Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart!

Sometimes, when you are really really busy, it is easy to forget to enjoy the simple things that remind you the God knows you & loves you.  With the holidays upon us, we were looking at a VERY busy time ahead.  I almost decided NOT to decorate for the holidays because we weren't going to be around much with all that we had coming up.  But it just wouldn't seem like the holidays without it & since we were hosting Paul's parents & siblings for Thanksgiving, I felt like I needed to make an attempt.

So the day before Thanksgiving, Paul helped me get down a few Christmas things so I could enjoy some holiday cheer.  I decided to put up my big tree & my nativities in the front room.  As I was starting to decorate, I heard a honking horn & looked out the window to see these cute little blonde heads bouncing down the drive way!  I thought, "What are the little Middletons doing here?  (They are our local blondies.) They are supposed to be in San Jose with Amy's family for Thanksgiving!"  Then I saw Paul scoop one of them up in his arms as another came bounding up the porch steps...it was Terri's family!  They came all the way from Utah to surprise us for Thanksgiving!  I was so happy to see them, I couldn't stop crying!  We hugged & played outside until it was time to come in for dinner...

The kids helped me finish the tree...

G'pa read them a story before bedtime...

That next morning, we had signed up for the Folsom Turkey Trot 5K fundraiser with Rochelle, Cade, & Nicole so we headed out to try to find parking & beat the crowds...

I found a turkey during the pre-run excitement...

This was the last I saw of my family as they ran & I walked the 5K...I know my limits people!

I eventually finished the run while Dad rushed home to put our own turkey in the oven.  I got a ride home with Nicole who was joining us for Thanksgiving along with Rochelle & family...

Thanksgiving is just not the same without loved ones to celebrate with & it was so fun to have a houseful!  Paul & I, his parents, his sister Linda & husband Rex along with their son Troy's family, his sister Karen & her husband Doyle, Rochelle & family, Nicole, & Terri & family!  My heart & home was full...Happy Thanksgiving indeed!

Memphis was a hit & super friendly with everyone...

Olivia loved some one on one time with everyone's favorite Aunt Nicole...

Paul's parents, siblings, & spouses (pictured above) spent the weekend with us & we enjoyed the visit.  It was typically beautiful California weather & we enjoyed walking through Marshall Gold Discovery Park...

Olivia was wearing this special scarf from the dress-ups...not sure whose idea this was...

Not even sure who's leading whom?

The park has river access & the beaches are great for throwing rocks!   Who am I kidding?  Kids + rocks + water = serious rock throwing fun no matter where you are!

The park has recently moved & rebuilt a replica of the Sutter's Mill closer to the actual spot that gold was discovered in 1848.  It was originally on the river but high water would create problems so they moved it closer to the road.  That replica has since become old & unstable so they have built this one closer to the original...

The kids had fun playing & we had fun playing with them!

I have so much to be grateful for - this guy is at the top of the list - closely followed by a loving family!  I don't need the holidays to remember this, but it's nice to feel like we have a special time set aside to celebrate what we are thankful for! I love my family near & far!

Seriously, who goes to Iceland?

While I went down south to play Cheerleader, Paul took advantage of an adventure of a lifetime with our son-in-law, Kiff in Iceland!

Seriously, who goes to Iceland?  Well, evidently these two high adventure junkies!  Kiff found a great deal & they jumped on it! They flew into Reykjavik & hit this volcanic island running - they seriously packed in a lot for a weekend!

DAY 1 - The Blue Lagoon in one of the most visited attractions in Iceland.  The spa is actually in the middle of a lava field near the airport.  The warm waters are rich in silica & sulfur & bathing in them are believed to have great dermatological benefits.  The lagoon is man-made but is fed by the geothermal waters unique to the area.

Reykjavik is the capital & largest city in Iceland, believed to be their first permanent settlement & the northernmost capital in the world...literally "the top of the world."  It is known to be one of the cleanest, greenest, & safest cities in the world.  And beautiful!  Check out these rooftops & buildings...

A tribute to their Viking heritage, this Sun Voyager sculpture is a prominent feature on the Reykjavik  harborfront...

Kiff called this sculpture "Blockhead Squared" - it is actually a tribute to the Unknown Civil Servant who often carry the weight of society as they keep it working day in & out...nameless & thankless individuals...

That evening they took a Northern Lights Tour by boat, traveling away from the city lights to enjoy mother nature's own light show.  Kiff was disappointed in the pictures because the setting on the camera had moved, but I think we can get the idea of this spectacular display of color in the sky!

DAY 2 - The south end of the island has a plethora of waterfalls.  Unfortunately, winter months don't offer enough daylight to be able to stop at all of them, so they had to drive by quite a few in order to fit them all in...such spectacular scenery!

The black sand beaches of Reynisfjara is literally crushed lava.  It was very light weight & offered a dramatic contrast to the ocean's crashing waves...

These basalt columns were pretty cool, they almost looked fake!

The tour also included Solheimajökull Glacier,  Skogafoss & Seljalandsfoss Waterfalls...don't try to sound them out - they don't even sound like they are spelled.

They were able to hike behind this waterfall to see, the back side of water...

DAY 3 - The Golden Circle is the best know day tour Iceland offers.  It's a 300 km loop that covers some amazing geological features & beautiful countryside!

 Þingvellir National Park (pronounced Thingvellir) is a unique spot where you can see the tectonic drift - where the earth literally splits apart by about an inch each year. It is where the Eurasian & North American Continents used to actually meet.

Kiff got to go diving between the rifts.  Kiff got some great photos of his dive - at one point you can see where he is actually touching both continents at the same time!  Pretty cool!

Unfortunately for Paul, new dive regulations designate what type of certification you have trained for & now actually print those designations on your dive card.  Paul's been diving so long that his dive card does not include these new designation requirements & the park wouldn't accept his certification & allow him to dive.  Kind of a bummer for him, but he didn't discover the issue in time to fix the problem.  Don't worry, he's not bitter...not at all.

Strokkur Geyser is one of Iceland's most famous geysers, erupting about every 4-8 minutes 45-60 ft  high, sometimes up to 120 ft high...

 Gullfoss Waterfall is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Iceland.  It falls in a wide curved tree-step "staircase" & abruptly plunges in two stages (36 ft & 68 ft) into a crevice (105 ft) deep.  The crevice is about 60 ft wide & 1.5 miles in length.

 Iceland is such an amazing place to visit & explore!

Lamb soup is a traditional icelandic staple.  They literally sell it every where, even in gas stations!

They were able to find a unique "icelandic feast" - including smoked puffin, icelandic foal, minke whale, & lamb.  They also tried a "wild game buffet" featuring reindeer meatballs, moose, kangaroo, whale, & a variety of fowl & seafood.

Thanks for the adventure Kiff!  I'm glad you invited Paul so he could check one more thing off his bucket list!