The Best Part of Thanksgiving

We were somewhere in the middle of the Montana mountains when I asked the children, "What was the best part of Thanksgiving?" Spending time with cousins was the immediate consensus. But then Caleb quickly corrected himself. "No, not just cousins. It was aunts and uncles, Grandma and Grandpa, too.  The best part of Thanksgiving was spending time with all our family."

The cousins really did have a spectacular time.  Using croquet mallets and a baseball, the iced-over back patio was turned into a hockey rink.  They even made some tickets for spectators to attend their NHL hockey game.  I didn't get any pictures of it, darn it.

They also did a lot of wrestling and playing football day and night.

While the kids made their presence known out front, Carl instigated one of his thought-provoking conversations based on some gospel question that none of us really know the answer to.

When it came time for bed, the Childers kids headed off to a hotel and the rest of the kids found a spot in the basement family room.  Brendan and Caleb decided to share the couch.  It didn't look at all comfortable but they insisted that it worked for them.

The other kids alternated nights in the recliners and on the floor.

One thing's for sure, every night was a party.

I missed capturing our Thanksgiving feast.  (Or the Turkey Trot that many of us ran before we ate.) But the feasting really went on for days.  Pies, sweets and made-to-order breakfasts, too.  And Grandpa made turkey soup with the leftovers.  The kids seemed to like it.  We didn't tell them that he'd added all the gizzards to the pot as well.

The carousel is a must.  It's always fun to try for that brass ring.

Staggering Ox is also a must.  Here are the kids devouring their "guts"--which are not at all like gizzards.

And the whole gang:

Whenever the cousins get together, we compare heights and marvel at how much they've grown.  Some grow more than others.  Brendan and Caleb used to always be the same size until one hit his growth spurt.  He has a really low voice now, too. :)

Some of us strolled the walking mall and stopped for a picture in front of the historic fire tower.

We shopped, ate, went swimming and to the movies.  We slept in and relaxed, too.  It was wonderful in every way but the kids are absolutely right: the best part of Thanksgiving was spending time with family.