Thanksgiving 2009

After hearing from enough folks about my lack of keeping a more current record of our comings and goins here on this blog. I have another blog that is dedicated to work stuff, and this blog, has mainly been about trips we take as a family. My goal has to been to document family excursions, such as motorcycle trips, boating trips, camping trips, and so on. I have not kept a more a detailed journal here, and now I vow to do exactly that. Goals are great, and often, they can be revised. So, here we go.

When I grew up, after us kids were a bit older, we stopped having the traditional holidays. Instead, we chose to alter our activities for a more grown up fare. During Christmas, you would find us on the slopes, rather than around a Christmas tree on Christmas morning. Thanksgiving, we would go snow skiing as well. Instead of mounds of presents, trips became the presents we received. Some of these trips were so memorable and non-traditional that they are worth sharing with my kids as well.

Last year for Thanksgiving, we went to Moab. We didn't have turkey, except for dinner at Denny's (it was the only place we found open without reservations). We did spend the holiday in Moab as a family, with my parents. It was kinda traditional, yet not so. The Thanksgiving before found me having to work on friday, and unable to go anywhere. We resorted to going out to 5-mile pass and riding motorcycles, followed by an evening watching movies and eating turkey sandwiches in a nearby rentable building. we played pool, watched a movie on the big screen tv and ate. Not typical, but we were together as a family. That is always the core. Family.

This Thanksgiving, we made the age old trek to grandmas house. We still had to twist it a bit, and put the traditional holiday on its ear a bit. Instead of hanging out on Thanksgiving day and eating turkey and going into a triptophan coma, we got up early and drove a couple hours to Jackson Hole to eat at one of my favorite establishments; The Bunnery. We made it just before noon, and was able to eat a great breakfast. Some breads and other items were purchased to consume later. We love the bread at the Bunnery. Since all other establishments besides gas stations or grocery stores were closed, we simple drove around looking at the scenery. The kids got to see some animals in the sanctuary nearby, as well as the Tetons. This was their first time to see these majestic mountains, and their awe was well worth the drive and cold temperatures. Being able to share with them some of my favorite places is such an amazing feeling.

The next day, Friday, was our Thanksgiving day. We hunkered down at my parents home, ate tons of food, played games, and just chilled. We had a great time. It was odd that we kept getting phone calls during the day, until we remembered this was our Thanksgiving day, not anyone else's. We are very thankful for our family, our health, being able to spend it together with each other.

It wasn't the typical Thanksgiving, but we spent it together as a family, ate some great food, and built some great new traditions. My oldest daughter played pool for the first time on my dad's pool table (she had to wait until older than 12 to do so). The last day, she and I played a game, and she beat me. Fair and square. My son helped me shoot some pool as well, and he thoroughly enjoyed the experience. My dad and I went shopping alone, and spent a ton of money (something that has never happened before). My youngest daughter and I played a few games. She also got the honor of picking the Redbox video they all got to watch on the way home.

Good times were had, great food was ate, safe travels were experienced, and we did it all as a family, and even visited other family members. Its how we do Thanksgiving.