Family Reunion for Thanksgiving

It's been 12 years since my family was together as a whole, but here we are together again at Hilton Head Island, SC for this year's Thanksgiving.  My dad and Alison flew from Phoenix, AZ arriving on Sunday for the week.  Sandy and Chris flew from Seattle, WA arriving on Tuesday.  They will fly back Saturday morning.  Kirstie and a friend drove down from Reston, VA on Tuesday through a horrible rain storm, and our family (Mark, Betsy, Robert and Marissa) drove over all day Wednesday (we drove through snow, sleet, rain and miserable conditions while in the Appalacian Mountains) arriving in Sea Pines around 6:00 pm. 

 

It was great to be there!  Betsy is filled with aniticipation of a wonderful time together with her sisters and family.  She has dreamed of this time together and hopes and prays it goes well.  She loves her family so much and wishes they could grow close together - the way Mark's family is.

 

Since we drove all day we weren't very hungry but Garry and Alison wanted to walk over to the Crazy Crab for dinner (it's tradition with our family) however, with Kirstie's seafood allergy it is not the best place to go.  I guess Dad forgot about that, or something.  Kirstie was miserable - trying to avoid anything that could have fish oil on it - which is just about anything.  Everyone else is having a good time.  The high light of the dinner is that Chris ordered clam shells - we all watched in awe as he and Kirstie's friend Linda tried to eat these things.  What fun and excitement they brought to the table with each twist and turn of their knives. Kirstie survived but respectfully so, wasn't happy and was having some difficulty.  I wish that we could have gone to a steak house or something but we didn't.  Mark and I share a seafood platter, Robert gets pizza, and Marissa has macaroni and cheese.

time went by slowly (especially for Kirstie) but after the dinner we walked about the Harbor Point and enjoyed memories of times past and the sights and sounds of the evening. 

 

Back at the condo, we played cards, talked and attempted to make out a schedule for the next few days that we will be together.  A point of contention came up when Betsy asked about what we should wear for the family photo.  Kirstie went off - wow!  No need for that, but okay.  It's not a big deal, I just thought we could coordinate if, IF we each had coordinating clothes in our luggage, but if not - no big deal.  Everyone thinks I'm so uptight when really I'm just trying to be helpful.  I was just thinking of the whole effect.  Sure it's fine just to have us all together but it would be even that much nicer if we can coordinate it so that it looks like we planned it, so it can be framed and hang on our walls ... but hey, that's just me thinking way to much and trying way to hard.

 

The big thing was "Elimination!"  We tought Chris and Sandy how to play and they loved it.  We spent hours playing games with them. 

 

The next day we enjoyed breakfast together with everyone before Mark and I took the kids to the beach.  Dad and Alison came with us, but had to leave early. 

 

My dad told me that he fell from a ladder about 10 months ago and his back hasn't been the same.  At the time of the accident they said he fractured a vertebra but it appears that something more was injured because of the excess pain he is experiencing.  I felt so bad for him. I know the feeling of bad back pain.  It's terrible!  He couldn't stand - that was the worst.  Sitting makes him feel better.

 

 

After dinner

 At 12:00 I started the birds! YUM! We have two 9.5 pound turkeys, mashed potatoes, stuffing, waldorf salad, green beans with almonds, and buttered corn. With two condos, we cooked one bird in one oven and the other in the other condo's oven. It worked perfectly. For some reason we didn't do rolls, so that was nice - not having to adjust the oven for other items. I basted the birds ever 30 - 45 minutes.   It all should be done in 3 and a half hours.

 

At 2:00 we walked over the banyon tree for family photos.

 

 

 They were done in 3 and a half hours. Sandy cooked the stuffing, Kirstie did the salad with Alison, Alison made the potatoes and green beans, and I finished up the corn. It was perfect. Dinner was delicious.