Oh, it is so late, but I've just got to get a letter off tonight. It's been too long.
Our Thanksgiving week was so great! The boys had school on Monday and Tuesday. I wish we could have two-day school weeks every week. :-) On Wednesday afternoon Christian and Abraham flew in to Austin. We had the best time with those two boys. Here are some highlights:
Christian's Hanukkah candle-lighting every night. We tried in vain to find a place selling menorahs at 5:30 PM the night before Thanksgiving, but strangely didn't find one! Instead we went to Walmart and Christian came up with a very beautiful non-traditional menorah which we lighted to Christian's Hebrew singing every night. I loved seeing my boys take turns donning the yarmulke that Christian made, to light the candles. On Wednesday evening Christian made latkes (potato pancakes), and a delicious Israeli salad with tomatoes and cucumbers. At night we played a rousing game of "Would You Rather," and ate my failed attempt at donuts-- converted into scones when I couldn't find the cord to my fryer. I hate losing things.
Thursday was full of cooking and eating. I did most of the cooking, with my family keeping me company in the kitchen and cleaning up after me. Abraham did the honors with the turkey, however, and it turned out great. Deborah Johnson came for dinner and we had awesome conversation and way too much food. After dinner, I looked at the leftovers and thought we'd be eating Thanksgiving dinner for a week afterward. However, in some opposite-of-Hanukkah-miracle, we polished off nearly everything by the next night, and the last piece of the SIX pies I made (six pies for 8 people-- do the math on how much pie we all ate) was consumed tonight. It sure helps to have two extra grown men to help finish off Thanksgiving leftovers. :-) Thursday night we watched Avatar before finally waddling off to bed.
Friday everyone slept in and had a slow morning. In the afternoon we went to Ladybird Lake and went kayaking. We went almost all the way downtown before turning back. It was perfect-- cool, overcast weather, very few people out on the water. Abraham and Joseph an Christian and Brigham doubled up in double-kayaks and Ben and I and Mosey were in a triple. Every time we go down there we wonder why we don't do it more often. Back and home we ate Thanksgiving leftovers and then went to see Catching Fire. SO GOOD!
Saturday was another sleep-in day. Abraham played through much of our piano songbooks helping to figure out what might be good spring recital pieces. In the afternoon we went down to the boulder park and climbed around on the boulders and up on the limestone cliffs. I didn't bring my camera and was sorry for it. It was so much fun to see my boys hanging with their uncles. In the evening we went on a walk/jog/bikeride around the old golf course so that Christian could see some deer, of which there were many. Family walks with great conversations are among my most favorite things in life. Afterward Christian and I went to Rudy's to pick up some barbecue (because we really hadn't consumed enough calories in the past couple of days), and we watched World War Z (also very entertaining, but not on the same level as Catching Fire, I'd say).
Sunday morning came too soon and I dropped Abe and Christian off at the airport at 5:30 AM, after not enough sleep for either of them. I hope they slept on the plane.
We loved, loved, loved having Abe and Christian here. I wish they would both transfer to UT so they could live here. :-) I think my boys feel the same way.
Today marked the first day of our new church time-- I didn't write about this last week, did I? A new stake was made in Round Rock which necessitated some logistical changes, including putting another ward into our church building while a new building is under construction. THis means that for the next 13 months, our ward will be meeting from 2:30-5:30 PM. UGH. I know we will adapt, but UGH anyway. It was doubly too bad because today was Brigham and Mosey's winter orchestra concert, which Ben and Joseph would have been able to attend with our old meeting time. As it was, Brigham, Mosey, and I had to miss church entirely so that we could make it down to the concert hall by Mosey's call-time of 2:00. The concert didn't end until 5:30, so we got home right about the same time Ben was getting home from his after-church meetings. Joseph rode with another ward-member. Anyway, their concert was really good. It is amazing to hear what these kids can accomplish in so short a time. I sure wished Ben and Joseph could have come.
And that brings us up to date! Now, on to Christmas!
Love,
Gabrielle
