Embracing Chaos: Giving Thanks at Hard Labor

Even though most of you are already into the Christmas spirit, we're a bit neglective, so bare with me while I revisit Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is always a hoot with the Smyths. I think there are around 50 of them, including me, I'm proud to say, but, I think only around 40+ of them made it to the Thanksgiving festivities this year at Hard Labor Creek State Park.

I'm am extremely proud to say that I saw, I baked, I concurred, and I ate pie. Last Christmas, my Mom taught me how to make her fabulous apple cream pie. And, after being a bit disappointed at the Thanksgiving feast last year, that didn't have a pie to be had, I was determined to make one of my own. It turned out delicious. Naturally, everyone had the same idea, so in the end there were two tables of deserts, which meant more left over to take home and keep for myself!

We've been going to Hard Labor Creek State Park now for a few years, and I like to start out the weekend with a family hike on a series of short trails. The past two years, we were only able to do half the length (the yellow trail) for a number of reasons mentioned previously in this blog, so I was determined to do the red trail. So, we did, but just barely. I attribute this years near short coming, not to Ollie's little legs, or Drew's short attention span, or either of their sometimes severe mood swings, but to Elizabeth's empty stomach. We've learned long ago to always feed kids well before embarking on any adventure, but we still haven't learned to feed Mom. Drew can be pokey, and tends to stall, and look at interesting thing's on the trail, so he can be a bit slow. Too slow on this occasion, so we had to scoop up Drew in the back pack and carry Ollie old school before Mom passed out, which meant that she had the "pleasure" of wearing Drew in the back pack, while Ollie crashed in my arms. We made it, and have a good story to boot.

After a good hike and a good meal, it's always fun to wind down with a rump at the play ground. That is if you're at or below the design tallness for the play equipment. I was chasing Ollie in and out of the play equipment to try and get the two rascals to sit for a Christmas photo. I ran in OK, grabbed Ollie, then on my way out, SMACK, I saw stars and found myself lying prone in the dirt. A couple weeks later, and I still have the scar on my forehead. I hope it's not permanent. The two pictures at the top of this blog are the best we were able to get.

Throwing leaves on Uncle Chris

There are a few people in this world that Drew really relates to, I'm not sure how he picks these people, but he might not see them for a year or more, and be instant best buds with them the minute he sees them across the room. I think Drew met Elizabeth's cousin Andy maybe once. It was fourth of July at her Uncle John's house. The two of them hit if off instantly, it was kind of fun to watch Drew open up to someone besides Mom and Dad. He hasn't seen Andy since then, but the minute Drew spotted Andy sitting across the crowded room, he lit up, and started goofing around with him again, like they were the only two people in the room.


The Hiedler kids taught Drew and Ollie a new funny face	The toy of this holiday season is the IPad 2

Uncle Chris, Uncle Dutch, and "Little Dutch"

Of course, there are also the Heidlers. We don't see them very often, especially Dutch and his family (HAPPY GRADUATION DUTCH!), but both Ollie and Drew are certainly falling in love with the whole Heidler gang, who all made it to this years Thanksgiving. Ollie and Drew light up when Chris, or Dutch are around, and always get excited when playing with their cousins.

And then there were the Guineafowl, always prowling around and hanging out around the cottages. I'm sure they were just looking for a little Thanksgiving handout (which as far as I'm aware, they got none), or just a friendly acknowledgment (though they were chased relentlessly). But, they tended to pop out unexpectedly from behind a parked car, or around a corner, and Drew did not like that. If he saw them at a distance, which they were always around, Drew wanted to go in the other direction. If they came remotely close, or stood in between were he was and were he wanted to be, he climbed and had the death grip on me or his mom.

We were also determined to get a good Christmas card photo shot during this trip. It is nearly impossible to get these two kids to sit still and smile at the same time. I still don't know what we'll end up with though. You'll have to wait for it to arrive in the mail.

In the end, we ate a lot, but survived for another year, and had left over pie to boot.

See you next year Smyths!