An Arizona Thanksgiving

The drive down was delightful. Really. I know, I'm just as surprised as you are. We generally have pretty low expectations of how the kiddies will do for ten to twelve hours in the car, but we were more than pleasantly surprised. Gavin only puked once (which I totally caught in a bucket - score!) and McKay cried for a total of ten minutes, just when he was about to go to sleep. Brian read to me and we made it in record time.

Oh - how can you not love this face?
And are those lips the juiciest or what?
We stayed with Matt and Lynsey in Gilbert and the nine of us hunkered down for four days. We have a lot of fun with them and they always make us feel welcome and loved. The boys were so good and played and played and played. Gavin and McKay really are their best selves in a new place with new toys and people they don't get to see as often as they'd like. They love their cousins.

We headed over to my parent's house on Thursday and the kids were again excited to see all of their Arizona cousins. We were the only out-of-towners. Nate, Liza, Lynsey, Dave, and Dave's families were there.

I so appreciated the sunshine and shorts and t-shirts we got to wear. The weather was 70-degree perfection.

McKay's second Thanksgiving. But the first one he was really awake for...

Brian was a hit and played with the little boys before the feast.

Gavin digs the "haim."
All that eating makes a boy tired.
After the Woolf party we headed over to Mother's in Tempe for dessert. McKay was happy to be there. I always love going over there. Brian said, "I like the Snedigar's." Me too.

On Friday we headed to Freestone Park to get out for a bit. The weather was perfect and the little boys all rode their bikes.

After we went on the train Lynsey and I left with the baby boys while Brian and Matt took the older three. And that's when it happened. Gavin had gone down a grass hill on his bike to get to the park. On the way back, they took the same hill, but this side was a bit steeper. Gavin got going too fast and started wobbling and then his handlebars turned and he flew. He rolled and landed on his little face. Brian texted me a picture of him not too long after and I was thinking, "I just left like ten minutes ago!" Poor kid.

And that's what you get when you leave your kid with your husband:
We met up with everyone at another park later in the day, ate at In-n-Out and then walked around the temple lights. Gavin's face was a hit and there was no shortage of attention. The boys loved the lights and loved their last chance with the whole group of cousins.


All in all, it was a fine trip. It was quick, jam-packed and we really had a great time. We headed back on Sunday and got home not a moment too soon. If the ride down was all roses, then certainly the ride back couldn't be. Our low expectations were met - if not exceeded - and the ride couldn't have been longer. Gavin threw up twice, I wanted to throw up for three hours, McKay cried incessantly and Brian just wanted out. And that's just how it goes sometimes...