Thanksgiving 2023

 

On Thanksgiving Day ... Derek started up a family text thread requesting pictures. Ironically, Wendy didn't get around to sharing there, but she wins for the most Thanksgiving pictures! Cute ones too! So we'll start this blog post with a collage of lying in the leaves ... a great autumn tradition!

Great photo of Scott's family ... if you look, you can see "Mom and Dad's" Havenmoor House bones there, but S&A have made it their own, and it looks great! The dining room was the location of the Thanksgiving feast. Christmas tree is up there in the background. 

... and putting together a puzzle before the Thanksgiving meal.

Chris's crew had an early Thanksgiving meal on Sunday (Nov19) and invited Mom&Dad to join them there. Then Chris and Kim took off for a hiking trip, spending the Thanksgiving holiday at the Glen Canyon Dam. 

In addition to the fun leaf pictures, 

Wendy created a collage of their mealtime gathering.

Looks like they got the complete crew, sans Jaiden (on her mission in Mongolia).  Wendy did a complete write-up on her family blog, so read all about it HERE. 

Meanwhile ... there was a gathering in West Jordan.

The Blackham family hosted and had the folks over, and Gray's two sisters and two nephews. It was a fairly full house. One turkey smoked, one oven-roasted, a honey-baked ham, mashed taters and gravy, stuffing, rolls (orange rolls, dinner rolls and Brazilian Cheese rolls), basil carrots, corn, jello cubes, a cheese ball and crackers ... lots of desserts too, including the annual "turkey cookies" and Grandma Norman's Cool Whip Dessert (one pan made with a gluten-free crust for Grandpa). Everyone got sent home with some leftovers. 

Shane and Alicia dined with the Greens, then hopped on a plane for some Thanksgiving travel.

... and the photo that started it all ...

What a cute crew!

Grateful that Derek thought to start a family text requesting photos ... and that we got pictures from everyone! Fun to see how each family celebrates, what groups gather and where, what everyone eats. 2023 preserved in pictures here on the blog, and in the family Dropbox.

Check out some past Thanksgiving celebrations that made it onto the blog ... happy to have another post to add to our THANKSGIVING tag ...

• Thanksgiving 2014  - A Westra Thanksgiving
• Turkey Time - A look at some turkey stuff (not stuffing)

As the first picture in the post was of leaves ... check out the Lots of Leaves post with more Westra leaf pictures over the years. The September 2022 calendar page also showcased some leaves and fall fun.  You can see more autumn colors on the Blackham Blog (2014, 2022).

Thanksgiving is the "due date" for the photos for the family calendar. Work on it is getting started so that it will be ready for Christmas. There have been some lovely leaf photos shared ... this post might need to be updated with more leaf pictures from 2023. 

If it's not too late (there has been some snow) ... take some leaf pictures!

Turkey Time!

It's almost Thanksgiving! Looking though old Westra memorabilia, a cute little poem about a Thanksgiving turkey was uncovered (see it below). It was in a box of "Family Artwork" that Jen took for scanning or photographing for the blog/Dropbox. There is a Blackham Box of kid's artwork too, and saved in it, were several samples of creative turkey creations through the years. And then in Jen's art folder, there was a turkey saved in it! Can you guess which one is hers? Do we have any additional craft turkeys from other grandkids (couldn't find any others from the original Westra Six). Who has now been inspired to make some creative turkey crafts this holiday? *Ü*

Not an original poem, the kids copied it to practice handwriting. 

This was in Chris's folder. No date, but likely 2nd grade/1973 based on a similar sample.

Not a paper craft ... but Jen makes turkey cookies every year!

 

Thanksgiving 2014

 

Scott doesn't write family emails often, but when he does, they are always enjoyable. The invitation to Thanksgiving November of 2014 was no exception:

Family:

We have invited mom and dad to our home for Thanksgiving dinner. You and any of your families are also welcome to come. We aren't sure of the time yet but probably in the afternoon. Pilgrim, Indian or football attire is optional but welcome.

We regret that due to liability and health reasons, the previously contemplated "Turkey Bowl" will not take place this year.. However, we will provide a (totally optional) leaf raking activity prior to dinner for those who want to burn off some calories prior to or after feasting. We promise to have football playing on one TV with Pocahontas and Pocahontas 2, alternating on the other.

We understand you have other [less fun and attractive] relations that you have to keep happy and will certainly understand if you cannot attend. However, please let us know either way by November 19th. You can still show up on Thanksgiving but those who have not met the RSVP deadline may be eating frozen pizza.

Thankfully yours,

Scott and Amy

Shane's reply kept up the fun...

Dear Scott - We appreciate the offer, and after much deliberation, we would like to RSVP in the affirmative; at least until a better offer comes along. As it would be rude to come empty-handed, we will gladly bring three whiny children. We will also contribute to the caloric intake by bringing some dessert, namely two or three pies in any of the following varieties: Apple, Pumpkin, Peach-Blueberry, Cow, and Chart. A gluten-free dessert will also be provided, in the form of leftover Halloween Smarties ®. Best regards, Shane and family.

Shane and Alicia and their three kids DID attend, so I guess no better offers came along ;) Chris and Kim and the three youngest Westra kids also attended, so it was a pretty full Westra group gathering, and there were even photos taken to preserve the memory. Yeah! Mom wrote in an email afterward:

We had a delightful time at Scott and Amy's. Dinner was delicious! We all enjoyed visiting with family. The cousins had lots of fun together. Chris and Kim brought lots of bottles of Martinelli's sparkling cider--a Taylor tradition. Some of us went for a walk after dinner to try to make room for pie! Shane & Alicia made 4 different kinds of pie, plus a gluten-free chocolate cake, and some gingersnaps. We were too stuffed to do them justice, but will enjoy some leftovers today! Amy and clan had made homemade rolls and homemade cranberry sauce, plus all the other yummy foods! We appreciate their hosting the event--it is always a big undertaking! Shane & Alicia and kids headed off to Midway for an overnighter. That is their new Thanksgiving tradition. This is their 3rd year.

Chris wrote ...

Kim and I took Corin, Camden, and Cayson to Scott and Amy's house in Draper and were joined by Mom and Dad and Shane and Alicia and their family. We had a great meal and then just sat and visited, and the cousins had fun playing outside and all around the house. I got to wrestle with Calder - that boy laughs more than any kid I know.