Thanksgiving 2008: weekend of Feasting

For Thanksgiving this year we enjoyed 2 wonderful feasts. We first had a very different gourmet dinner at Denton's with a bunch of my cousin's family. It was absolutely DELICIOUS!!! Chip has been talking about it ever since, saying how it was one of the best meals he has had EVER! We had a blast doing the turkey trot (actually only I did the turkey trot - it was 3 miles of lots of hills and after not running for the previous week due to illness was extremely CHALLENGING for me...however, thanks to Lindsey for being my partner we finished it....and then all the more reason to allow myself more calories at the dinner right?)

We had a great lunch in the park, followed by games with the kids, followed by hanging out at Suzie's house! Then we went to Denton's for the dinner and enjoyed the yummy grub, and then played games and laughed so hard I think I might have got the beginning of a six-pack! It was a great day! The menu consisted of:

Stuffed Turkey breast (SO GOOD)
Pumpkin Ravioli (Denton even made the noodles from scratch - my personal favorito)
Sweet Potato Gnocchi (absolutely divine)
Spinach Gratin (fantastic)
Homemade bread/rolls (so soft)
Roasted veggies (also my favorite)
Slush (this was my contribution and it tasted great too)
Green beans (so flavorful)
Pear/Cranberry Pie (a new favorite pie)
Pumpkin Cheesecake (so yummy)
Chocolate nut pie (also phenomenal)

A very filling and delicious feast!!! I hope we are invited back next year for round 2!!!

After the turkey trot.....all bundled up in the park!!!


A few of the cousins enjoying lunch at the park

Adult time to eat...First meal a success....esp. the spiced nuts and avocado salad from chels!!!

Fun game w/ kids....Chip was paired with Leo....so I gave them the name Team Cheo

Getting ready to eat that donut...they came up with a good strategy!

Go Team CHEO!! They won!

Right after finishing my 3 mile run...with my little cheerleader!

The table is ready.....and so is Greg, for the delicious meal at Denton's.

The stuffed turkey and roasted vegetables...I will be cooking these a LOT in the future!

After stuffing ourselves we played games and the kids wrestled.

Suzie teaching us all how to play Big Booty....probably one of the funniest things of the whole night!

The next day we got in the car and headed down to my friend Bonnie's house in VA. Her parents just got back from being the mission president in Guatamala and we had a big traditional (very delicious) feast at their house before heading off to their beach house for the weekend!!! They have a great place and it was so fun hanging out, eating great food, playing games, and laughing and catching up this weekend! Thank you friends!

Our great little traveler!

Celebrating the holiday with his daddy in his new bib!

Cash and mommy!

This pose for some reason makes me think of a stuffed turkey...what a cute little guy!

Feasting at the beach house....we enjoyed good food ALL weekend long!

Playing Chip's favorite game....the name game.....President, Hermana, and Bonnie!

Jeff, Cady, and Brent watching the acting in the name game!

We had so much fun laughing at the acting in round 3 of the game!

Hermana with little Cash....she had him laughing up a storm!

The first night we were there it was FREEZING...but Chip still wanted to jump in Ocean....here he is on his way back to jump in the hot tub and warm up!!!

Enjoying the hot tub after freezing their keisters off in the Ocean!

The view of the ocean in the day time!

Kate and Jared had so much fun playing with the barn!

The 2nd day when Nate took Chip and Katie surfing....it was raining and freezing still, but they had a good time! (thank you for wet suits)

President during the afternoon....catching a few zzzz's

Stuffing envelopes for Nate and Katie's wedding invitations...congrats to these 2 cute lovebirds!

One of my MOST FAVORITO meals....crab! Thank you Hermana (Debster) for the great food!

Jarrett being my good little helper and playing with Cash!

The view on Sunday when we were getting ready to leave....rainy and cold, but so beautiful!

What Happened to November?

It is already the Christmas season, and yet it seems like November just started. Where did the time go? We were busy busy with lots of traveling, a week stuck inside due to sickness, and then celebrating Chip's birthday, Thanksgiving, and more traveling. Thus, we just got home yesterday and now Christmas is around the corner. Rather than write about everything we will just post all the pictures. Enjoy!!!

Warning: this post contains a LOT of pictures, look at your own risk:) (only posting the Utah trip today due to overload of pictures....the rest to come tomorrow!!!)

First time flying....he is an awesome little travel buddy!!!

Papa Dave holding his grandson for the first time!!! A happy pair!

Who everyone was excited to see....especially his Grammy

Grammy playing with Cash

Uncle Sam having first meeting w/ Baby Cash

So much attention all of a sudden after weeks of just being with mommy - HOORAY!!!

At Kimmy's dance lesson....he loved seeing himself in the mirror

Kimmy and Ben at their lesson

Listening to their Coach Michael Johnson - their lessons are so fun to watch!!!

Cash liked the music too at the dance lesson!!!

Cash with Uncle Kevi - he loved his uncles!

Getting a LOT of attention!!!

What you looking at little guy?

Falling asleep on Grammy during game night!

My favorite Sunday night activity with my family.....games and popcorn!!!

2008 November Dancesport at BYU: Stan came in to town and is helping me cheer Kimmy on!

These 2 posers - look at that makeup (and that beard!!!)

I LOVE learning different makeup techniques and this is what Sandy (from Mac) taught me and we came up with for this year....she wears an animal outfit for Latin so the eyes were more animalistic.....we had so much fun!!!

Kim and Ben: her latin and standard partner

Kim and Jensen (her smooth partner)

Ready to begin the Vianese Waltz: they took first place in Smooth!!!

Finishing up Latin and taking her bow.....my hot little sassy sisteru!!!

Kim with Jens after the competition was all over!!!

All the fam that attended - including baby Cash!

Hanging with Papa Dave after his run...and reading the morning paper!!!

My four good lookin bros...all dressed up!

Family photo after church

The "more fun" photo that had us all laughing!

Uncle Kevi tending little Cash

Mommy and Cash

Auntie Kim with the little guy!

Chris's (my pseudo brother) birthday...the big 19

Always delicious dinner at the Sheltons....we LOVE going there to help celebrate birthdays!

Pam's beautiful and delicious salad...thanks for the good eats!

Sam, Cash, and Kim....playing before bed!

What a great Aunt!

Sam was awesome with Cash....he even changed his diapers for me....Cash LOVES UNCLE SAM!!!

Alex with Cash...just 2 boys chillin'

Stan and Cash....thank heavens the beard is now gone (he did it for national beard growing month up at Utah State)

Kevin and Cash - doing a little exercise and leg calisthenics!

Cash had 3 baths in Utah, and hated ALL of them!!! (the last one we tried in the sink - it was no better than the tub!)

Grammy and Cash laughing and talking!

Kimmy with Cash the night before we left!!!

The girls....and Cash did NOT want to be a part - I love my family!!!

Thank you family for having me for the 2 weeks, giving me a break to do things without having to take a baby along, letting me enjoy all the dance stuff, playing games and spending time with me and little Cash, and for being the best family I could ever ask for!!! I love you guys and am already counting down the days til March when I get to come again!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

TO THE LOVE OF MY LIFE.........AND TO THE BEST DAD EVER!!!

I love this guy so much! From his smart inquisitive mind, to his infectious laugh and never ending teasing, to the cute and loving way he plays with Cash! He is the biggest blessing that has ever happened to me and each day I am thankful to have him in my life. Happy 29 baby! I am so grateful you were born 29 years ago on this day and look forward to sharing many more birthdays with you! I love you!



To celebrate we had Chip's favorite cake last night (a day early so we could celebrate with friends)! It is the Costco chocolate cake that is so decadent and rich and simply delicious!!! We don't have a Costco here so I had to go to great lengths to get it, which was a great surprise to Chip....and totally worth it. (I put a post on my NC ward blog asking if anyone was going to Costco on Monday and could pick it up and drop it at the Macdonalds since they were coming up Tuesday night......luckily the Johns were and they got it for us - thanks guys you are awesome!) Now just can't wait to give Chip his other presents tonight.....more b-day pics to come later!!!

.....and now a birthday note from Cash:

Dear Daddy-
I love you so much. You are the best dad ever! Thanks for playing with me all the time, bathing me, changing my diapers, putting me to sleep, and making me smile. Happy Birthday dad!!!
love Cash




We hope you have a great day and we are so glad you are part of our family....Happy Birthday honey!!!

I Am Grateful For.......

VISITING TEACHERS

Last week the highlight for me was the 2 hours I got to spend being visit taught. I am grateful for 2 girls who probably have no idea how much it meant to me to be visited and get to interact with other adults and meet some people out here. Living in a new place with a small baby and not much interaction with society lately has made life a little lonely for me here at the Brown home. I am grateful this day for a church that has such wonderful organizations and programs as the visiting teaching program that allows us to interact and serve one another in small ways, but yet ones that truly do make a difference.

I am grateful for many other things, but today feel especially grateful for my wonderful visiting teachers who fulfilled their calling and truly made a difference in my life this week! It has been a huge blessing for me!

Being A Mommy Aint Always Easy

We are back from our great trip to Utah (pics to come soon)! However, both Cash and I returned with bad colds. This means that he isn't his normal happy self, and although he isn't too fussy either, things could definitely be going better today.

So far we have experienced:
Cash spitting up huge 3 times - 1 time right down my shirt onto my bare skin - SO GROSS!!!
1 major blowout - I knew he was messing his pants so decided to take his clothes off and lay him on the changing table to finish, except when I grabbed his leg to pull it out of his jammies I got poop all over my hand -- I was already too late!!!
A bathtime experience he didn't enjoy
Refusing to nurse once again - bad for both baby and mommy
3 very VERY short naps
1 Exhausted mommy


All of this and yet still he looks up at me and smiles as if nothing is wrong, which although frustrating can't help but bring a smile to my face as well!!! May we both get better SOON!!!