and the turkey was good too...

I have this brother....

this one that's about to light a firecracker.  Yes that is a puppy on his back...He lives in London.  Has for many years now. 

Well this brother of mine does something spectacular every year.  Evey November he flies back to the States, California to be specific, and cooks for his family.

He flies 5456 miles, 11 hours in an airplane, just to spend a good majority of his time in the kitchen.  OK so maybe not all his time is there, but a good portion of it is.  Especially on Thanksgiving.  That's his joy, his day.  He does pretty much all the cooking.  The rest of the family literally become his sous chefs. 

Thanksgiving is the day all the siblings try to get together.  We literally take over my mother's house.  Stake claim to beds and bedrooms and stuff ourselves silly.  I probably need to go on a diet months before the 4-day weekend hits...as I get older the food doesn't seem to go anywhere but where it's NOT supposed to.

This year our brother and his wife managed to come together.  Finances being what they are it took many months of saving on their part to get this done.  My mother and entire family were utterly grateful to have them both here.

She's a cutie

and if you can mesh with this family...you're in!

We play games, watch videos until way too late, get goofy and laugh until most of us have tears down our cheeks.  We are lucky in that we all get along, still, pretty well.  Even though we have all gone through or are going through struggles; my siblings seem to generally support one another.  Even to the point of getting in each other's faces when needed.  Ultimately though there is respect and love.  In our family, if one is off we all get involved.

OK, it was crazy at times...loud for sure...but my mom had her six children under one roof.  Plus the in-laws and grandchildren.  I can only imagine, since my four are still too young to think about them not living with me, that she must have been gushing at the seams.

It's a few days of Risk, as it is a favorite pass time here.  Next year I hope to change that up a bit with a game of Axis and Allies Europe 1940.

Think they'll go for it?

My hubby and I on Thanksgiving morning.  He gets excited over the day of non stop action...it shows on his face right?  I on the other hand look tired and the day had just started.

Oh and yes, the food?  It was good...

There is a lot of down time while we wait for this bird to cook

My sister and her son....Lucy on the right

It's amazing how many people we cram into a single space

So while we wait for our winged friend there is a voyage to the nearest field

Where we find leaves along the way to toss

Where the kids play

and others

shoot rockets

I sometimes can't tell the kids apart from the dads....

They are running for their lives

no just kidding

They are running to catch their rockets...I think someone was yelling $5 to who ever catches it first

After a while though we head back to clean up and prep the remainder of the meal

oh yes we eat pretty late as far as Thanksgiving is concerned

But at the end it's all worth the wait

The three sisters

We have a tradition in the family that once we sit down and eat we go around the tables stating what we are thankful for from that year.  It never surprises me that whether it's just the immediate family or more (we've had dinners of 30+ sometimes) this is the one part that gets everyone mushy.  Even for my one brother who isn't the one to be 'emotional' in public...he gets choked up.  I think it's a special time of reflection.

My niece, sister, Rose and mama

I know, we are way into December...it's the Advent season!  But I just had to post these pictures.  My London brother is on his way back to his home.  His wife left a week ago.  The rest of us are feeling a bit low.  It'll be another year before we see him...oh I can't wait for the next time like these.

So dear London bro...be safe...live your life honorably...

God love and bless you!