Sunday Nov. 20th
After spending the past five years at home for Thanksgiving

we decided it was time to go visit our loved ones in Colorado.

Once again we packed up our rented mini van

or the, "mindy van" as Crew calls it

and headed out of town this clear Sunday morning.

We went by way of highway 40.

I love, love, love this scenic drive. 

So beautiful and so not I-70.

Don't like I-70 for some reason.

 One too many trips down that road???

The kids did awesome on the drive.

And we made it to the cabin just as Tammy

{who I must say is an amazing cook}

pulled dinner out from the oven.
Taco pie anyone?!!?

:)

After dinner Tammy & the boys made us all dessert.
The yummiest marshmallow krispie treats ever!
She also gave them some really cute Christmas books
that they loved reading with her. 

We turned in early.
The boys slept in this room.
Matt and I got a room to ourselves.
night, night
:)
......................

Monday & Tuesday Nov. 21, 22

We spent the next few days at our Cabin.

The boys were more than thrilled to play in the snow.

We went sledding, pulled the kids on sleds,

went sledding again, and again and again.  ;)

We didn't get many pics on the sledding hill but I did take

some really cute video. :)

One of my favorite parts of our cabin stay was 

the morning walks through the snow with my Dad & Tammy.

We could not have wished for more perfect weather. 

On Tuesday we said goodbye to G&G Simcox 

and hello to G&G Taysom.

But first we had to make a pit stop at

non other than....
 Beau Jo's Pizza!

I so love this place and have not enjoyed good pizza

since we moved from Colorado to Utah.

This stop was a requirement from me.

I was very excited to take our boys to one of

Matt and I's favorite places to eat.

We went here on dates when we were 16.

I would also go on my Daddy dates here.
It was a great time reminiscing.
Awe...

 You can draw on your napkin and Beau Jo's will hang it on the wall.

We ordered a 5lb. Italian sausage with wheat crust.
Holy goodness right there!!!
The best part is dipping your crust in honey.
Mmmmmmmmm!
We left with our bellies so full they hurt!

Crew looking super sweet on a chair lift by the front desk.

After dinner we stopped at my brother Tye's house
to visit him and his family.
He is in the middle of moving right now.
I really wanted to go see his new house but
we never got the chance.
I also really wanted to do a ride along with
Tye {highway patrol} but that needs
two weeks advance notice.
 Sheesh!
Who plans like that anyway???

Next we met up with Matt's siblings at
Jumpstreet.

This is a fun place for kids.
I enjoyed it too but it had been a long day
and I was ready to just get to Jay & Elly's
and crash for the night!

 The older kids stayed in the foam pits.
I never even saw them.
That is Cody landing in the foam.

These kids better sleep good tonight!

.....

Wednesday Nov. 23rd
Good morning!

Get ready cause today we are going to...
The Denver Zoo.

 Cody was all about snakes, frogs & fish.
He was on the hunt for poisonous dart frogs.

 This Zoo worker was very excited about her job.
She shared her knowledge and enthusiasm with the kids.

 Cody compares his hand with a brown bear's paw.

Crew jumped in with Mike & Candi's family.

 This is the gorilla that wanted to bust through the glass
and attack me. It was so crazy. Scared the she-she out of me.
I was told I screamed the loudest and said some choice
words. I have no recollection of this.

 Lando my little poser. :)

Landen & Jake playing on the ropes.

Cody's frogs! We finally found them.
Now he can leave happy.

Cody at the polar bear exhibit.

Landen & Corinne

The penguins were the one animal that Landen really wanted to see.

Daddy & Crew

Landen wanted me to take these pictures of him with this
fake lizard so he could trick all of you into thinking it was real.
Did it work? :)
Also notice his snowboots?
Ya, that was because he took his shoes off right before we left
and then got into the car before the rest of us.
. We never noticed because last we saw he had shoes on.
When getting out of the car at the Zoo we asked him where the heck his
shoes were. He acts like he does not know what has happened to them.
Then tells us he took them off because they are easy to take off . WhAT????
Just before we had left the house I cleaned out the van and took out any
extra clothes, shoes, toys etc. So we had nothing. Sweet! Then, I
suddenly remembered his snow boots got put down into the stow n' go
compartment. How freakin lucky was that!   Kids!?!?

Lizard kisses.

And the Tigers were all that Crew wanted to see.
Fortunately for us the tigers were very active
and playful. This tiger kept coming up to the windows.

After spending the day at the Zoo it was time to go.
They were getting ready to close anyway.

Matt took the scenic way home through Denver.
It was so fun seeing how much things have changed
since we lived here last.

Elly had a wonderful dinner ready for us when we arrived home.

Then we headed to my Dad & Tammy's house to visit.
My Dad was still at  the cabin so we intruded on Tammy for a bit.
As soon as we walk through the door the boys start going through
the house and running around  like they own the place.
 I was a little embarrassed by them actually.
My Dad & Tammy moved into a new house so I know
 the kids were excited to check it out but seriously!

Their new house is beautiful and perfect. I love it!
Tammy had cute Christmas place-mats for the boys.
She made them milks with bendy straws.
(which Cody has saved by the way! lol)
Then before leaving I wanted to take some pics of us together
of course right after I took the first one my battery dies.
Luckily that one picture tuned out so cute!

Grandma Simcox with the boys!

.......


Thursday Nov. 24th


HaPpY ThAnKsGiViNg


All us girls spent a very busy day in the kitchen, cooking,
 baking, preparing food, roasting a turkey, setting the tables and
maybe taking a few too many goofy pictures.

 good...

better...

BEST!


................

This next picture is a result of us having too much fun in the kitchen!
But no worries...Monica pulled off the layer of burnt marshmallows,
applied a new layer marshmallows, broiled to a nice golden brown.
 Boom! good as new!

Extra crispy sweet potatoes. yum!

................

Meanwhile, the guys were in charge of watching all the kids and football.

Elly snapped these cute pics of the boys
 sitting on the back of Grandpa's truck.
Hmmmm.....

{the guys may have been more football then kids}
just sayin!

..............

Around 4:30 pm a most beautiful Thanksgiving dinner was served.
As always there is more food than one can possibly consume
and then there is all that delicious Village Inn pie for dessert!!!!
Mmmmm.....French Silk Pie.

Some of the Taysom fam.

 Kitty Cat

Corinne

 Justin, Monica & Jake

Grandpa Jay

Landen was taking pics for me. 

He had a finger over the flash. Oops! :)

Cody may or may not have been having a good time here?

Hard to tell by his facial expression! lol

At the last minute I went ahead with the rainbow jell-o.

Ran out of time for the purple layers but still turned out fun.

Jamie provided us with all the pie! 

We spent the rest of the evening trying to digest Thanksgiving dinner,

playing card games, taking naps, Xbox, watching football or

movies, scanning black Friday ads,  and attempting family pictures!

 Ryan and Crew loved the trains.

Crew getting his sleep on.

If the kids were awake, they were playing Xbox. Non-Stop!!!

..................

I am truly thankful to be a part of this wonderful Taysom family.

They have been with me for most of my life and have continued

to love though thick and thin. And believe me when I say this, 

there has been a lot more thick than thin!

I am also ever so thankful for my parents and their spouses,

 even though we could not all be together on this day;

 I want them to know how much I love & appreciate all they do

for me and my sweet little family. 

XOXOX

...................

In closing here are some of our family pictures and outtakes.

P.S. Elly, I still need to get copies our family pics with you & Jay.

We took them all with your camera. :)

\

 Matt, Mark, Mike, Justin and beautiful Jamie

I love this pic of Mike & Candi.. So cute!

 All the grand kids. What a line up we have. :)

My boys loved hanging out with their Texas cousins.

 Not sure whose camera we are supposed to look at here? lol


Hope you all enjoyed my insanely long post
and I didn't kill you off!

Peace out!