL 3 kids went to her house for a sleepover! I doubt Jalen will last...considering he doesn't even sleep in his own bed at our house! But if he does they are in for a real treat when he wakes up yelling for "JUICE" at 5 in the morning!
So Happy early Thanksgiving...we are lucky enough to get another one on Thursday with the Snook's...so stay tuned!
