Thanksgiving

This year we drove down to Caliente, NV to spend Thanksgiving with the Holts. It was so much fun! We left Tuesday night and decided to split up the drive by stopping in Lehi and staying with Ashely and Jake for the night.  They didn't tell Cameron that we were coming so when we walked up the stairs and surprised him, it was so funny.  He just sat there for a second with this confused look on his face, and then once it registered he jumped up and ran to hug us. It was so cute.  It was great to be able to spend time with them. I love family! And taylor is adorable, and is walking, and loves clips and bracelets and all things girl. She is such a girlie girl. They are so cute.

We got to Caliente Wed night and just relaxed and hung out. On Thursday we shot some clay pigeons in the morning.  I hit a whole bunch! It was very fun and I shot about a box and a half of shells. I shot a  20 gauge shotgun, my shoulder was very sore from shooting so much.  But I had so much fun and it was warm enough that I didn't even have to wear a jacket. Good work Nevada.  We then prepared our mashed potatoes and went to Uncle Kevin's and Aunt Teri's house for a delicious Thanksgiving dinner. There were a lot of people there, and it was very fancy.  We had name tags for where we were supposed to sit.  Very delicious food, but we had to leave a little early so Justin could get some homework done that was due on Thanksgiving. Really!? Who assigns homework to be do on Thanksgiving. Rude.

On Friday we had another Thanksgiving dinner at the Holt house.  But Justin had left very early that morning to go help his dad pack out an elk.  So Justin and Mark were gone all day and missed Thanksgiving :(  Mark guides hunts and his guy shot the elk on Thanksgiving, but it was too dark and late to pack it out, so they went back on Friday.  I got to sleep in and then I helped Linda get ready by vacuuming the whole house and helping with dinner preparations.  Poor Justin was so exhausted when they finally got back.  I'm glad Justin was able to help his dad, but I missed him!  We also had a talent show on Friday night and I played the guitar and sang. It was very scary and I was so nervous, but I did it!

Saturday morning we had a pheasant hunt! It was my very first pheasant hunt. It was so fun! I shot one! I wasn't very good because I would get too excited and forget to aim. haha I'm so silly. But I had so much fun and can't wait to go again!  We played some games and just hung out after the hunt. 

We left on Sunday and got to see Matt for about 30 min, but we got home pretty late, so our visit was cut a little short.  A great break and a wonderful time with family!

Here are some things I am especially grateful for this year (in no particular order):

- a loving, wonderful husband

- an amazing family

- the gospel, scriptures, the Atonement, a testimony

- a job that supports us and allows Justin to go to school

- an understanding and awesome boss

- a healthy body

- good doctors and antibiotics

- warm clothes (thermals and wild rags)

- a warm home

- cinnamon milk (it's very delicious)

- having the weekends off (for the most part)

- guns and shooting

- music

- chiropractors 

- blessings

- sleep

Justin wanted to add a few things:

- a wife

- family

- scriptures and prophets

- the gospel of Jesus Christ

- being blessed with the things that we need

- our opportunities 

- good health

- life

- hunting, fishing, elk, deer, and the outdoors

- engineers that make sweet archery equipment 

- the right to bear arms

- sports