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After leaving New Mexico, we traveled on to Arizona. We made a couple of stops just to feed Tommy, so the boys got to explore some interesting Arizona highway roadside shoulders. It was a lovely drive and we watched our dashboard outdoor thermostat rise bit by bit as we headed south. I'm skipping ahead a bit, but I have one more post coming up that will have non-Thanksgiving Day pictures. Here are the pictures from Turkey Day! I mentioned in the post from Adam's family reunion this summer that it was wonderful being a part of such a big family, as my side of the family is rather small. Not that our little family gatherings aren't wonderful too! But after this past week, I realize how wrong I was!

The Arizona idea came about when I told my mom that we wouldn't be able to make it to either Washington or California for Thanksgiving this year (we do an every-other-year thing with our two families), as the drive is too far for just one week and we just can't afford to fly everyone. So my mom suggested meeting somewhere closer that didn't take as long to drive, somewhere that our California family might want to go. Hmmm...where to go, where to go? How about Arizona?! That's it! Once we got the Cali family approval for the location, we realized that we had family in Arizona and if we could crash their Thanksgiving it would be so fun!

Here's a bit of family history: My dad's cousin, Dorothy, and her husband and two children all live there in Arizona. Dorothy and my dad both grew up in Hawaii, their mothers are sisters, and Dorothy and her brother spent many summers as pseudo-siblings to my Dad and his sister, practically living at their house. While my Dad's family moved to California when he was in high school, Dorothy's family stayed in Hawaii. She and her husband, Brent, raised their children there, and only recently moved to Arizona when it was certain that both their children, Britt and Jared, would be settling there with their families. On my side of the family, they are my only LDS relatives. Adam and I joked that this was the first "McKenzie-side" Thanksgiving where we wouldn't be the only ones toasting with sparkling apple cider!

We stayed in Gilbert, where Britt, her husband, Brock, and their six kids live, as well as Dorothy and Brent. Jared and his wife, Jen, and their four kids live out past Scottsdale. It was at their awesome house that we celebrated Thanksgiving. Our family from Cali also flew in: Uncle Steve and Auntie Cathy (my Uncle Steve is my Dad's brother-in-law, my Aunt Marianne passed away when I was 12, and Cathy is his wonderful wife), Cathy's daughter Brooke (who looks so much like my sister and I that people often think she is our sister too), my cousin JJ, her husband, Tim, and their two adorable kiddos, Miller (3) and Lincoln (11 months). Add to that the relatives and friends from our Arizona family that were in attendance and we had a party of 44 at Thanksgiving dinner! My side of the family is not so small after all!

What a Thanksgiving! There were so many kids running around and such wonderful people to talk with. It is amazing that when you know someone is "family" the relationships build so quickly. It never felt like we were newcomers to the group, we were accepted, loved and welcomed with open arms. I relished every minute, sometimes just sitting back to watch it all take place (one of the nice things about a nursing baby is you have plenty of moments where you just have to pause and watch the world around you!).

On to the pictures, then....

Eating a bite of lunch at Jared's house before the big feast!

Jared has started a skateboard company called Hobo, so of course he has to have a half-pipe in his back yard! The kids thought it was the coolest thing ever, even though my cautious kids didn't want to ride up it very high (which I was just fine with, as we had no helmets). But we got to see some of the cousins do their thing, and it was awesome. And the boys enjoyed running up it and sliding down...and the holes in the backside of their shorts prove it! My boys are desperate to move to Arizona now, just so they can have a half-pipe and a pool...or at least use Uncle Jared's!

Just to be clear, this photo portrays exactly how far Adam rode on the half pipe...notice his foot is still on the ground? He didn't leave the side, but it looks good right?!

Here's Ben cannonballing into the 85 degree pool. What a way to work up an appetite for Turkey dinner!

Josh actually started swimming while we were there! He's had lessons and loves being in the water, but hasn't really gone very far from the sides before, but he seemed to suddenly get the concept of real swimming while we were in Arizona. He still looks a bit like he is drowning the entire time, but he can keep his head up and move around in the water now.

Here's my cousin Brooke (the one who looks like my sister) with Tommy.

And Adam, Tommy and my cousin JJ.

JJ, Brooke and Auntie Cathy. I can't remember exactly what was funny, I think someone behind me pretending to try to get them to smile like we had done for the kids the entire week. But I love the joy in this picture! There was a lot of joy the whole week!

My sister and I hanging out by the pool.

Me, Jared, Adam and Tommy.

Thanksgiving kisses. Happy first Thanksgiving, Tommy! Dorothy and Brent, carving up the Turkey!

Most of the group, getting ready to bless the food. Uncle Steve and Auntie Cathy in grandparent heaven with Lincoln.
Family. Feasting. Fun. Thankful. After dinner, as was appropriate for a family that is rooted in Hawaii, we received hula instructions from Jessica, Brent and Doroty's niece. I am ashamed to say that the roots don't go deep enough for me...I'm TERRIBLE at the hula!

The guys had to shake their groove thing too. Adam was way better! Good people. Good food. Good feelings. Good times. It was a very good Thanksgiving.