A Thanksgiving "Happy Meal"

(Note: Most pictures taken with the iPhone in the last few posts. Our camera is broken. It has been devastating.)

Our Thanksgiving weekend was a nice one. We had no Allred family around and the Buchanan family had Thanksgiving dinner on Friday, so we were on our own. We were kind of excited about a low key, do what we want kind of day, but in the end, it was kind of sad to not have a big Thanksgiving meal with lots of family on Thanksgiving day. We made the best of it though.

In the morning, we held what I called "The First Annual - Trotting of Our Turkeys". We made Indian hats and then trotted ourselves to the park so that everyone could run around and play.

They even wore jogging suits and running shoes. They were ready!

Ava and Brielle up a tree.

Scott played soccer with the kiddos while I did my own Turkey Trot 5K. I just ran laps on the path around the park. GORGEOUS day!

The kids joined me for running at the end of each lap and then ran me in at the end.

We trotted ourselves right back home for turkey sandwiches. Easy!

And a little turkey for dessert too.

After some good naps we joined our friends, Jeni Ennis and kids, at the movie theater for "Wreck It Ralph". Jeni's husband was deployed shortly after moving to Utah, so she was all on her own also. Her mother flew in from Alabama and they had Thanksgiving at Snowbird. Now that is the way to go, people. (LOVED the movie by the way.)

And then, for our Thanksgiving dinner we ate happy meals at McDonalds. It was the only place open and it had a play place. The kids were actually THRILLED with Thanksgiving this way. 

Friday came and it started to really feel as it should when Scott got his turkey out of it's brine and started stuffing and preparing it for the oven. Aaahhhhh. Finally, we get turkey. We made a turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole (from scratch) and bought some pies. We drove it all over to Fred and Rama's house. We, for sure, had the best smelling mini van on the road!

We joined Alan and Laura, Brian and Rachel, Fred and Rama and lots of cousins for the Buchanan feast. It was delicious and a fun time to eat and talk and let the kids play. Wonderful.

Kid table.

Big kids play.

Little kids play.

Ava and her new baby cousin, Finn.

After some playing it was PIE TIME.

All of the Utah Buchanan cousins together for a picture. Sitting pretty.

Of course, silly faces!!! (Look at Kate.)

After a long day of noise and food and chaos and messes and people, Rama took a moment to relax with a Diet Dr. Pepper. That's the way to do it.

Just two days later, on Sunday, we recreated all of Thanksgiving dinner for a poor Tawna Malinda that had to have bean soup and water on actual Thanksgiving. (No, she was not in prison.) It was delicious all over again.

Like Grandmother, like Granddaughter. Ava finished this one off with her own tip of the bottle. And a Happy Thanksgiving to all.