Thanksgiving Re-cap
We are fortunate to live within a short drive for the "home base" of my husband's and my families. Twenty-some years of tradition continued as we traveled to Mark's grandparents' house in Dubuque for Thanksgiving Day. The smiling lady in the picture is Mark's grandma. She is 85 and healthy as ever, cooking up almost ALL of the food for her two daughters and their children (and now great-grandchildren). Grandma Joan makes the best turkey, vegetables, salads, pies and grasshoppers (alcohol-free for the children). She also hosts everybody on Christmas Day and Easter. Quite a gal.
In celebrating her 85th birthday a few weeks ago, Mark wrote a note to his grandma that said, "When I walk through your door, I am ten again." It really shows!
The best part about Thanksgiving to me (okay, besides the wonderful food)is spending time with family without the hassle of presents. This year my sisters-in-law brought a really fun game called The Last Word. It was challenging, yet do-able for upper elementary ages on up.
The game was so popular, it spilled over into the next night when we celebrated at Mark's dad's house. We all found out that Mark can be a big JERK when playing a board game with his brothers!!
The kids all vegged out, watching Spongebob and breaking in Grandpa's new bed. I'm sure Grandpa really appreciated that.
Here's our niece and my goddaughter Mady Boots. She's 14 months old and cute as ever, heading up Grandpa's stairs...
...where her cousin Kierta (16 months) is anxious to take the steps for the thousandth time. Mom Marin pulls stair guard duty, which all parents of young children know is the most fun thing ever. Not.
There are only 2 boys out of 10 cousins on the Siegert side. Trevin (4) and Cy (9). These guys have to stick together!
Two days of eating and family time brought us up to Saturday. Another eat-fest with family! This time it was my side. Mark and I hosted Thanksgiving again for my side, and I think I counted 52 people in our house. Here are some of the littlest ones.
These two little dollies are my brother's daughters--aren't they so CUUUUUUUUTE???!!
Adeline was 8 days old here, and Elsie is 13 months old. Add in a 5-year-old brother and that makes for one. busy. family!!
(I call Elsie "Timothea" because she is the spitting image of her daddy at that age. Not that I was alive when Tim was born, but hey--that's what photo albums are for!)
Don't you feel sorry for our red maple?
God blessed us with the most amazing weather on Saturday. It was warm and sunny, perfect for emptying out the house and playing some basketball...
...or laser tag...or more tree climbing. Take your pick.
My niece Megan made the cutest little treats. The kids preferred these over the turkey which, by the way, turned out pretty good if I do say so myself.
I cooked two 20-pounders earlier in the week, cut the meat off the bone, froze it, and reheated it with the turkey stock on Saturday morning in my roaster. Turned out great. I channeled my inner domestic goddess by separating the light from the dark meat even! Should have taken a picture. Oh well. You'll just have to take my word for it!
After dinner, some of us went downtown to the Potosi Brewery to check out the gift shop and the free part of the museum. (Yes, I come from a family of garage sales and cheap...proud of it!) Here are my mom and big sister Deb walking through the first floor of the museum.
This is a shot of the brewery cave taken through glass doors. Very cool, in every sense of the word.
Megan, her dad Arlie, and my brother-in-law Paul took it upon themselves to purchase a sample of Potosi Beer. I know, they sacrificed themselves for the good of all. Thanks guys.
Check out the beautiful handcarved bar and scenery in general. Never eaten here, but have to do it sometime!
Back to the house for some more game boarding. This time it was Apples to Apples. Finally! something we can play with the younger kids! I would like to get the junior version so that Paige and Shae could enjoy it, too.
Payton brought his Picture-eka game. The cousins always get a little LOT crazy when we get together.
Fourth day of the weekend, Sunday. Bonus: one extra hour of sleep (no Sunday School today)! yet we were still late for church. Imagine that. Our family had to light the Advent Candle. It went well except that we didn't have the reading. Thank goodness our church secretary was there to open the office and get us a copy. Whew! After worship, we hosted two families for dinner. (Yes, I know. MORE FOOD!!) Back in October, Amy D. beat Diane and I in ticket sales for the Girls Night Out, so this was our "punishment". Diane's husband cooked lasagna and we made the dessert. The kids chased the chickens around and we all had a great time. It was actually more of a treat than a punishment!
As if we didn't have enough excitement for the weekend, a few hours later we went bowling with all of the Sunday School families. Free bowling on a Sunday afternoon when the Packers aren't playing. You can't beat that!
Having only bowled once in her lifetime, Wynne has this fascination with the activity. She wants to go bowling all of the time, whenever we pass an alley! So when you hear FREE and BOWLING in the same sentence, you can't pass it up. This alley even had a speedometer on the scoreboard. I think Wynne hit 2 miles an hour maybe.
Cy hit 10 mph or so. He is going for speed and not accuracy, hence the bumpers!
Mark broke 20 mph and still has the same cute form he did in high school. Sorry, I can't help myself--he has a cute behind. (Why do you think I married him? just kiddin) There's a bit of a romance to bowling for me...our first date included a bowling alley. Post-prom, junior year. I bowled a 38 and will continue to blame it on nerves, not lack of skill. See, now I'm not nervous and I can bowl an 83.
At least you can't call Mark a shallow man who marries a girl based on her looks or athleticism!
Out of His fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.--John 1:16
In celebrating her 85th birthday a few weeks ago, Mark wrote a note to his grandma that said, "When I walk through your door, I am ten again." It really shows!
The best part about Thanksgiving to me (okay, besides the wonderful food)is spending time with family without the hassle of presents. This year my sisters-in-law brought a really fun game called The Last Word. It was challenging, yet do-able for upper elementary ages on up.
The game was so popular, it spilled over into the next night when we celebrated at Mark's dad's house. We all found out that Mark can be a big JERK when playing a board game with his brothers!!
The kids all vegged out, watching Spongebob and breaking in Grandpa's new bed. I'm sure Grandpa really appreciated that.
Here's our niece and my goddaughter Mady Boots. She's 14 months old and cute as ever, heading up Grandpa's stairs...
...where her cousin Kierta (16 months) is anxious to take the steps for the thousandth time. Mom Marin pulls stair guard duty, which all parents of young children know is the most fun thing ever. Not.
There are only 2 boys out of 10 cousins on the Siegert side. Trevin (4) and Cy (9). These guys have to stick together!
Two days of eating and family time brought us up to Saturday. Another eat-fest with family! This time it was my side. Mark and I hosted Thanksgiving again for my side, and I think I counted 52 people in our house. Here are some of the littlest ones.
These two little dollies are my brother's daughters--aren't they so CUUUUUUUUTE???!!
Adeline was 8 days old here, and Elsie is 13 months old. Add in a 5-year-old brother and that makes for one. busy. family!!
(I call Elsie "Timothea" because she is the spitting image of her daddy at that age. Not that I was alive when Tim was born, but hey--that's what photo albums are for!)
Don't you feel sorry for our red maple?
God blessed us with the most amazing weather on Saturday. It was warm and sunny, perfect for emptying out the house and playing some basketball...
...or laser tag...or more tree climbing. Take your pick.
My niece Megan made the cutest little treats. The kids preferred these over the turkey which, by the way, turned out pretty good if I do say so myself.
I cooked two 20-pounders earlier in the week, cut the meat off the bone, froze it, and reheated it with the turkey stock on Saturday morning in my roaster. Turned out great. I channeled my inner domestic goddess by separating the light from the dark meat even! Should have taken a picture. Oh well. You'll just have to take my word for it!
After dinner, some of us went downtown to the Potosi Brewery to check out the gift shop and the free part of the museum. (Yes, I come from a family of garage sales and cheap...proud of it!) Here are my mom and big sister Deb walking through the first floor of the museum.
This is a shot of the brewery cave taken through glass doors. Very cool, in every sense of the word.
Megan, her dad Arlie, and my brother-in-law Paul took it upon themselves to purchase a sample of Potosi Beer. I know, they sacrificed themselves for the good of all. Thanks guys.
Check out the beautiful handcarved bar and scenery in general. Never eaten here, but have to do it sometime!
Back to the house for some more game boarding. This time it was Apples to Apples. Finally! something we can play with the younger kids! I would like to get the junior version so that Paige and Shae could enjoy it, too.
Payton brought his Picture-eka game. The cousins always get a little LOT crazy when we get together.
Fourth day of the weekend, Sunday. Bonus: one extra hour of sleep (no Sunday School today)! yet we were still late for church. Imagine that. Our family had to light the Advent Candle. It went well except that we didn't have the reading. Thank goodness our church secretary was there to open the office and get us a copy. Whew! After worship, we hosted two families for dinner. (Yes, I know. MORE FOOD!!) Back in October, Amy D. beat Diane and I in ticket sales for the Girls Night Out, so this was our "punishment". Diane's husband cooked lasagna and we made the dessert. The kids chased the chickens around and we all had a great time. It was actually more of a treat than a punishment!
As if we didn't have enough excitement for the weekend, a few hours later we went bowling with all of the Sunday School families. Free bowling on a Sunday afternoon when the Packers aren't playing. You can't beat that!
Having only bowled once in her lifetime, Wynne has this fascination with the activity. She wants to go bowling all of the time, whenever we pass an alley! So when you hear FREE and BOWLING in the same sentence, you can't pass it up. This alley even had a speedometer on the scoreboard. I think Wynne hit 2 miles an hour maybe.
Cy hit 10 mph or so. He is going for speed and not accuracy, hence the bumpers!
Mark broke 20 mph and still has the same cute form he did in high school. Sorry, I can't help myself--he has a cute behind. (Why do you think I married him? just kiddin) There's a bit of a romance to bowling for me...our first date included a bowling alley. Post-prom, junior year. I bowled a 38 and will continue to blame it on nerves, not lack of skill. See, now I'm not nervous and I can bowl an 83.
At least you can't call Mark a shallow man who marries a girl based on her looks or athleticism!
Out of His fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.--John 1:16
posted by Amy Siegert | 6:16 AM
2 Comments:
WOW!! WOW!! WOW!
You had quite the Thanksgiving weekend! We thought we had a lot of people at my sister-in-law's place (only 20+). LOL!
Love the photos. LOL at your comments!
Yeah, it was a really full weekend. But a good one. Just so grateful to have healthy kids because a few years back, we couldn't do this sort of thing when the twins were sick all of the time. I remember their allergist telling me "when they hit 3 1/2 you'll be a new woman"!
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