Thanksgiving

We had Thanksgiving with the Kimball's this year. We were going to have Thanksgiving with my family this year as it was their turn (we rotate holidays every year) because we had Thanksgiving with the Kimball's last year (at my house). But, my parents went out to Pennsylvania to have Thanksgiving with my step-brothers, so it was dinner with the Kimball's again this year.

This year, thankfully, it was at Momma Kimball's house. We hosted last year because Mom and Dad Kimball were in a rental and there wasn't a lot of space. We showed up earlyish on Thanksgiving day and I helped by peeling ten pounds of potatoes. Some may say that is too many potatoes. Momma Kimball says it is not enough and Matt peeled five more pounds for her.

The food was great, but apparently, the Kimball's are very big on dessert. The dessert spread was something like this: apple crisp, apple pie, apple cake, 3 pumpkin pies, pecan pie, lemon meringue pie, banana cream pie, 2 hershey bar pies and ice cream. It was insanity. There were only 10 adults and 4 children there. Way too much dessert. But, they all felt like it was regular. 

Mamma Kimball wanted pictures of the grandkids in their Christmas outfits that she bought them because she is one of those Christmas card people (I'm not). So, after dinner, we attempted to get a picture of all the grandkids together. These were the best shots (and none of them are good).

We got all the kids sitting together (not an easy feat) and started taking pictures and trying to get them to smile and then we broke and let the kids go wild again. But, then Momma Kimball asked who was taking pictures with her camera. We all responded that we were using our own cameras and thought SHE was taking pics with her camera. But, she wasn't.

So, we attempted to set up all the kids again for another round of pics WITH Momma Kimball's camera actually taking photos. But, the kids had had it and did not want to sit for more pics. Dan started crying, the kids were making funny faces, it was not fun.

Getting six kids under the age of 5 to all sit together and smile is impossible unless you are a photographer who is used to doing this. I don't know if anyone else taking photos got a better picture, but all of mine were kinda crappy.

After really crappy pictures, we played minute to win it games that Momma Kimball and Anne had set up. The little kids loved it! I thought it was fun to watch, but not the funnest to do. Probably because I'm not very good at shaking ping pong ball out of kleenex box that is strapped to my back.

Then, everyone started watching movies and eating the massive amounts of dessert. It was a good day full of family fun. I really enjoyed myself, but I missed my family and missed my own family traditions.

We spent Christmas with my family last year, so we are doing Christmas with Matt's family this year. It is good to give the Kimball's Christmas, especially since my sister Sarah won't be here for Christmas, but I feel like I'm missing out on my family's holidays this year. Hopefully, next year, Sarah will be able to come out here for Christmas with her baby all big and grown. Her baby is due a few days after Christmas, so there will definitely be no travelling for her this year.  I miss her!