Thanksgiving

LET THE PIE PARTIES BEGIN!! 

 Landon and Alex through a very successful and tasty Pie Party in conjunction with Blaine and Sarah Bentley.  I love that these two couples through a pie party together.   It is so good to bring people together conservative and liberal and just see that people are people and we can all get along.  I loved watching it all take place.   I took a fork full of 10 different pies...all delicious.   We  had our kids, and Liz and Al in attendance and nieces and nephew-- Kimberly, Nathan and Charlotte Shurtz ...and other  friends and Brazilians that we have learned to know and love.  I love this Momma Sheri tradition that so many people have picked up. She was a pie party pioneer.    I was giving Laila the history of Pie parties ( because her friends had never heard of it)  and how they all started with Mom Sheri making the best pies and Grandpa Butters insisting on cutting the pies and eating them the night before Thanksgiving so we could all enjoy them without being full.   Perfect!    That was like 1973.  I like to use Tom Welch’s saying when asked what kind of Pie I like…. “Only 3 kinds, hot, cold and more.”

Lady just hanging out in her gray coat with Papa in his gray suit on a gray couch....

We had more PIE Party at the Call's the night before Thanksgiving.  It was a good one.  My Banana Cream pie was a winner this year thanks to my friend Carolyn who set me up with a new pastry cream recipe that's no fail and no cook.  It was delicious.    We had many of our YSA's come to the Calls too.  It's always great to be with all of them.  

 Thanksgiving day was at Terry and Cyrrena's.  They graciously hosted 70 of us in their basement for a delicious meal.    All of my people were there except for my Portland boy Truman who was with friends in Seattle enjoying Japanese food. 

 The cooks and kitchen crew included sandy, Cyrrena, Wanee, Holly, Melinda, Jill and Tami.  I really feel so blessed to be a part of this bonus family.  Such good people who are accepting and kind and love me and mine.    Sandy made all of the pies because she too hosts an incredibly large pie party at her home every year.  She said she felt momma Sheri's spirit with her this year as she prepared and partied. 

Alex, Laila, Becca, Addison, Savannah, Abby

 We got a pic of some of the cousins that were at Thanksgiving.  (Some had already left by the time we got this picture)   Standing:   Wanee, Rachel and Tyler Madsen, Brady Bentley, Derrick and Shelbi, Tiffany Reynolds, Lizzy and Andrew, Kylie Madsen, Stockton Welch, Lexi and Monson, Brad bentley with his little red head Jonas.   Floor:  Sara and Blaine Bentley, Nash Madsen, Thomas Bentley on Savannah Bentley's lap, Hailey Welch, Laila, Becca Welch, Abby Welch, Alex Madsen, Mary and Bridger Bentely with Victor in front and Lady crawling.

Our Thanksgiving Tradition for many many years has been a movie that night.  This year we saw Ralph Wrecks the Internet with all the fam.  The kids loved it... I liked it... it was just okay.  It was funny to watch Poppy eat ALL of the popcorn. She is always hungry and loves to eat.  She knows the sign language for food..so she does this a lot.    Feeling Grateful for this awesome crew of mine.