Thoughts about Thanksgiving....

I loved all of the pie parties..... Pie equals Love to me....so I was filled with love and pie all night.  Si and Marcie are both amazing cooks and their homes were filled with laughter and treats!  I love Si's Apple Cranberry pie so much.  It's a lot like rhubarb, kind of tart and the color is perfectly pink.   Marcie does a bread pudding that's to die for....infact Bob Farley says it tastes like what the highest degree of glory in the celestial kingdom would taste like, if it had a taste.  Leave it to Bob to think of something like that.

There were so many pie parties across the country that my mom started..... she was the pioneer in the 70's and I know of 6 that happened last night in honor of her.

Confession:  I cried making the pie crusts for the banana cream pies.  Mom always made my crusts and I only had to fill them. I cried thinking about it for days ahead and cried while doing it....   that's kind of what I do now, I cry before the holiday, missing my mom so much,  and then on the day of I'm fine.

Now that another awesome Thanksgiving has come to an end.....I want to discuss something.
It seems that EVERYONE's favorite holiday is Thanksgiving...which is really awesome, but a little bit sad to me.
I get that Thanksgiving is all about family and being thankful and food and just hanging out and being together and I love all of this.
The part I really don't like about this weekend is "Black Friday."  I want the Friday after Thanksgiving to be "Family Friday" instead.   I think it's a tragedy that stores are now open ON Thanksgiving so we all can get a jump on the big sales.....for the next holiday, which isn't everyone's favorite holiday anymore.  So I'm not participating with the shopping crazed millions.  I will be home listening to Christmas music, decorating and being with my fam.  I'm trying to get the "Things and Stuff" part out of Christmas anyway.

Why isn't Christmas THE favorite holiday of all holidays?  What happened?  Did Satan win? Shouldn't Christmas be all about family and being thankful and good food....and Christ?  The only thing added to Christmas that Thanksgiving is missing is the Christ element.

Anyway...I've been thinking a lot about this lately.
Don't get me wrong, I love Thanksgiving, but I want to love Christmas even more.....

Top ten turkey day

1,  Laughing with family

2.  Watching Macy's parade and the Broadway shows 

3.  Popcorn and drink at movie

4.  Going to a movie together.. Frozen...so cute.

5.  Playing puzzles in honor of Momma Sheri 

6. Turkey and so much more.  So many cooks in the kitchen and it was all good

7. Filling in the thankful journal each year 

8.  Going around table and saying what we are grateful for

9. After turkey naps

10. Looking forward to the "afterglow" on Friday where we do it all over again.

Family Shower for Bre and Baby

 We celebrated Bre and Baby Welch while Bre was here for one quick weekend for her best friend's wedding.  It was so great to be together and see her growing baby belly...and have a little "feel."  It was Tru's first time touching a pregnant belly and he was pretty squeamish.  It was funny.  We face timed Addison in and just enjoyed food, family and friends.   Bre was spoiled and was so appreciative and a bit overwhelmed by everyone's generosity.  The next time we see her and Addison they will be parents.  I can't believe my baby boy Addison is going to have his own baby boy.  

Landon, Laura, Alex

Sister Love.... Bre and Laila

Savannah, Grandma Welch... 

Bre and Tru

Bre and Grandpa Lyle....  Dad loves how Bre says his name...so she does it a lot

Oh Boy....Oh Boy.....

Checking out the baby bump

Laila's Alphabet thank you

I didn't know Laila was making up an Alphabet grateful list of her own...but I found it in her school books and wanted to share.

I am thankful for.......
Art that has been made by my mother
Books that transport me into extravagant places
Caramel apples that can extinguish the lack of tastiness
Dynamic Dads watching over us with bundles of love
Extremely magnificent parents
Friends and family that are always there for me
Grandparents that give everybody unconditional love
Holidays filling our hearts with excitement
Ice cream cooling us off on a hot summer day
Jolly ranchers with sweet aroma while the sugar is slowly melting in your mouth
Kids running with energy
Laughter filling my ears with joy
Mother comforting me with times get tough
Nutella spread all over my bread
Open arms welcoming me home
Pointe shoes making you dance around the room with pride
Quiet
Roller coasters
Siblings
Telephones that allow me to keep in contact with my friends
Upcoming baby
Valley View or Vacations
Welches
X-tremely awesome parents
Yellow because it's my mom's favorite color
Zzzzzz softly humming in your sleep

I think she's trying to soften me up for Christmas gifts.  

Sheri Thanksgiving 2011/2012

I have a Thankful journal that I get out every Thanksgiving and pass around for anyone who wants to write in it what they are grateful for.  It's a treasure.  I came across my mom's from past years and want to share.  It's in her difficult to read, pointy handwriting that she disliked so much.  It was painful for her to write this in the middle of her chemo treatments.

2011:
There is not enough paper nor time to write all I am thankful for.  So I will be selective and brief:
1. Priesthood blessings that brings comfort and hope
2. Family--and all it brings--
3. My testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
4. My knowledge that Heavenly Father knows me by name and loves me
5. This beautiful world we have been given to live in
6.  I'm grateful my sweet Lyle is here to comfort me through this "bump" in the road
7. I'm grateful I can still see as good as I can
8. I'm grateful for America and that I live here.
These are just a few.

2012:
I am grateful to be on this side of the veil.
I am grateful my family loves each other enough to play, worship and vacation together.
I am grateful for the people who pioneered chemo.
I love Heavenly Father and Jesus and I am grateful they watch over me and give me hugs.
I am grateful my sweetheart is still with me.
I am grateful for the gospel in my life.
I am Thankful!

Friday Family Flashback

Oct 13, 1996

The Welches were driving back from their cabin and passed a herd of cows.  Most of the cows were lying down, but there were two standing facing the others.  Truman said, "Hmmmm... looks like those cows are having a meeting."  

Addison was having a conversation with his Welch cousins about going bald.  They said that they didn't have to worry about it because hair came through the mother's line and Grandpa Welch had a full head of hair.  Addison turned to his mom and asked who he would get his hair from.  When he was told Grandpa Lyle, Addison groaned and said, "Oh no...he is mostly bald already."  

Melinda said that she was watching Monson while driving in the car.  He was glancing in the side mirror  very preoccupied with something.  He was smiling and moving his face like he was posing.  She asked him what he was doing.  He told her... "I'm just thinking how cool I am.   I was born cool."  No self esteem problems there.

Christmas 1996

Old songs

I love old songs.

I love to sing You are my Sunshine.   It's fun to clap and sing parts with.  It's such a happy song and always reminds me of my Addison....shine.

I have been learning Tonight You Belong to Me  to sing with Truman and anyone else who will sing it with me.  It's awesome to harmonize.


When I was little sitting in the back of the station wagon,  I loved when  my mom and dad would sing old songs all of the way home. I felt safe and comforted by the sound of their voices. All was right with my world.  They would croon  Carolina Moon, Blue Moon, A You're adorable, Let me call you Sweetheart, Show me the way to go home, God gave the Wisemen their wisdom.... (I really don't know the title to this, but I loved how they would sing it.)

We don't travel and sing so much anymore...too much technology keeping everyone happy. It's a shame really.

This little song clip is from last October.... It's a gem.   I love how dad starts to cry...and Mom tells him to stop.... so good to hear them singing together.  She had such a mellow alto voice.  Love it.  Miss it.