Thanksgiving

For this Thanksgiving we traveled down to Austin to visit family. What used to be an easy 4 hour drive has turned into a restless 5 hour drive the past few months now that we have a baby. And this time, those 5 hours seemed like 50. my son has decided he doesn't like road trips or his car seat, so every moment he's awake is either filled with the noise crying that continues to escalate until it's frantic frenzy and we have to stop, take him out, and calm him down.

That little stress item aside, the trip went pretty nicely. We had a great Thanksgiving Day lunch at my grandma's house with lots of aunts, uncles, cousins, second cousins, 1st cousins once removed, etc. We ate, watched a little football, played with the kids, and caught up with each others' lives. After the festivities wound down at the first grandmothers, we trekked across Austin to my other grandparents to visit some more and eat left-over turkey, etc again for supper. The traditional Thanksgiving Day.

The traditions continued on Friday when we got up and did a little After-Thanksgiving shopping. Now, don't think we're those freaks that wake up at 3 so we can get in line to be first in the store at 5 am for the extra special deals. No, we slept in a little and then went in, shopped some, and then met more of the family again for lunch at the one and only Mexican restaurant in Austin, at least according to my family - El Gallo, with its strange little advertisement by a Garfield-likeness on a picket fence at the edge of the grounds. My family has been going there since my dad was a boy, and maybe before that. We had a nice lunch while I jumped back and forth to the bar to watch the Aggies come from behind to take the lead against t.u. and then crumble under 2 back-to-back touchdowns by the longhorns. It was an exciting game, and I was proud of my Aggies considering their poor performances the rest of this season. Now that I supported my team and their valiant efforts, I can root with a clear conscience for a Texas team as they look forward to the Big 12 Championship and hopefully the National Championship after that.

That night, we and my brother's family stayed at my parents' where we played with the kids. We both have a boy - Ethan's 4 1/2 months and Micah is 8 1/2. They enjoyed discovering each other and we enjoyed watching. The other big news of the day was that Ethan cut his first tooth that day, which was exciting but added to the discomfort on the ride home the next day.

On Saturday we all just hung out at the house before Sunni, Ethan, and I loaded back up and headed back for Tyler after lunch.

Family is a wonderful thing. I'm thankful for having such a large one that all enjoys being with one another. Sometimes we express that love for seeing one another in not the best ways. We had a few moments that could've been so much better spent celebrating our time with one another instead of bemoaning the fact that we don't get to be there more often. I guess dishing out a little guilt along with the turkey is a long-standing tradition in any family. That aside, we had a great time.

Technorati Tags : Thanksgiving, roadtrip