Cabin Thanksgiving

Manwill-Porter girls: (Clockwise from top right corner) Grandma Teri Porter, Aunt Niki Porter, Miss V, me (Nicole), and Great-Grandma Glenna Manwill

Grandma and Grandpa Porter finished their cabin home, and invited us for the home's first Thanksgiving. We loved staying with them, eating lots of delicious food, and awing at Great-Grandma Manwill's family history trivia knowledge (both her own family and her in-laws).

 Before getting "regular" furniture, Grandma and Grandpa let us use the porch swing inside, and I and the kids couldn't be happier about it. Zak is glad he didn't have to scale the house like at their Utah County house to put up Christmas lights. The kids helped Niki do an initial Christmas tree decoration, and then Niki perfected it. Uncle Cohen and Aunt Niki helped so much with the kids, so I got a break, too. My in-laws are so above and beyond hospitable, they stay in the camper trailer and let us take over their master bedroom. 

Grandma helped me add photos to some 

of the pages on familysearch.org

Drawing by a relative of the family property where Great-Grandma Manwill's house 

now stands (previously owned by her grandparents)

Niki and Grandma signing a song as they walk from 

Great-Grandma's house back to the cabin

Visiting with Brytan, Darin, and their doggie

Aunt Tiff and Uncle Ryan

Love this!

Mr C playing with Daddy. Daddy always makes us laugh.

Thanksgiving Meal 2013

This Thanksgiving we met up with the Johnsons for some delicious food and baby spoiling. We were not disappointed. I did miss writing on the Thanksgiving tablecloth, which Zak's family introduced to me, but I think I'll just write V's name in big letters next year. She's growing so fast.

Giving Thanks 2012

Thanksgiving week heaped up blessings for my family on both sides. Zak and I visited his family while celebrating the wedding, and then went back home where they joined us for the Thanksgiving meal. We found out one of my cousins had a baby, and another just got engaged. Add that to our sister's mission call to Ohio(!), and it's been quite eventful.

Since Zak and I have been married, we've always stayed at his parents' house, had Thanksgiving lunch with his immediate family, and then driven to my Grandma's house for Thanksgiving dinner with the extended family. Because we're so close to paying off our student loans and other debts, we decided that this year we'd just stay home and travel around Christmas time. His parents offered to drive up to us on Thanksgiving so we could still celebrate together.

Mom and I made food assignments, so I found recipes on Pinterest and gathered the ingredients on Monday before we left. Thanks thepioneerwoman.com. We got back late Tuesday night, and then I worked about ten hours on Wednesday, so I didn't have much time to bake the food beforehand. That morning, Niki helped make a salad, Zak set the alarm so he could get the turkey in the oven early enough, I prepared the potatoes and sweet potatoes for baking, and Mom organized the half of our meal which she brought, fit for royalty.

At Mom and Dad Porter's house, we get to write in permanent marker on the Thanksgiving tablecloth each year, listing blessings for which we are grateful. I love it! Zak and I pulled out a tablecloth I had already ruined with a bleach spot, and everyone wrote messages of gratitude.

Grandma's and Grandpa's babies.

My in-laws are so sweet, they left us with all of the leftovers, so I, rejoicing, didn't have to make dinner for a week. I'm grateful that we have a holiday all about eating food, spending time with family, and remembering blessings.

Delicious, Creamy Mashed Potatoes, thepioneerwoman.com

Soul Sweet 'Taters, thepioneerwoman.com

Thanksgiving Tablecloth, est. 2012