Thanksgiving!

      Thanksgiving was so fun this year!  We did a lot of activities and enjoyed such amazing food with my family.  We feel so lucky to have both of our families here so close and to be able to enjoy their company, and of course the option of babysitting too.... I wanted to do a little post on what Adam and I are grateful for this last year:
1) Our beautiful Olivia was born and we couldn't love someone more!
2) Becoming parents
3) Having both of our families near by and the wonderful love and help they give us
4) Our amazing friends: ward and others, who have really been there for us
5) Our Health..Adam and I are such active people and we feel so blessed to have our health
6) New medicine and research and amazing hospital/doctor care, due to Livy's 2 hospital stays this year
7) The opportunity to be on 2 coed softball leagues together
8) Adam's new job at @task, which has really blessed our lives
9) My job at Timpanogos and the wonderful people I work with
10) Having the temple near by and being able to go there
11) Living in this wonderful country and the freedom to choose how we live
12) Last but not least, I am grateful to be married to an amazing guy and to always know no matter what he is there by my side.  He is the most caring and unselfish person and I am truly blessed to have such a great best friend! Love you Babe!

Thanksgiving at my dad's House
This year we started out with an appetizer round with prizes for the top 3 dishes.  Every dish was delicious, but we had to vote for the top 3.  Kirsten, Vicki and Liz won for the top 3 best, their dishes were delicious.  My dish was Shrimp Spring rolls with peanut sauce, which was a little too sophisticated for my family and usually requires a little more adventurous palate. (I think I won in my Dad's eyes, because he kept putting votes down for me. Glad you liked it dad!:)

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This year I asked Mom(Lori) to teach me how to make some pies.  I came over the day before and we made 4 pies together (2 apple, pumpkin and cherry).  Thanks mom for teaching me and I have already made another one to practice.

This year I was in charge of the drinks so I tried to make something different.  I made a yummy christmas punch and froze fruit shish kabobs to go in them.

      Kirsten and Ben made a surprise announcement during the game we played.  We were to pull out a paper and act out what was on it, Tiffany pulled out one that said, " We are expecting a baby!"  It took awhile for everyone to get it, but once we all did the room was filled with excitement.  This will be #6 for them and we could not be more excited.  Kirsten is an amazing mom and I hope I can be like her with my kids, Love you Kirsten!

After the wonderful dinner we played fun games and watched the grandkids dance to music.  Well, not just the grandkids danced, everyone would chant a name and they would get up and show their moves.  I guess our family is moving to peer pressure now, it was really funny though:)

  We start off thanksgiving usually with a trip to my dad's property where we shoot clay pigeons and have hot chocolate, but due to the weather we decided to have a gym day the day after thanksgiving. We played dodge ball, volleyball, and my favorite... basketball.  We had so much fun!

Kayla had only 3 wks left and she even played basketball with us, she is amazing!

Here are all the kids watching Livy, they are all so good with her.

Thanksgiving at my mom's house

These girls had a blast dressing up, we better watch out when they get older...They are definitely going to break some hearts!

We had to barricade Livy in a room because we forgot the playpen.  She will not go to sleep unless she has a confined place.  She finally fell asleep once she realized she could not escape through the big pillow walls we built.

Overall, I think this thanksgiving was a great day and a great first for Livy.  Adam and I have much to be grateful for and Livy is definitely on the top of the list!