Thanksgiving and the Plague

We planned on visiting family in Colorado this Thanksgiving. Sophie has a whole week off for Thanksgiving because that's the way we roll in our district.  We took off early Friday afternoon and drove two days because we were expecting some icy weather but made our way safely there despite the roads.  On the second day, Keri mentioned that she felt like she was getting a head cold.  Neal compassionately responded that she needed to put that thought out of her mind or she'd get sick.

We were happy to be with Neal's sister and brother in law, Kira and David.  We were just so happy to spend time with them, although they certainly went out of their way to make us feel well at home. We spent our time eating, talking, sight seeing, and playing games.  They introduced us to "sloppers" which is an open-face burger with green chili sauce smothering it.  Heaven. 

Aunt Kira arranged for the kids to ride some ponies while in CO.  Kira was there to witness Sophie's rejected pleas to ride the ponies when they visited on Labor Day and we were in the Fort Worth Stockyards.  Well, with the help of some co-worker's neighbor, the kids got their wish.  They loved it and did great.  Even Kira and Keri got up, er, with ease? to ride a horse.  Thanks, Aunt Kira, Keidra (co-worker friend), and John (horse owner)!

We also took off to Denver, a bit north of them, for an overnight stay.  We tried another restaurant there called Biker Jim's where we sampled a variety of gourmet hot dogs - elk, pheasant, rattlesnake, and for the holidays, reindeer! Then we were off to Hammond's Candy Factory for a tour and sampling.

That evening we joined family, Neal and Kira's maternal Aunt Royce and her husband Frank, and two of their kids, Waymon and Josh, with their loves, Elise and Morgan.  It was great to see everyone and catch up.  They are the sweetest people and funny too.  Sadly, this is where our great Thanksgiving getaway started taking a turn for the worse.  Neal had to cut dinner short to take Rhys back to the hotel.  He was running a fever and so miserable.

The next day, with Rhys doing better, we took off to Denver's Museum of Natural History and Science for a MythBusters exhibit we had bought tickets for.  That was a lot of fun.  It was pretty interactive which we all enjoyed.

 

 

We headed home and Sophie was the next victim of the short lived fever that evening.

But with her better, the next day we went down to the river and released Grandma Sue's ashes as a family.  Only, in our inexperience, we didn't release her in water that was moving swift enough so she, well, settled quite a bit.  And I know Grandma got a good laugh as the grandkids threw rocks at, um, her so they could displace her into the current a bit better. With that tender yet slightly awry moment behind us, we spent the day "in town" as Kira and David say. We hit a kitchen/restaurant supply store and got some odds and ends and then later yummy pizza.

Upon returning home, Keri learned that one should not go for a run at over 5000 ft. elevation after eating 3 large pieces of yummy pizza.  Ouch!  However, David learned that one looks like a buoyant  Olympic sprinter if you go for a jog with your sister in law from flat Texas after she has eaten 3 large pieces of yummy pizza.

That evening, Neal felt a bit off, took a bit of Ibuprophen, thinking his discomfort would end soon like the kids. Fast forward to 2 a.m. Thursday morning, Neal is vomiting nearly every hour on the hour.  That morning, the decision is made to move Thanksgiving to Friday, to see if Neal is doing better, since David and Kira had plans to try something new for Thanksgiving--goose.

So that day Kira and Keri entertained the kids at the park, paying them quarters to run.  That afternoon, Kira and David went to see Gravity while Keri and the kids viewed Disney's Frozen at the movie theater.  It was SO MUCH FUN watching my kids react to the movie.  Near the end of the movie some icy creation is made and above the mostly silent audience, our Rhys is heard proclaiming, "THAT IS BEAUTIFUL!"  So cute.

Immediately following, Keri entered the way too early abyss of Black Friday at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving and emerged triumphant with her rain check for the particular electronic we were waiting for.

Friday, Neal could stomach the smell of the cooking food, as he returned from a doctor appointment with a bottle of antibiotics and a diagnosis of an ear infection.  He barely ate and could taste nothing.  Keri and the kids, along with David and Kira enjoyed a very tasty bird with an amazing cherry sauce.  Good job, David! 

A goose with a head of a turkey!

Keri was a bit apprehensive regarding goose because she has tried duck twice and has not liked it AT ALL!  But the goose was good.

Tickle Time!

Keri had a blast playing Catch Phrase with Kira and David once the kids were in bed and between first and second desserts.  We had to play with 3 people but Neal would grunt an answer from the couch.  Poor soul.

The next day, Saturday, Keri drove approximately 13 hours to get us home.  The kids were champs! 

Neal woke on Sunday morning to a ruptured eardrum and spent some time in the ER.  With two brand new antibiotics he occupied the couch with a feverish Sophie and a runny nosed Rhys.  If only they had put those sickly thoughts out of their minds, perhaps Keri would not have been the sole one who unloaded, unpacked, and started to get the house back in working order. 

Did Thanksgiving stink? A little bit.  Did we still have a great time with Kira, David, and family? Yes! Will this make us even more grateful next Thanksgiving when we are all well (knock on wood)? Yes!  Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Healing!