this holiday hasn’t typically ranked very high on my list of favorites, but something was different this year. maybe it was the cool air and snow outside that actually made it feel more like the holidays. maybe it was being able to actually take a few days off and enjoy my family…stress-free. maybe it was the quality time that we actually spent together because it was just us this year.
i’m sure it was a combination of all of these things and more. but regardless of what it was that made it the best, i know i will never forget it…
Stephen and i arrived at my parent’s cabin in Lake Arrowhead on Wednesday night. we got a later start than we had hoped for. when we got up to Lake Arrowhead the temperature had already dropped to 26 degrees. there is a very steep road that goes to the cabin and we weren’t sure if we were going to be able to make it with all of the ice. i think i was stressing Stephen out by asking him repeatedly “are you sure you can make it down the hill?” because he nicely asked if i wanted to take the dog and get out of the car…you know, just in case something happened. i definitely felt more in control this way, so that worked for me. i walked ahead, testing the road for ice and letting him know which areas to avoid. and my dad and brother were at the end of the road, attempting to shovel the ice so that we could pull into the driveway.
we made it and were so thankful to get inside the warm house! we got settled and enjoyed dinner together. and then the fun began…literally 3 days straight of playing games =)
Yahtzee, Hearts, Poker, Charades, Uno & even new versions of Solitaire. we used to have family game nights all of the time when i was little, but now it’s mostly going to see movies, with the occasional poker game at family get togethers. so this was great for a change.
we laughed so hard during this game of charades…
we cooked together (& cleaned together).
we even shoveled snow together! Chandler really wanted to help…
even the dogs had a good time (that’s just speculation, of course)…
i lost some money…but then i won it back =) if you meet my family, one of the first things you’ll learn about them is that nothing is much fun unless there’s betting involved. my dad has been known to pay my brother $20 to walk up to someone at a restaurant and pretend like he knows them. that’s my dad’s idea of entertainment! (well, that and making faces at my mom when i’m taking her photo)
needless to say, every game we played involved betting. to the point where i bet them that they couldn’t go one night without betting. they lost. i almost felt like i was in Vegas, except for the fact that i played with the same $10 the entire weekend.
Thanksgiving night was great. my mom and i prepared all of the food, and we did the traditional going around the table and saying what we were thankful for. but that was different this year too. everyone’s responses were more heartfelt and meaningful. and, yes, there were even tears =)
i am so thankful for my wonderful husband, my adorable puppy, my amazing family and my renewed love for Thanksgiving itself.
i hope you all had a wonderful time with your families and loved ones!
happy monday!
xoxo
jess
Thanks jess for sharing your thanksgiving fun! It made me laugh with your stories and pictures 🙂
Glad you all had a great time.
thanks, Cyndi! yah poor nik was there but i had no photos of her…none that she would approve of anyway! hope you had a great Thanksgiving =)
Jess, what a wonderful tribute to your family – in words and great photos! Looked like a blast!
(are you sure you don’t have some single male relative you can hook me up with?)
Sounds like you all had a wonderful time. Called your parents house Thanksgiving Day and then realized when I got voice mail that you were all probably at the cabin…..
I still haven’t been able to get up there on my trips home to see the cabin and area…..maybe soon
@Debbie you definitely have to come up there sometime! it’s beautiful!
@Nancy haha! you crack me up! unfortunately, i don’t =( some single women, but not men…lol