Thanksgiving Weekend 2011

Thanksgiving in Bend--Grandpa preparing a feast for the chickens!

Thanksgiving morning--a 5K. Zachary came in 3rd.

Jason was 6th. Most of us walked the 2K!

The race/walk was called "I like pie" and everyone brought one.

Michael and Jessica at the finish of the 5K.

Neil & Zachary at the finish. Neil ran a 10K.

Thanksgiving dinner was yummy.

Jonathan's pies were great.

At the High Desert Museum. (The girl who looks like a grown up Kate is Jason's girlfriend, Justine.)

Erik and Gideon in the eagle's next.

Gideon was fascinated with the cloth turtle.

Curtis wanted to pet the snowy owl.

We went to Erik's ordination to the Priesthood on the way home.

Meeting relatives

Albert Olsen had a little brother named Herman who moved to California, married a Baptist and raised his family there. Now his grandson, Paul, recently joined the church, after marrying a delightful Latter-day Saint named Elizabeth. Paul recently went to the temple and is excited about being a member of the Church. They looked us up and we invited them to supper. They are up here from California (where he owns a successful landscaping business in Visalia) looking for property to buy for the time of year when he is bothered by a walnut tree mold. He has what's called Valley Fever caused by it, which can be pretty serious. Have you heard of it, Neil? Evidently it's limited to California and Arizona.

It was fun to get acquainted. They just sent their youngest son, David, to the MTC. He's going to serve in Colorado. A son-in-law runs for Nike at Arizona State. He's working to qualify for the Olympics. Interesting family. They wanted to know all about our kids too and it was easy to introduce you to them by using the family pictures.

Trip to Bend

We took Jessica and Michael and headed over the mountains to Bend. It was the high school production of "Little Women: the Musical." Jason played the part of Braxton, a villain in one of Jo's stories. He had both singing and speaking lines and did a great job. He was the tallest one on stage! He got to "die" on stage, but not before he slung "the girl" over his shoulders and carried her offstage. It looked to me like he was having a great time! The music was catchy and energetic. The girl who played Jo was an especially good singer.

We had a yummy meatloaf with venison and sausage in it and later Sheryl and Eldon made a Crisp that was delicious. I'll include the recipe:

6 c. sliced fruit in 9x12 pan
Mix with pastry knife:
3/4 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. butter
1/3 c. flour
1 1/2 c. oatmeal
1 T. cinnamon
1 t. salt

Sprinkle on top of fruit and bake at 375 for 30 min.

Sunday morning there was snow falling lightly and a visitor in the backyard!

We enjoyed their church. Jonathan, Michael, and Jason all bore their testimonies.

Then we drove home in separate vehicles because Jonathan got the Brewsters' car fixed. Michael got word on the road that he has a job at the Park Place Care Center being a caregiver on the night shift. He'll be a kind and patient caregiver.