Will any of you be here on Thanksgiving?

Myrna wrote: OK, I know who will not be here--Julie and family are going to Idaho; AnnMarie and family are going to St. George; Todd and family are in Ohio; Melanie, Howard and Mikaela are in Texas (if that is still a state and not a new country); Siovhan is still at her far-away job; David is on-call; and the rest of you we do not know about. 

Auntie Helen called and she, and her wonderful popcorn cake, will be here. 

In spite of my type 2 diabetes, we will have all the traditional dishes, including pie. I will have my own dishes--turkey, salad, vegetables and a baked sweet potato--but the rest of you can expect the same traditional meal we have always served, including stuffing and pie.

We love you and would appreciate knowing your plans.

Kirsten: Jared's parents are flying in tomorrow, so we will be here. Happy Thanksgiving to you all! Miss you all and love you all very much! Love, Kirsten

Melanie wrote: I do admit it feels weird not to be traveling to Ohio for Thanksgiving. I will miss being there, almost as much as I will miss not seeing Todd. :)

Todd wrote: Ah. She misses me. :)

Myrna wrote: We all do! This getting old is for the turkeys. I remember that my dad told me that.

Todd wrote: Yeah. Last year was my first year of odd. Told Amy we ought to just go out there for kicks and giggles. I know where there are a few places to eat dinner on Thanksgiving. I only hope hailey will remember those trips. Remember the year it snowed the whole time we were there? The kids rode the hill all morning long. 

Braden wrote: As you all may have seen in the news, Israel is suffering a great time. I write this so that you may all remember one of my dear friends who is serving in the Israeli Army. Her name is Ariel Bruce. Please keep her in your prayers over the next few days. Thanks to all!


Okay, just an update. My friend, Ariel, had actually been flown in to the U.S. and is currently in Boston for a surprise visit to her parents. She is safe and sound.

And sorry for all the emails, and the grammar that sometimes does not make sense. You can take Braden out a Spanish world, but you can't take Spanish out of Braden...


Myrna wrote: OK. It might be Auntie Helen and us and MAYBE David's kids, depending on whether Bree is still in the hospital or not.

Shawn wrote: We will be in Kaysville this year.  :(

Kirsten wrote: If no one is coming down you are always welcome to come here! I'll have lots of extra turkey including me! Love you lots

Myrna wrote: I'd need to bring Auntie. Maybe she would come. I haven't heard from Braden. 

I love my turkey girl. Happy Birthday! I hope you could read the card. Sometimes my pens smear. :)

Kirsten wrote: She'd be welcome, too!  I will let you know about the card.  Mail hasn't come yet today. :)

Braden wrote:  You are going to be in Kaysville?I think I should be okay to come down Wednesday night and help prepare for the whole next day. Just let me know what's going on with all the plans, okay?

Myrna wrote: I will not be in Kaysville at all, the Shawn Trauntvein family will be. It is going to be a small gathering at our house. You are invited and so is your roommate. We will be here and so will Auntie Helen and MAYBE David's kids.

Amy J. wrote: I am working but Eric and the kids will be there.

Myrna wrote: Thanks for all of the responses. I now know who will be here to celebrate with us and who will be celebrating elsewhere. Let's all have a great day. Thanksgiving is still one of my favorite holidays: food, family, fun. Of course, there is also gratitude, thankfulness and lots of good and happy memories.

One year for either Christmas or Thanksgiving, when Joey and Walter Olpin lived next door, they were our only guests besides our own small family. We crowded into our small kitchen, that was years and years before the addition was added, and ate, laughed and enjoyed a great meal. 

Most years, we traveled elsewhere. I don't know why it was that we stayed home that year. It was most unusual but it was fun. Perhaps all of our usual haunts had other plans. Strange that I do not remember why we were at home. It must have been Christmas. We usually stayed home Christmas Day after all of the children started to have lots of gifts to pack around. We would sometimes have family come to our home for dinner and sometimes not. 

We always had Auntie Helen's Christmas party in early December and met together as a big family then. We also, at some point, visited in Kenilworth, Price and Huntington. There we exchanged gifts prior to Christmas and were fed great meals. These are all good memories to warm my old age.

Oh, wait, I am old. Well, they warm my memories now and, perhaps, someday I will actually remember whether it was Christmas or Thanksgiving that we hosted the Olpin neighbors.

OK, Braden is coming on Wednesday, right? Am's youngest will spend her workday here and will travel on to St. George that evening. Bree is home from the hospital and none of them will be here. Amy J. is working but the rest of Eric's family will be here. Auntie Helen will be here. Is that all right? Three cheers for Thanksgiving. It is still a favorite holiday of mine--good food, great family, and lots of blessings to recall.