Thanksgiving Part 2

As I said in part one...my cousin Rebecca spent Thanksgiving with us.  We had so much fun. We reminisced about Thanksgivings we had spent together when our families lived in Kansas.  Right after the big dinner we had an impromptu photo shoot. You would think it would be bad timing since we were all so stuffed, but there was good lighting and that is all that mattered.

Luke, age 6.

 Three musketeers

 Okay, I am keeping this picture small...since it is so dorky.  But, I was trying to strike a pose like cjane does so well.  I guess I need more practice!

 Everyone dog pile on Uncle Michael! These guys were not into the photo shoot so much.

Heidi and I trying for a photo shoot and we can't stop laughing.  I don't think we were cut out to model. 

 Ryan and I have barely ANY pictures together since I am usually behind the camera.  Glad we finally have some!  The best part-like I said, impromptu, so no stress!

 Here is Pierson looking sweet and innocent.

Here he is looking not so innocent. He was having some fun with the markers while the adults were visiting downstairs.  

The three little girls. 

Annie with cousin Avery...they are about 6 months apart.

 

 Heidi (sister), Rebecca (cousin), and me (Natalie)

Rebecca took some shots of Heidi and I.  We called these our "book" poses.  If we decide to write a book we could use these as our photo.  Since I can barely whip out this Thanksgiving post a month later, I don't think I am going to be using my "book" pose anytime soon.

Here we are with our little brother, Michael.  This is the most serious picture we had.

Most of them were more like this.  I think it was all the food...we don't even need alcohol around here.  Just get a little too much food in our bellies and we go crazy.

Sophie is starting to walk!

 Cousin Chloe with Sophie

Enough of our photo shoot. I was REALLY tempted to put one in of Aunt Heidi and Uncle Travis that had us all laughing on the floor.  But, Heidi....I had mercy on you.

More cousins-Robin, Andrew, and their girls were also in the Phoenix area visiting family.  They were able to pop in and say hello!

 Chloe pampered us with Manicures. (Here with Rebecca)

Even though the weather was in the 70's...the pools are not heated.  The boys decided to brave the Arctic temperatures and jump in the pool.  Joshua tried to tell us it was just as cold as the rivers here in Idaho during the winter-not quite Joshua!  It still looked pretty cold though!

 They had a contest to see who could stay in the water the longest...I don't know who won. 

Throughout the trip we spent time in hotels in Utah, Arizona, and Nevada.  This is how the kids slept.  Don't feel too sorry for them, our bed a couple feet away was just as full!

 It is great that my family, and Ryan's family live right down the road from each other.  Joshua is the oldest cousin on Ryan's side of the family, and after 11 years of no cousins...we finally have two!  Little Amelia took right to Joshua and it was so cute to watch.

 I love watching Amelia run.  She has the littlest legs and they go so fast.

Amelia, James, Joshua, and Holden played a little football outside.

 Papa and Annie

 I was trying to get a picture of all three of the girls together, but the lighting was terrible and all the ones with Sophie were blurry...this is the best I have! 

After lots of fun in Arizona we made the LONG trip back home.  We stopped at the Hoover Dam on the way home.  It was really busy, but worth the stop!

 Did you know that the Hoover Dam was constructed during the Great Depression?

 Not only was the Dam interesting..but the scenery is amazing! Why is it that Joshua is always so happy to have his picture taken?  I think he and James had just gotten in a spat and James is not even in the picture.  He is hiding behind the wall in a restricted area.

 I guess this statue is mentioned in the Percy Jackson books...so my boys noticed it right away!

 Over 100 people lost their lives during the construction of the Dam.

 This is SOOOO steep it gave me the willies to take the picture.  One of my boys leaned RIGHT over the edge and that really gave me the willies. I hate heights.

We had a great week in the sun. The day after we came home we woke up to this-

I didn't mind though!  I love snow for the holidays!