Thanksgiving '08

Gridley is one seriously great town. We had such a great time up there for Thanksgiving. The weather was just a little colder than perfect, the tangerines were just as good as I remembered, and the food...mmmmmm food... if I could only live on pie and homemade bread all year long...

Jon had some work to do in Reno the days before Thanksgiving which was really going to mess up our flight plans to Sacramento. So instead, we flew up the Friday before and I spent a few extra days with the Nielsen clan while Jon kept up his breadwinner role. I really enjoy Jon's family. We play games, watch movies, chat about anything and everything, I feel just as comfortable there as I do at my own house.

One of the days we were there, we headed out to a local park. Oh my goodness, Vegas should hardly be allowed to say they have parks in comparison to this one. Talk about beautiful! Even though not all of us had really gotten picture-ready (ok, mostly just me), with such a beautiful background, we couldn't help snapping some family pics.



The Marshalls - Hawkins, Ben, Eden, Cara (Jon's sister) and Olivia

The Moores - Skylar, Steve, and Cole
Jayda (Steve's wife and Jon's sister) was off flying over football games (she is a pilot) on the other side of the country so she didn't make the cute family shot.


Seriously wish I would have thought to put on some makeup...

It was great to see Scarlet play with her little cousins. I have somehow managed to have a child in the exact cousin situation as I was. No cousins her age on one side of the family, but thankfully some great girls her age on the other side. These three caused their fair share of trouble over the week, but there were several adorable moments as the three of them became the best friends and could be found playing and giggling everywhere we went.

The park had a great playground. Jon and Scarlet took off immediately while Rhode and I hung out on the bench with the other observing parents.

I was also one of the adults in charge of snacks and water. Olivia definitely captures both needs well in the photo.

The tangerine tree was by far Scarlet's favorite part of Grandma's house. She learned how to say orange very quickly and would be found talking her older cousins into walking her out to the tree every chance she got. Eden was usually the one to oblige.

Our Thanksgiving day meal consisted of some insanely delicious food. I, as usual, contributed my pomegranate salad, a classic Grandpa Earl recipe. This year I also added a banana cream pie. Thankfully all of Jon's family members are much better cooks than I am. We ate like kings with all the typical Thanksgiving foods, homemade rolls, and 15... yes you heard me right... 15 pies. Oh the pies, it is hard to put in words how great the pies were. Our best two of the season were the pecan and chocolate pecan. Though, my banana cream was also pretty dang decent.