Happy Belated Thanksgiving!

It's kind of ironic that I haven't posted anything about Thanksgiving, because it's my most FAVORITE holiday ever.

And, yes, it seriously disturbs me to decorate anything Christmas before Thanksgiving. It's just not right. But that's a whole other blog, and I will refrain from ranting on why it's wrong.

Thanksgiving is my fave holiday because it's all about gratitude - and we could all use a little more gratitude in our lives. Gratitude for your family and for the many blessing that we take for granted every day. AND it's all about yummy FOOD! Who can forget that part?

Kade and I decided to go to Anaconda, Montana to spend Thanksgiving with his sister Keriann's family.

{Isn't Anaconda beautiful?}

During the five hour drive to Anaconda, I suddenly realized that this would be my first Thanksgiving away from my "own" family. Even when I lived in Texas, my parents and Dusty flew down there to spend the holiday with me. And Kade and spent Thanksgiving with my parents and Dusty and Joyce last year.

Then I realized the worst! I wouldn't have any control over dinner! You see, I've pretty much taken over my family's Thanksgiving dinner for the past five years.

Yes, I have Thanksgiving OCD - just ask Dusty when he tried to cut my turkey right out of the oven one year. Now he lets the turkey rest like a good boy - because he already knows the wrath I yield with a knife. (Hee, hee.. sorry Dusty!)

Anyway, let me tell you, Thanksgiving 2008 was FABULOUS! Keriann, Blaine, Lacey and Khali were great hosts. And dinner was yummy too. It's was Keriann's first Thanksgiving dinner, and she did awesome.

{Blaine, Lacey, Keriann and Khali. Lacey was attending her first formal high school dance the Saturday after Thanksgiving. She looked so cute! I'm getting old, because all those kids looked like babies.}

{I felt like I should contribute something, so I volunteered to make homemade rolls. Um, they didn't exactly turn out. I blamed it on the elevation. ;-) So yeah, I wasn't complaining about anything!!!}

{Kade and Lacey are ready to eat! Don't enlarge the picture because the sight of my disastrous rolls might blind you. I warned you!!}

{Poor Khali lost air hockey to Kade and me at the local pizza joint. Maybe we should have let her win. Nah!}

{Khali and Lacey made Gingerbread houses the day after Thanksgiving. I totally should have bought one too!}

OH, I almost forgot our Black Friday shopping trip to Butte! We didn't get up at 4 AM or anything, but the stores were packed! Even Butte's little ole mall was a zoo. But I did find some good buys.

Kade also drove me Deer Lodge to see the old Montana State Prison. Next time we go back we are totally going on the prison tour! (Yes, I have this weird fascination with prisons. Don't ask.)

{The old Montana State Penn looks like a castle. It's pretty cool from the outside.}

Thanks for the great memories Knadlers. I can't wait to come back. I'm so grateful for my "new" family.

P.S. I almost forgot to mention Brangus our new friend. Brangus is Knadler's heeler dog. HE IS SO STINKIN' CUTE! Kade and I fell in love immediately with Brangus, and tried to convince his owners to let us take him home. They answered with a firm NO. I almost stuffed him into my suitcase anyway. I could shoot myself for not taking a picture of him.