Thanksgiving in California

For Thanksgiving this year we headed to California to spend time with family!  It was so much fun!  I was telling Jared that going to California is the closest thing to a vacation with kids for me.  My kids are so completely entertained the entire time, I really get to relax.  It is heaven.  I love going home.  So, after the big Thanksgiving feast my dad and I went out into the madness and went Black Friday shopping until 2am.  We were so tired by the time we got home.  I say "we" but my dad didn't buy a single thing, he was just there to be with me.  I got everything I wanted.  Next year I think I will cheat like my mom, and do all my Black Friday shopping online.  :)

On Porter's REAL birthday, he was a bit confused by all the birthday wishes because in his mind he was already four.  When Jared wished him a happy birthday, he said "There's no decorations dad, so that means it's not my birthday."  We all had a laugh over that, but grandma had to make sure it felt like his birthday.

He was so excited to get the shark boat from grandma and papa that he has had his eye on for months now.  Now that Christmas time is here and the toy commercials are running like crazy, he is reminded of the shark boat every morning as he watches cartoons.  He was pretty stoked.  Since we got home he has discovered that it makes a lot of different boats and he has been in heaven making new boats.

Before we came out to California we watched a show on the Mormon Batallion and the gold rush in California.  We had the brilliant idea of panning for gold.  We didn't have the slightest idea what we were doing, and laughed the whole time.  Porter told us while we were digging for gold, he wanted to dig for dinosaur bones.  So grandma and papa sent a big turkey bone for him to dig up.  He just couldn't figure out why he could only find the dinosaur "leg" and no other bones??  :)

thanksgiving 2009

this thanksgiving we headed out to sunny california to spend thanksgiving with my family. the weather was great, and the company was even better. we had TWO thanksgiving dinners and i swear i started "showing" after that. now that i am home i need to get back in the gym to find out the truth. i hadn't planned on black friday shopping this year, but since i missed my nightly dose of medicine i woke up extremely early on black friday feeling sick. by the time i got my body back in order, there was no going back to sleep. so the debate was sit around waiting for everyone to wake up... or go shopping. i shopped. black friday is much better in cali my friends. not so many crazies. the advertised deals were all still there, and even were the following day. i didn't even wait in line to check out. sunday afternoon we left porter with my family and jared and i headed off for a night getaway. we ate, we shopped, we slept... for 12 hours. it was great. porter adores his grandma and grandpa and all of his uncles- where else does he get spoiled with that much attention? when we arrived my parents had a huge pile of birthday gifts waiting for him. he opened them all, which was "new" after the birthday party gift opening experience. my mom sent us home with all of our christmas gifts, and yesterday i brought them in to put under the tree. porter dropped his toy and ran over saying "ooooh... pwesents!" it took a little convincing that he couldn't open them quite yet. speaking of "pwesents", i got an early birthday present from my parents... the beloved camera lens that i have been jonesing for a year! i am in heaven. i have to say, my camera has been my favorite christmas gift since i was a kid. still in love. so, thanks, mom and dad.... for hosting us, spoiling us, and loving us- we love coming to see you!
ps: snake pictures are for both uncle robbys... porter was terrified of the snake the first couple days, but then one day he asked my brother to get the snake and told him "nice snake" and wanted to hold it. he kept walking to me trying to show me it, and i was screaming and running away while trying to take a couple pictures at the same time. eeks!

Happy Gobble Gobble Day

Happy Thanksgiving everybody! I am currently in California and am staying awake a little bit longer than I'd like to so that I can greet Jared who is driving from Utah to California to meet up with us. I'm excited!! Tomorrw we are going to stuff ourselves silly and look at Black Friday ads. I am keeping my fingers and toes crossed that I will find the camera that I want at an amazing price. I will wake up at 4am for it, really! We are enjoying our vacation, and the milder weather. Porter is following my parents all around the house like a little puppy. I hope everyone has a fun filled, tummy filled Thanksgiving Day! I am so thankful for wonderful friends and family! Happy Holidays to all of you!