Colorado Pitchforths: Thanksgiving 2010

This says it all. 27 people. Here. Eating. Sleeping. Playing. Loving it.

It is a tradition in our family to have Thanksgiving with the Schwabs and every other year we travel there or they come here. Our families just fit together- which is a great and crazy thing. What an amazing time this Thanksgiving was. Grandma Shirley, The Schwabs, Nate Jensen, and us. It was party city. This year, imagine 11 males between ages 14 and 51 and remember the adage, "one boy-one brain. Two boys-half a brain. Three boys-no brain." I wish I'd have taken a picture of the bachelor pad. Preston (23) Jeremy (22) Nate (20) Spencer (18) Talon (18) slept in a the smallest room in the house. They called it 'hot dogging it' as the air mattresses needed to fold up on either side when they slept to make room for everyone. Thankfully they chose to do it of their own freewill and choice. Thankfully they had a window open.

We played volleyball at the church most evenings from Tuesday-Saturday. This year saw Cameron (15) and Tanner (14) step up and hold their own on the court with the big boys and girls. It was great fun and the trash talking was priceless. Turkey Day morning football games- with no appearance this year by 'Singlet Man" aka Jeremy. Thanksgiving was full of good food, fun and most importantly...naps. Black Friday started at 3 am with Gma and Heidi, who were followed out by Jamie and Tyler and Jeremy at 4am. We also visited Lafayette pool which is hands down our most favorite pool in the Denver area. Lazy river with dunking duels and wrestling matches, back to back to back to back runs down the big slide, keep away, diving boards contests with a special appearance by 'Speedo Man" aka Spencer, basketball, hot tub and steam room made for an amazing afternoon.

Friday family photo which has to last for the next 3 years

Saturday morning we went to the temple with a fun family group. It was great that Gma was able to be here as the Jensen family who came in on Friday. Then some went out to eat and others came home. Schwabs went to Casa Bonita. Becca kept telling the kids, "We're going for the experience, not the food." Afterward, Ron's tongue and cheek comment "I love spending $120.00 for crappy food." was priceless. THat evening we had an Open House for Jamie. So many friends and neighbors came and showed their support for her mission- some in the most incredible ways.

Sunday was her farewell in the Thornton ward. Brother Crowe spoke with her and he gave a great talk and probably spoke more admiringly of Jamie than a family member would have felt comfortable doing. Kudos to him. Jamie gave a great talk on the doctrine of inclusion. She spoke with the spirit and was direct, yet loving. A member of the stake presidency then spoke on how Jamie wasn't required to go on a mission, but every worthy young man was required to do so. It was a great Sunday to be in church. Our party filled up 3rows and this is why.