Thanksgiving 2017

I am still trying to back blog.  I didn't want to have our Thanksgiving holiday go unwritten so here goes.  (and sadly, I don't have any pictures for this post)

The very next morning after getting back from our Orlando trip (Tuesday) we packed yet another bag and drove to St. George.  We haven't spent much time there this fall and I knew I wanted to get some Christmas shopping done before Black Friday hit.  We arrived that afternoon and soon thereafter Skylar and Sarah showed up.  We had a great dinner at Dona Maria's restaurant and then spent some time in the jacuzzi and then watched "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles".  We hadn't seen that show for a couple of years and had some good laughs.  While it was playing I got a fleece blanket tied for Rafe.  I am making fleece blankets for all of my grandkids this year and its nice to do it while watching a fun movie:)

On Wednesday,  after going to the temple I spent the day shopping.  It was so great!  I love to Christmas shop in St. George because of the close proximity of all of the stores.  No having to travel to Salt Lake and then from one end of the valley to another.  All of the stores that I wanted to visit are within a ten minute drive from each other.  How awesome is that!  I was able to get most of my shopping done before Thanksgiving which is just how I wanted it to be:)  That night we had a fun dinner at Sakura with our chef cooking right at our table.  Charlie and Henry did NOT like the fire!  It startled them both and they both burst into tears.  It took a little coaxing but they calmed down after a bit.  Our dinner was fabulous!  Brach and Kendra arrived late that night.

The next morning was Thanksgiving!  I had been so looking forward to this day for many weeks.  We  drove to Vegas and met at my parents home to get our food preparations ready.  I was in charge of the yams and vegetable.  Sarah prepared stuffing and Kendra prepared a big relish tray.

This years Thanksgiving dinner was hosted by my sister Terri.  She has a beautiful home on the north east end of Vegas.  She was planning on eighty people.  Yes, EIGHTY!  Luckily, there was a warm spell in Southern Nevada and the temperature was in the 80's.  Terri had tables set up inside as well as outside.  She had a bounce house and fun toys for the little children to play on.  What a wonderful time we had visiting with so many nephews and nieces and seeing all of their own little families.  Terri had a couple of tables set up in her dining room for my parents and all of my siblings and spouses.  It was nice to have a room just to ourselves for visiting.  And the food was amazing!  Plenty of ham and turkey and sides for everybody.  Thanks to Pete and Terri for offering their home for the big Hafen family.  It was tons of work for them, I know, but it sure made it nice for all of us who could attend:)  I love getting together with all of our family!!

Skylar and Sarah and Brach and Kendra and Rick and I stayed at my parents home for the night.  I had a crazy experience during the night.  At about 1 AM I felt a hard pinch on my right toe.  I was absolutely convinced that there was a scorpion in my bed!  (It has happened to a couple of my siblings who live in that same area).  Well, I woke up Rick and made him search our bed covers.  Of course there was nothing but I was still convinced that there was a scorpion in there somewhere.  I got back in bed and hung my feet out of the covers for the rest of the night.  Yes, I was freezing!  At one point I curled up into the fetal position.  Anything from putting my feet down at the end of the bed!  Needless to say, it was a sleepless night after that!  Rick on the other didn't have any trouble sleeping:)

Anyhoooo.....


My kids were excited about Black Friday deals so the next morning Rick and I played with the littles while they went Christmas shopping.  I had a fun time playing out int he back forty with Rafe, Scout, Henry and Charles.  There is all kinds of exploring to do out there.  Also,  I played a little soccer with Rafe in the backyard.  That was super fun!

That afternoon we headed back to St. George just in time to have dinner at The Black Bear Diner.  There were soooo many people out!  Being the biggest shopping day of the year the restaurants get to reap the rewards of all of the hungry shoppers.  The restaurant was super loud and I was glad to get back to the house to get in my jimmies and relax.  We headed home the next morning.  It was a fun and memorable Thanksgiving!!