Thanksgiving...

My in laws were all headed to their in laws homes for Thanksgiving dinner this year, so the Campbell's all decided to get together at our place for brunch after we extended the invitation. {I DO LOVE TO HOST!} Between all of the kids and the adults, we fed 25 people *-  well, actually just 24 because Atticus doesn't really count, but either way, it was A LOT of mouths to feed! Luckily all of the Campbell women pitched in with preparing food items... Linda made her cheesy eggs {the only kind of eggs my boys really care to eat}; Megan brought all of the beverages, including EGG NOG- the Campbell fave {I really don't understand WHAT it is about egg nog that makes Spencer's fam so obsessed!}; Laura prepared the fruit and Emily did what she does BEST and that is baking!  She baked some AMAZING pastries!  Of course, I couldn't eat them but they looked simply delish and everyone gobbled them up right away--- that's ALWAYS a good sign!  Mata {she's not a Campbell, but she might as well be- she's like another daughter to Les and Linda and she's been part of the family since before Spencer even existed- she even often babysat Spencer while he was just a babe} she brought a magnificent spread of muffin tops and pastries from Kneaders {oh how I wish I COULD eat gluten!  I KNOW I'd be a HUGE fan of Kneaders!}...  I prepared my chipotle, salt and vinegar roasted potatoes, a glazed ham and waffles.... it was a breakfast SMORGASBORD!!!

Spencer manned the waffle makers...

we had 3 going all at once to feed our hungry crowd!

We feasted and enjoyed GOOD company!

Above is Linda, with Emily and Emily's good friend Kris. 

Kris was visiting from California with her two children.

I've always heard so much about her--- it was nice to finally put a face to her and meet her!

Spencer's younger sister Megan,

is pregnant with her 1ST child---

she announced at brunch that they're expecting a BOY!!!

Ultimately this means that Les and Linda's grandsons out number their granddaughters 9-3!

Megan didn't just blurt out that they were having a boy;

no instead she and John (her husband) made these shirts that said:

"Team Campbell: 0

Team Carter: 1"

Which meant the granddaughter that Les and Linda were hoping for wasn't to be 

BUT

the grandson that the Carter's (John's parents) wanted was on its way!!!

The shirts were very, very clever, but of course

NO ONE understood them

and of course,

NO ONE paid ANY attention to the backs of the shirts

until I was standing directly behind Megan and saw THIS below!!!

"Well DUH!"  I said.  "It's a BOY!  They're going to have a boy!"  

Now as I come to think of it, I shouldn't have said anything... 

I probably ruined the surprise that they had in mind but the announcement was right there- 

staring me in the face--- I just blurted it out!

We're truly EXCITED they're having a boy!!!  

This means a buddy for Atticus!!!  

I know Megan is a little disappointed it's NOT a girl 

{trust me, I KNOW what that disappointment feels like} 

but BOYS really are 100 times better than girls!

 What else would these guys be doing on Thanksgiving Day, than watching FOOTBALL!

Mata rarely ever has any pictures taken of her- she says she doesn't like them... 

what ev!  She looks great!

The weather was actually pretty decent, so the kids all played outside after dining.

 Poor Co.  

He wanted to play football, but no one was interested at first...

But then grandma got out there and showed the kids how the game was played 

and then of course EVERYONE wanted to play!!

  Eli's going to make a great little running back someday!

Look at that arm and precision on Noah!

 He even follows thru!  

He'll make a great quarterback!!!...

 But NOT such a great receiver. LOL!

 

 We had a very MEMORABLE Thanksgiving INDEED!  I was beat after most of our guests left {Aunt Laura who was visiting from D.C. hung around till the evening}... we relaxed in the afternoon and we all napped.  I needed it... I'd only received about 3 hours of sleep the night before- I was dead tired!  I could have slept straight thru the night from nap time!  I even had to wake up all of the boys!!!  They were all sound asleep still by nearly 6 p.m. 

I was still going to make the traditional turkey Thanksgiving dinner, but then I reasoned with myself; we don't even really like turkey that much--- no one would even eat the stuffing except for Spencer; the boys hate green beans and salad- especially spinach; I'm really just fine WITHOUT pumpkin pie AND I was tired--- why go to all that work preparing the traditional meal when my boys were all still too young to appreciate it, SO, it came to me early that morning before Thanksgiving, while I slept:  I would make cheeseburgers, sweet potato fries and pumpkin pie {and peppermint, just because we LOVE peppermint ice cream} shakes!  It was as simple as that!  What's more American than hamburgers, fries and shakes?!  I know!!!  It was a fabulous idea... not one I'm going to keep and make a tradition out of, but it tasted delish and it was simple.  Besides, we RARELY EVER get to eat hamburgers- especially ones WITH buns!

I  enjoyed every minute of our Thanksgiving vacation.  Although Spencer and the boys had two extra days off than they normally would have had, it still felt too short.  We, or perhaps I should say "I", was busy practically every minute of it.  Wednesday evening friends of Spencer's, Jimmy and Shaun, came over to our house with their wives and children to talk while the kids played; Friday morning, I woke up at the butt crack of dawn to clean the house- top to bottom-- NOPE I didn't do ANY black Friday shopping!  Saturday morning, we woke up early to head down to Orem with the kids to watch the new Muppets movie--- following which we put up Christmas decorations and that same evening we drove up to Salt Lake to see the lights at Temple Square and Sunday we had church...  by Sunday evening, I was ready for another weekend or holiday to commence, so I could rest some on the couch like two below....

Oh and did I tell you the.bestest.surprise we received Thursday evening while Aunt Laura was here??? NO?!  Well, Mr. Bentley is NOW using the toilet.  Yep, that's right, he's still only 24 months old, but the kid decided completely on his own Thursday evening that he wanted to start using the toilet.  Aunt Laura didn't know he'd never used it before so when he mentioned it, she helped him sit on his potty chair... not a minute had passed and he'd gone potty!!!  I couldn't believe it, so about 10 minutes later when I asked Bentley if he needed to use the toilet he said sure and did his thing, AGAIN!!!  He did it shortly thereafter for Spencer too!  The following day he must had gone at least a thousand times with only one little tiny accident... either he has bladder problems because he goes so often OR he LOVES his reward: CANDY!  {I think it's probably the candy, NOT the bladder problem}.  Anyhow, he used the toilet pretty much all weekend--- with just that single accident under his belt... it was pretty impressive- a kid, let alone MY kid, potty training himself!  Um, SURE, yeah- okay... I was totally game for it especially since the 3 older boys were reluctant to learn.  Bentley's not completely out of diapers yet.  I've sort of slacked during this week getting him to the potty as often as he wants to go--- I'm usually busy changing a baby diaper, making a bottle or lunch or carpooling kiddos to and from school-- I really DO need to get busy and keep encouraging Bentley though so he doesn't loose the desire to go on the toilet himself.  It's just sort of difficult right now with Bentley's age- because while it's fab he wants to learn- he's still too small!  Even with steps he can't climb up on to the toilet seat or over his potty chair and he needs help undressing and he LOVES to stuff unnecessary HUGE wads of toilet paper down the toilet. UGH!  Anyhow--- it was great Thanksgiving!  I'm incredibly grateful for a number things- but most importantly, MY FAMILY!

Oh b.t.w. Did I forget to mention we also have all new sleeping arrangements for the boys?!  Yeah, we decided to change around their beds on Friday evening.  For now, Cohen is sleeping with Noah in Noah's room on the queen bed; Ian and Bentley are together in the bunk beds in Ian's room and Atticus finally got moved OUT of our Master walk in closet to the nursery- where he sleeps in the big crib all on his own, with no one to disturb him.  All I can say about the current sleeping arrangements is that they've been interesting and we're still trying to work out all the kinks so everyone can get back to getting the same amount of sleep they're used to always getting. Wish us luck!

* Actually we fed 26.  I nearly forgot that Laura's friend and his father stopped by towards the end of our brunch for breakfast!