Thankful for a great trip (and to be home again!)

We just returned home today after an extended (9 day) trip to Utah.  It was a lovely trip, and I am kicking myself now that I took so few photos while we were there.  I didn't get a single one of anyone on the Marchant side.  Dang it.  

This one was taken on our first or second day there.  My cousin, Shane; brother, Matt; and Ty played baseball and football outside for literally hours.  As in, about 4.  On one of my excursions outside to see what they were up to, I found them like this.  They were calling themselves the Rhino Brotherhood.  Weirdos.  :)

We had our big Thanksgiving meal at my parent's house.  There were something like 30 people there.  It was eclectic mix of family:  my own siblings (except Josh and his family), my Dad's mom, one of his brothers and his family (including married children), both of my mom's parents, several of my mom's sisters and there children, and even some of my sister's in-laws.  There were lots of family units represented, but it was a grand party!

We did a lot of just hanging out.  We spent a fair amount of time on board games, Biggest Loser, and books.  I read the Hunger Games trilogy.  My guys got in their fair share of Dr. Suess with Matt.

And, though I don't have a picture of it, I need to insert an unprecedented occurrence that happened at Adam's parent's house.  Every other Sunday night, my in-laws invite all their children and grandchildren over for Sunday dinner.  With 25 people to feed (excluding us, since we obviously don't get to make it all that often!), it's a big deal.  My mother-in-law does not do anything halfway,  so it's always an enormous feast with copious amounts of food.  Well, a few of us somehow convinced Rosemary that we should just have "Cereal Sunday," mainly so she wouldn't have to go through all the work of feeding all of us again right after Thanksgiving.  It took some intense persuasion, but she finally relented.  The idea was that each family would bring a couple boxes of cereal, and Rosemary would get a break.  It was a grand idea, really.  Until it backfired.  She supplemented our cereal with an enormous fruit platter, bagels, cream of wheat, pancakes, and both orange and cinnamon rolls.  So much for no work for Rosemary.  :)

Yesterday (was it really just yesterday?!) the boys and I were able to meet up with a former college roommate of mine and her kids.  We went to the Dinosaur Museum at Thanksgiving point.  The boys had a blast, and so did I, because I was able to catch up with my good friend while the kids played themselves out!

And last night my mom was attending a night class and my dad was teaching a night class, so we were left to our own devices for dinner.  Matt and Ty had a hot dog roast in the fire pit in my parent's backyard.

Notice how Matt plays so prominently in the majority of the pictures I took?  My boys adore him, that's why.

It was a really great trip, more so because we won't be there for Christmas, so we made the time count.  I'm already kind of missing it, but I am ready to be back into the schedule and routines of our lives here.  Next up?  Potty training.  I'm going to start tackling that one with McKay in the next couple of days.  Wish me luck--I have a feeling I might need it!