It’s always interesting having in-laws: one side effect is the need to juggle holidays every year. This year happens to be the year Alex and Kaitlyn will be spending time with her family in southern Utah. We love her parents– they’re great people and we make efforts to visit them when we can. So, knowing we’d only be with Kyra and Zack this year, we made plans to head south and hang out at the Villa. Hannah is living there as well, which makes it even more of a party.
We had a few days and enjoyed time together. Zack introduced us to his clay. Let me explain: on a date a few weeks ago, he and his friend bought some modeling clay and made little figurines. Afterward he ordered a whole set of multi-colored clay, and broke it out when we were there. We spent hours making little things, joking and laughing and admiring each others’ work. Here’s Kyra working on her teeny pumpkin:
She later made Shaun the Sheep from the Wallace and Gromit series, which inspired Hannah to make Feathers McGraw. Both were outstanding.
In other news, Kaitlyn had given birth to our second grandchild, William, a few days earlier. We figured she’d want to rest, and so did she, so she and Alex had made plans to basically stay home during Thanksgiving. But the urge to be with family triumphed, and she headed down to visit her parents and siblings for a few days. On her way through town, she dropped in with little William. Here he is, watching his grandma.
Pepper kept exclaiming “Isn’t he the cutest thing ever?”
To our surprise and delight, Alex decided to hang out with us while Kaitlyn continued south to be with her family. That meant we were all together after all. And of course that meant plenty of board games and card games. Hannah even agreed to learn Sheephead:
I’m pretty sure she wanted to cry afterward. That’s just how Sheephead is. Strangely, my kids absolutely love the game, which continues the Schroeder family tradition and makes their grandparents very proud.
Kyra and Hannah planned and prepared the big feast (with help from the rest of us) and we really enjoyed the opportunity to be together and reflect on all our blessings. A Happy Thanksgiving indeed.