Thanksgiving 2010

Thanksgiving dinners take eighteen hours to prepare. They are consumed in twelve minutes. [Football] Half-times take twelve minutes. This is not a coincidence.  Erma Bombeck

While there wasn't much football being watched at our house on Thanksgiving, it really did feel like it was all over in about 12 minutes.  But it was sure nice having the Bloomquist/Naffziger SL family over for dinner.  It would have been nice to have Pam's family join us too, but the weather is always so unpredictable and I don't know if there is enough Valium available to get her (or Robert) through the drive.

The Urses family gathered at Karen and Geoff's and while we weren't able to join them, Ashley, Brandon and London did get by for a quick hello and a bite.

I realized while looking through the pictures for one to post, we got everyone in a photo, but not all at once!  Guess it's hard to cook and pay attention to the camera man.  Sorry Kurt!  In any event, below are a few.  We had a really nice time visiting and if it weren't for London suffering from an ear ache, it would have been a perfect day.  But I can't let a day of thanks pass without expressing my Thanks to all of my wonderful family.

Kurt - How do I even begin to tell you how grateful I am for you and how much I love you? You are constantly by my side, cheering me on and loving me, no matter what - and I know some days that can be very HARD!  You make me happier than I ever thought I could be and you have taught me all about the meaning of true love.  (I know kinda mushy - but true!)  I love that our dreams for our growing old together are starting to come true - okay, not the Old part, but the together part for sure.  You are my best friend and my handy man; my mechanic and exterminator; my partner for life.  Remember, you promised I get to go first!  I love you.

Ashley - I am first and foremost incredibly grateful to be your Mom. There is nothing that has fulfilled me as much as watching you grow into the strong, intelligent, loving, young woman you are. If I have ever done anything right in this lifetime, it was bringing you into this world.  I know that I was often too serious while you were growing up and didn't take enough time to play with you more.  Thank you for finally teaching me play is more important than work.  You are the mother wished I would have been.  But because of you, I am probably a better Grandma than I was a mom.  You are a fabulous daughter and friend.  I love you!

Brandon - When you married Ashley 7+ years ago, I had no idea how much I would grow to love you.  We never had the pleasure of having a boy grow up in our home. (No, Kurt you're still haven't grown up.)  But if we had, I couldn't have wished for a better son than you.  Thank you for all the love you give to Ashley and to your children (and us) and taking such good care of them.  I have never met anyone who is more giving of his time and talents as you are.  I also thank you for allowing us so much time to spend with London; the sleepovers and weekends away are the highlights of our lives.  Now, with little Olive on the way, we are looking forward to more of the same.  I love you!

London - I love you more than all the stars in the whole wide world!!  Thank you for making me laugh and laugh and laugh and for making me play card games and board games and games, games, games.  Our sleepovers are so special to me and I love it when you hold my hand while you go to sleep.  I am so grateful for the light you bring to my life and I can't wait to watch you grow into a beautiful young woman.  Just don't do it to fast!!  I am so proud of how kind and thoughtful you are.  You are my bestest little friend and I love you more!! 

Dad - I love you and am so grateful for everything you do for me (and us).  I know I don't tell you that nearly often enough or just how thankful and proud I am to be your daughter.   I want you to know I appreciate all the lessons you've taught me; like how to love my husband when he's not so lovable (which is almost never, but. . . ); how to do all the "guy" stuff and letting me still be "girly" and how to be tough and not let myself be taken advantage of.  You love me unconditionally and are one of my bestest friends.  Thank you also for loving Kurt and making it so easy for him to love you.  I know life has gotten busy and I am not the daughter I should be, but I hope I can demonstrate my love for you more often and disappoint you less.  You have always been my hero and will always continue to be.  I love you!

Mom - Although I am grown (and still growing - darn it) I still carry you with me every day.  I am thankful you for so many things that it’s almost impossible to list them all.   However, I am most grateful for your having shaped me into the person I am today, for better or for worse. You taught me morals and value and that character does count for something. You taught me to never compromise and you taught me to always follow through on my word, no matter what the cost.  I also know I have not always been the best daughter one could wish for, but you could not have a daughter who loves you more.  You have always been there for me and made sacrifices that only a mom could.  How could a daughter possibly give back as much as you have given? You are an awesome woman! I hope that one day I too will touch the lives of as many as you have done and still do.  Thank you for being my Mom.  I love you!

Bob  - Thank you for everything you've done for me and my family. You have inspired me in ways you can’t imagine and I love you.  I don’t tell you that nearly enough.  I don’t know how you managed to not ship me off to boarding school during my teen years.  Letting a woman into your life after 40 is one thing.  Letting in her teen-age daughters should have earned you a medal.  I know we weren't horrible kids, (okay I wasn't!  :-) ) but we didn’t make your life easy.  Who can forget all the cupboard slamming and having to constantly remind me to wear slippers!  I'm sure I still owe you for the trip to the ER to have glass pulled out of my foot!)  Thank you for marrying my mom and being my other dad.  If you didn’t like doing it, I never knew.  I love you!

Happy Thanksgiving!