We made our fourth annual pilgrimage to Wisconsin to celebrate an American Thanksgiving.
Do we look like we're having fun? Because it's totally fun driving for two days, listening to the news of yet another sexual allegation against someone in government or media, passing Sunday drivers (on Monday) on a two lane highway, and looking forward to the sweet relief of a Tim Horton's stop. Seriously, I have a love/hate relationship with these trips. I am however very grateful that we are close enough to even make the drive. Timmies is a perk.
Since we've been making this tradition to meet up with Will at my Mom and Dad's to celebrate Thanksgiving together, there are a multitude of expectations and family traditions that some of us look forward to more than others. They include but are not limited to:
Our initial arrival to Grandma and Grandpa's house where they welcome us into their home and serve us a meal as we await the coming of my mom and Will. It's a lovely time to catch up with my sweet grandparents and play a game of hand and foot.
The car lights flashing into the living room that alert us to the coming of Oma and Will! Why does he keep getting taller?!
Racing home to catch the finale and final results of Dancing with the Stars.
Wednesday prep day. Ladies in the kitchen, men at the hardware store (or wherever they go).
Wednesday night Thanksgiving church service. Opa meets us there having come from deer camp.
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| A Halloween to remember! |
This year includes a visit from my sister and her husband from England! They're at the home waiting when we return from church.
Thursday arrives! Skype call to German family in the morning, taking turns in the bathroom to get ready, finishing up the cooking and smelling the turkey while the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade plays in the background.
Big afternoon meal where we pretty much stuff ourselves. After cleaning up, we start some card games. Grazing for an evening meal coincides with the annual viewing of A Muppet Christmas Carol - the best Christmas movie in the world. We sit around the TV and laugh as if we hadn't all seen it a million times already.
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| Time to eat! |
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| Pie, glorious pie |
Black Friday. Yes, we are those crazy people. Only we do it in the big city of Rhinelander so it's not so overwhelming. After a few years of practice, this year we were in and out of Kohls in an hour (which is very impressive if you saw the line snake through the department store). The ladies enjoy shopping the rest of the afternoon away and the guys head back to nap, drink, and do whatever it is they do.
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| The guys find a comfortable spot to wait in Kohls |
Friday night fish fry. We all meet back together for this blessed event. There's something about deep fried fish that warms the cockles of the heart!
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| Grandma and Grandpa |
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| Tom wears the fetching Christmas jacket he found at Kohls |
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| Sisters! |
Saturday bowling. Nothing like a little healthy competition among family:)
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| Big fun |
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| Opa wears the hat Zanna made for him |
Sunday church and goodbyes as we take Will back to school and spend the next few nights with Wayne's brother and sister-in-law.
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| Back to Prep |
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