grateful

it would be more appropriate to be posting about christmas and new year’s right now, but i never posted about thanksgiving and i need to just get it done. it has been on my to-do list for way too long and it is driving me crazy.

we headed to logan, utah to spend thanksgiving with my sister and her family. our time was mainly spent playing with the kids and sitting around talking (dave has come to realize more and more how much the todd’s love to sit around and talk when we get together). 

matt took his new atv out for a spin. the debut consisted of chasing the kids around the yard. it was pretty redneck, but definitely hilarious to watch!

as expected, it didn’t take long before uncle dave was surrounded by kids (which lasted the whole weekend).

ellie fighting dave with light sabers. this girl prefers star wars to dolls. you can tell she loves her brothers!

we got to meet our newest niece sophie. she is a doll and we couldn’t get enough of her. dave spent as much time as he could laying on the floor next to her and trying to get her to coo and smile. he was more successful than most of us.

ellie, another little girl dave adored

the boys helped grandma make turkey placeholders for each guest at thanksgiving dinner

jake with the finished product

the table...pre-lots of good food (which meant all attention had to be focused on eating...no time for taking pictures)

we were lucky enough to visit dave's sister erin and her husband john. we hit up this really cool fun center in ogden and went bowling. dave definitely showed us all up, but erin and i looked cute (that counts for something, right?!)!

we made s’mores one night in the fire pit in the backyard. there were a couple of times i thought i might get torched by a flaming marshmallow on a hanger. wild little boys around a fire definitely keep you on your toes. 

poor lexi wasn’t feeling good and missed the s’mores. so we made her one and brought it to her in bed (nothing like some graham cracker crumbs in the sheets). she loved it! dave is wrapped around her finger and she is crazy about him. we’re in major trouble if we have a little girl because dave melts around them.

the highlight of the trip was our oldest nephew spencer’s baptism. we’re so proud of the choice he made and the good example he is to his younger brother and sisters and cousins. i was lucky enough to sing at the baptism with my oldest sister angela (which doesn’t ever happen since she lives in california). sophie was also blessed at the baptism and she was a perfect angel. it was wonderful to see how the priesthood blesses us at every stage of life.