We ended up going to Colorado Springs for Thanksgiving to spend the holiday with family! We have been highly blessed this year in many, many ways, not the least of which was the safe return of Wesley's brother Tyson from Afghanistan! So, we were able to go see him and his family at their new home on base in Colorado Springs. We spent a lot of time just hanging out and visiting. Wes and Ty played a lot of racquetball (resulting in a butt injury for Wes), and Lindsey and I were able to go do Black Friday shopping sans children. It was Lindsey's first time going, and it was a blast to go with her and show her my tricks for the day. I was surprised to find by far the longest lines I have ever waited in though. (We waited for over an hour in line at both Kohls and Toys R Us! It was nuts!!!) All was well though and at the end of the day, I had all presents bought for Christmas except one (curse Toys R Us for being out of the Skateboard set I wanted for Spence-not that it was big enough anyway...) I have a couple funny stories though of the battle known as Black Friday shopping-
1-I had to force a lady out of the way to see the mens jeans at Wal Mart-she was blocking the aisle with her cart and not letting anyone by. I won the battle though and got Wes some jeans.
2-Some jerk took ALL the boys size 5T jeans and those are the ones I needed most-I did not get any.
3-I took jeans out of someones cart for me after I told her she did not need 35 pairs of jeans, and I was taking 2 of them. Found out later she was the daughter of the Men's Jeans lady with the cart.
4-Lindsey and I got the VERY last 2 3-wheel scooters (I swear if anyone tells me kids that is what they are getting...) for Armour and Heighley-there was one boy one and one girl one and I swooped in and grabbed them just in time!
5-We waited in line at Toys R us with 2 very funny ladies that were buying stuff for their daughter...they were hilarious and made the wait a lot more entertaining.
6-I love getting all my shopping done and I love a deal, so I go, I fight, sometimes I triumph, sometimes I fail, but doggonit, I get the job done, and it is a blast! I will so be there next year in Omaha-who is in?!

Here are a few pictures from Thanksgiving day. I have more pics that will be in the next few posts.

While the lady-folk was cooking (and looking through sale ads), we sent the men and children out to play football. They played for quite a while, but by the time I sent the camera out, most of the children were inside as they were SOOOO done with the cold!

Here is Brenden throwing a football. Brenden and ArmyTy & HeighleyThe lovely tableJust before eating Our picture perfect turkey

My not-so-picture perfect yams-I let Wes do the marshmallows...they don't look pretty, but they tasted AMAZING!!!
ArmyHeighleyEnderBrendenSolace
Kindle

Kindle and aunt Lindsey-this is what Kin's hair looked like at the end of the day when the pony tails came out...A closer look...(she is slobbery and teething...)

Me (Wes thinks I do not post enough pics of me...there is a reason for that...)