A Too-Short, Long Weekend

This Thanksgiving was wonderful. Not only did I get to see family that I rarely see, but I spent time with friends that may as well be family.

I've alluded to Friendsgiving in the past few posts, and this one did not disappoint. It was my second year to be invited, and the food and company is always top notch.We gorged, played a fun candle game, and talked until the cows came home.

Love these girls!

On Wednesday, my grandparents arrived in Abilene, followed quickly by my older brother and then my mom's brother and his family. The house was full, and not just because my cousins all stand above 6'2''. Then my mom's sister and her husband came bearing delicious BBQ from Smitty's Market in Lockhart, TX, which is conveniently on the way from their house in Victoria. We ate heartily, and I knew it was going to be a weekend of full tummies. (Spoiler: I wasn't wrong.)

Thanksgiving Thursday, we woke to a beautiful, warm day... and a sick grandfather :(. While he recovered in bed (and recover he did), we went off to the country club for our Thanksgiving dinner, sorry he wasn't with us. My mom decided that she wasn't going to cook this year because, let's be real, there were 16 of us and the women always end up in the kitchen all day. That dog won't hunt anymore. The country club did an okay job, though their desserts were a bit disappointing.

We spent the rest of the day in front of football or outside enjoying the nice weather. Friday, I had to work at the store, but got to spend the morning with everyone before my uncle and cousins left for their lease to hunt. Then we were joined by my mom's other brother, his wife and daughter.

On Saturday, my uncle wanted to go buy a gun, obvs, so we went out to Dyess because the PX (is that the correct term? I get so confused.) was having a special on them. #thisistexas. I'm always amazed when I go out to that base. It's a world so unfamiliar and fascinating to me: a community of its own dedicated to the people that serve our country. Old jets and planes line the main entry road, and my dad could literally name all of them, about 20 or so, and tell you what they were used for. It was impressive. His and my brother's knowledge of airplanes surpasses everything I could probably ever know about anything else in the world, and I have no idea where all the information came from. So I just kind of sit back in awe.

After the gun-buying, and another afternoon of football, we went downtown to Fat Boss's to watch, yup, more football. A few glasses of wine and some fried goods always goes down smooth when family is around, and I loved spending time with them.

My Sunday was spent recovering from the long weekend of food and wine. I felt like a fat cat after a big meal, perfectly content to just lie on the couch and doze, and happy to think about the previous few days where nothing but family and fellowship was forefront on my mind. When is the next get-together?

Nothing better.

I'm serious, you guys. And you always gotta check out the binocs while you're there.

Can you imagine cooking for this many people? Naw.
Also, my babiest little cousin Jake--who is currently a foot taller than I am--got cut off :(