Thanksgiving Weekend

This year, we were lucky enough to have our good friends the Chaves Family fly all the way to WA to spend Thanksgiving with us!

We did warn them about the weather :)  Winter isn't exactly dry here.

Wednesday, we all bundled up and headed into Portland for a stop at one of our favorites...Pine State Biscuits.  Biscuit & Gravy HEAVEN!  Little Ezra surprised us all and ate most of Tim's meal. 

Next we drove down the Columbia to the beautiful Multnomah Falls.  It was lightly sprinkling when we left Portland, but right about the time we got out of our cars there was a serious downpour.  In our 2 years living here, I've never experienced anything like it.  It felt like standing in the shower with your clothes on.  Of course, as soon as we hopped back in our cars the downpour stopped and returned to the usual NW light sprinkling rain.  Just our luck!

We took the long way home and drove past the Fish Hatchery at the Bonneville Dam.  They have a crazy sturgeon exhibit.  Herman the Sturgeon is ENORMOUS.  He is 70 years old, 10 feet long, and 450 lbs!

The kids especially loved this place, despite the fact that we were still kind of wet and cold.  Austin kept pointing to the glass and saying "FEESH!"

The kids had such a blast playing together day after day.  Here they are dancing and twirling their hearts out while Ryan plays his infamous (at least to our kids) "fast song".

Sam & Maya spent hours outside playing and playing.

The big day.  T-day.  Having never successfully cooked a turkey, we were all, I think, a little nervous.  Ryan took charge and made the most amazing brine the night before to soak the turkey.  The next morning, Ryan & Tim started the turkey cooking on the smoker.  This is the before:

And the AFTER!  Amazing!  It turned this reddish brown and was so SO delicious.

The proud chef carving up his turkey.

Tim & Aubrey used the incredible drippings from the turkey to whip up the most amazing gravy.

The kid table patiently awaiting some dinner (although they mostly just ate rolls & drank Martinellis)

Group shot!  Sorry for the pink at the bottom...tried to prop up the camera with stuff in the cupboard.

For dessert we had pumpkin pie, pecan pie, and the kids made Jello Jigglers.  They were a hit!

After dinner Aubrey & I crashed on the couch and read some books...

...and Ryan & Tim went to war against aliens or whatever those creatures are.

On Saturday, we got up super early and drove into Portland again for breakfast at our other favorite spot, The Screen Door.  Its a really yummy restaurant with Southern-style gourmet food.  They only do brunch on the weekends, so you have to get there really early to get a table.  Can you see us in this gigantic line?  (Hint, look in front of the big tree) 

We just managed to get a table in the first round of seating.  Thank goodness!  We were starving!

Ryan's giant stack of Fried Chicken & Sweet Potato Waffles

Austin & Ezra followed each other around all week and will probably be good little buddies someday.  We were so sad when the Chaves family had to leave.  I think we all agreed that it was one of our favorite Thanksgivings ever!

Luckily, we had one more set of visitors on Sunday.  Carson & his girlfriend Catherine drove down from Seattle for a quick visit.  Both boys were so happy!  Sam mostly chased Carson around while Austin brought Catherine about 10 books which she patiently read to him.  It was lots of fun!

And that concludes our whirlwind Thanksgiving Weekend.  Loads of fun and lots of good food.  (Because, as we all know, food IS fun!)  And here is our shameless plug for visitors...Come one, come all!  We really do love having company!