Thanksgiving break

I, for one, was glad for the break.  I think I was able to get all caught up this week.  For the kids, they had the whole week off from school, but for Brad and I we worked Monday and Tuesday.  Not so bad though considering we got 5 days off after that. 

I feel like during this time I should always mention some things I am grateful for and let me say this year that I'm grateful for my children...really.  They are so amazing and make so many good choices.  I am constantly amazed at the good things they are doing and so glad the issues I am fighting are things like helping with the dishes instead of other things teenagers could be doing.  When I get frustrated with them I have to step back and remind myself of this. 

As for the week's activities they were well paced.  Tuesday night is really when our break began.  That evening we went to the hotel where Ron and Cleta were staying and the kids and Brad went swimming.  I was too tired to jump in.  Waking up at 5:15 to work out and then working a 10 hour + day at the office really beats me up sometimes and Tuesday night I was feeling it.  Wednesday I got out for a quick bike ride, went grocery shopping for Thanksgiving, brought Jordan to wrestling, had a piano lesson, brought Kenzie to voice lessons and tutored a student in math.  Then I came home and made a cherry pie, apple pie, cheesecake and the yams for the Thanksgiving dinner the next day.  Thanksgiving was much more relaxed and slower paced.  I don't think we even got out of bed until 9:00 which is a rare and special treat around here.  And, to make it even more unique we woke up to find our local flock of turkeys in our yard. 

I think if you count the turkeys in one of these pictures there are 20+ turkeys in the yard.  Yes, they visit us every morning.  Once we were up, I began to make my Thanksgiving meal preparations and then, mid-day, the boys went out with Dad, Grandma and Grandpa to the river while McKenzie and I went for what I thought was going to be a 4 mile hike. Note, the word thought.

Unfortunately for me, I missed the trail that took us down quicker and we ended up hiking...6.5 miles.

At least the views were beautiful and McKenzie got the pictures she needed for her digital photography class.

 At times she got a little to close to the ledge for me.

But being outdoors kepts us both happy for the day.

 And we definitely earned our dinner that evening.

On Friday we just relaxed.  We all went on bike rides that day.  Brad took the boys mountain biking and I went for a ride on my road bike.  Believe it or not, I was sore from the hiking the day prior.  Oh and in the evening I got to put up the first christmas decorations.  Not the tree yet though.  That will go up next weekend.

Yesterday Brad took the boys out for what we think will be the last motorcycle ride of this year since the snow is coming.  Kenzie and I went shopping...later, cause I don't like the crowds.   No need for pictures of shopping but here are the boys on their dirtbikes.  I hope you all had a great thanksgiving.  We did.

Ben

 Riley

 

 Riley and Jake

 Jake:

 

Jordan: