A Suprisingly Good Turkey Day Weekend with the Family

As the holiday weekend approached, I was contemplating whether or not to go visit my family over Thanksgiving. At the last minute, I decided to go see them, which is a definite departure over years past. Just in terms of time, I will probably have my friends around longer than certain members of my family, so just this once, the friends took a rain check...thanks friends!
First I went home to see my dad, and we visited for a couple of days, had a couple of breakfasts out together, and did more yardwork than I have done in quite some time. We bagged 41 bags of leaves, and we're talking the big lawn bags, not the puny mini-can liners in the kitchen. It seems the old man has developed tennis elbow in his right arm (even though he doesn't play tennis), so he really needed the help, and I was glad to oblige.

On Thanksgiving Day, my dad and I drove to Alabama to visit my uncle/his older brother. My uncle's kids were both there, and we got to see each other for the first time since we were little teenagers. My cousin who is about my age is a dad twice over now, with two adorable little girls and another kid on the way. As my late grandfather used to say, "Someone ought to tell those kids what's causing that (pregnancy)." The cousin who's about my brother's age is out of school now and trying to find her way in the professional world, but may be headed to law school. My aunt and my cousin's wife did a bang-up job on the holiday dinner (except for a couple of sketchy casserole experiments that won't be repeated, lol), everyone ate too much, much football was watched, and great fun was had by all.

As the weekend drew to a close, I spent an afternoon with my brother and nephew before coming back home. I swear, that kid has so much energy, it's unreal. He ran me all around his yard, the neighborhood, the apartment complex, and anywhere else he could find. After a workout at the gym earlier in the day and two days of yardwork before that, I was worn out. That said, it was a great visit and a lot of fun. My nephew is one of the happiest kids I have ever known...he laughs at anything and everything, and he's always got that smile that makes you wonder what he's getting/gotten into.

It's odd though, he is left-handed in everything from writing, to kicking, to playing baseball...and no one else in our family on either side is that way. He's also started school, and at the beginning of the year, he told me his favorite class was coloring (mine was a three-way tie: naps, snack, and recess), but now, since he is learning to read pretty well, he says he really likes reading and learning stuff. I hope that continues, because it would serve him well, making him a genius in addition to being an athlete and a stud, lol...mostly though, I just hope he is happy. My brother and his girlfriend are doing such a great job with them...I am very proud. :)

That's all for now everyone...I hope your Thanksgiving was as good as mine!