Thanksgiving 2014

I got back from Florida on Sunday and Monday was the first day of Thanksgiving break.  I must say that trip was perfect timing.   The weekend before Thanksgiving is generally pretty open, so I didn't miss any games or events.  Plus, starting the holiday season with a little R&R is kind of amazing.  

We had a great Thanksgiving.  I will say the best part of Thanksgiving this year was that even though I hosted, I totally felt relaxed and not stressed.  I really got to enjoy time with the kids and with my family.  I didn't feel like I was running around like a crazy person the whole week.  

The Monday before Thanksgiving the kids filled shoe boxes for operation Christmas Child.  We've done that for the last couple years, and I really like it.  The kids love picking out things for a box for their own child.  

We went to the park with some friends!  The weather wasn't too terrible.  Hudson tried to eat a crab apple.  Successful day, I'd say.  

I had a great idea and left the 3 big kids home while I went to do Thanksgiving shopping.  We live less than 5 minutes from Kroger.  Steve was home (he was asleep, but he was home), so I left the kids with chores and an iPad to watch when they were done, and I went to do the huge Thanksgiving shopping.  It was awesome.  The kids did great and my sanity was saved only taking one kid (which, as we saw in the pervious post, is still a challenge).  

We went swimming at the gym.  The kids loved that.  Colton has been asking me since the pool closed for the winter when it will open again.  Every time we drive by, even when it's 30 degrees out, he asks.  So I was glad to let them swim. 

Hudson loved walking around the deck and splashing in the water.  Simple pleasures. 

Then my whole family came.  This year we had everyone (except Seth who is on a mission in Brazil).  On Thanksgiving morning we ran a 5K together.  I guess I should clarify Garrett and I ran a 5K, Danielle ran the 10K and my dad and Madison walked the miracle mile.  

It was fun and I have to brag a little.  I got 9th place in my age group and ran it in 24.48.  That's pretty much insanely fast for me.  I've usually run between 29-30 minutes at every other 5K I've done.  So I was very proud and excited and happy that, even though I'm getting a little older I can still get better at things.   

Danielle kicked butt and got 3rd place in the 10K out of all the women.  She ran that 10K in 39 something.  Speed daemon right there.  Garrett got 6th place in his age group, so pretty much it was an awesome morning for the Porter family.

Probably one of the reasons that Thanksgiving felt so relaxed was that Chris made the turkey.  He is a meat smoking master these days. Everything he makes keeps getting better and better.  I love it.  I've said before that my goal is to never cook a turkey.  I've come close, but I still never have. 

Here's the finished bird.  Chris just smoked 2 bone-in turkey breasts, cause no one likes the dark meat anyway.  Poor Chris was super sick the whole break.  Not sure what he had, but I suspect it may have been the flu.  

After our fantastic Thanksgiving dinner of turkey, potatoes, creamed corn, 2 kinds of jell-o, stuffing, homemade rolls, and salad we all went outside to play.  Thank goodness for awesome weather.  Garrett brought his longboard and we did some Texas sledding down the driveway!  We are not going to all fit on that longboard for much longer!

Grandpa and Hudson, not sure how we got him to hold still for that pic-- Hudson, not Grandpa.

Then it was pie time.  I made 9 pies this year.  Cherry, 2 pumpkin, 2 apple, 2 chocolate, and 2 banana cream.  My dad made a fantastic pecan pie too.  So yeah, pies were covered!

The kids dug in and loved having so many choices. 

My cute, chubby niece Zoey enjoyed her dessert too.  

The next day we did a gingerbread house making contest.  We just used graham crackers, because obviously they are 10 gazillion times easier.  Colton was on my team.  He was super helpful eating graham crackers the whole time.  Typical. 

My team was my dad, me, and Colton.  We made a train and train station.  If you look in the bottom left corner you can see the lego trophy Jaxon made.  We got second place.  

Garrett, Heidi, and Madison made the gingerbread village.  They got last place.  You can see the lego trophy on the counter.  The lego guy is looking down, dejected.  

Surprisingly (or not, since Jaxon was handing out the awards) Jaxon's team won first place.  Although I do think it was fair.  They made a superhero gingerbread building complete with bat mobile.  Pretty great!

Then we did Porter family Christmas.  My mom made all the grandkids minion hats that were super amazing.  

We got all the grandkids matching elf pi's and they were the cutest little minion elves ever!

During the festivities I took some time out cuddling with Colton, because that's his favorite thing ever.  We did a few selfies and it cracks me up how much alike we look.  Colton is 100% my child. 

I think it's the chubby cheeks and dimples.  

Anyway, then we did a white elephant party and this was one of the favorite items, mostly cause my dad was so funny wearing it.  

And we played games!  I love game night with my family!  Heidi and Garrett looked especially awesome in their matching batman onesie pi's, which were their Christmas gift from Danielle!

Then on Saturday we went to downtown McKinney to walk around.  Danielle and I tried taking a cute sister pic, but let's be honest, I'm not photogenic.  

Girls pic.  My mom has lost 50+ pounds this year!  She looks great!

All the Texas Porters.  Notice that Chris is the only one who is actually from Texas and somehow everyone except my parents now lives here.  What can I say? Texas is awesome!

Four kids in a sleigh 

We also saw Santa.  We were too cheap to pay for pics so we settled with Garrett taking pics from the sidelines.  Hudson gave the big guy a high-5.  

And then (nope, not done yet), we had a birthday celebration for Mr. Booger face.  I can't believe that baby is already 1.  It flew by so much faster with him.  Not fair.    We were thankful for good weather during our cake smash party.  Let the birds eat the crumbs!

Hudson loved his cake though.  He polished it off in no time.

Then everyone left and the Christmas season officially started.  Madison wore her Christmas dress to church.  I made her dress this year.  I think it turned out super cute.  It was a really easy pattern.  

I thought it was funny because everyone (except me) wore red plaid to church that Sunday.  Even Chris's tie was red plaid.  Also, this is what we look like at church.  Obviously everyone is paying close attention and feeling the spirit.  Ha.  It's a constant wrestling match.  I'm surprised Chris and I were both in there because usually we feel lucky if Hudson makes it through the sacrament.  Maybe this was pre-sacrament?

Finally, here we have Hudson and Isla in their matching outfits.  We got these for them in Florida.  We have two potential matches with the Kormylos.  I feel like that's good odds that we will have some awesome inlaws!