Thanksgiving 2010

We spent Thanksgiving this year in San Diego! We got to stay with our dear friends on the way down and back, but for some reason didn't get any great photos with them. Thank you Reis and Simon families!

On our first day there we helped my sister Heather move into a great studio apartment. I was so glad that we could help out, it seems like when we live far away we don't get to do the things that family should do. We had a great time too :).

Near Ocean Beach there is a hamburger joint that we love. It's called "Hodad's" and there is usually a line just to get in... they have amazing milkshakes and fries and burgers and onion rings. We didn't want to miss it and after working up our appetites loading and unloading boxes we were ready for some eats.

Jaxton, Olivia, and Sophia sitting at the surfboard table waiting for our food to come...

...and Olivia is enjoying a french fry with her shake. The atmosphere there is LOUD (heavy metal playing in the background) and crazy.... but fun.

It was chilly (but way better than the snowy cold at home!). How cool is the Hodad's van?

Coleman LOVED jumping in the sand dunes.

On Thanksgiving morning we honored our tradition of eating pie for breakfast. Our choices: pecan, banana cream, and chocolate cream.

We spent some time that afternoon at the beach in Coronado. It was beautiful! I was so glad that my sister Lindsey and her family were there (she is on the left with Jaxton) and that we could visit with my daddy-O and Heather (on the right). I loved being with them!

The sunset was amazing!

We had a delicious dinner with so much good food. Sophia even got  a place at the table. She loved the yams and apples (thanks Lindsey!) and mashed potatoes.

Cute cousins... Jonah, Coleman, Jaxton, Liv, and Sophia.

 This was my favorite picture of Liv and Soph after dinner while we were all doing dishes. They were some tired girls!

On Friday we went to Balboa Park and explored. These tree roots were so interesting.

Sophia and Jaxton were great stroller buddies.

Our kids wanted to find the tiled animals to climb on.

Sweet Liv

Sophia is such a happy baby. I love that.

Coleman was in heaven climbing and having fun. Love that smile.

We went to Costco (can't seem to go on a trip without stopping at least once!) and got gelato. Gelato! Who knew Costco has gelato? I guess only this Costco has gelato. It was delicious, but it was pretty chilly outside.

Our last stop was at La Jolla. We got there in time for another beautiful sunset.

Chad and Lindsey and their cute boys at La Jolla.

My dad got some gingerbread house kits for the kids to do. They had a great time!

We had a great visit and were glad to get home safely. We missed a decent sized snowstorm by leaving a day earlier than we had planned to.

We finished out the month of November with our "Thankful Wall" and some family togetherness.

Below is our list of things we are thankful for... Some of them are so random and we aren't sure who wrote them (it was Coleman :) ). They aren't in any particular order:

• prophets
• fun trips
• Christmas
• Dad's hard work
• teeth
• grandparents
• rules
• muffins
• my mom
• American
• Spanish
• candy
• China (it's cool to say)
• air
• school
• good health
• Mikayla
• food
• our family
• Chance
• Ryan
• forgiveness
• a great family
• leaves
• service
• Coleman
• church
• Sophia's laugh and smile
• my dad
• electricity
• talents
• books
• Olivia
• warm jams
• pudding pie
• Sophia
• watching my kids serve each other
• Mom and Dad the great cooks
• TV
• video games
• piano
• Thanksgiving
• presents
• nursing
• birthdays
• God
• Jesus
• Best Mom Ever
• Best Dad Ever
• Best Sisters Ever
• Money
• the world
• the gospel
• everything
• great-grandparents
• repentance

Happy (late) Thanksgiving! It is my goal to feel and express gratitude more throughout the year.