Thanksgiving in Omaha

 This year for Thanksgiving we were lucky enough to get to be in Omaha.  I always love being home and seeing all my family.  It was such a fun week jam packed with activities.  We arrived late Monday night.  The kids all traveled great on the airplane.  I don't think Clayton made a peep the whole flight.  Tuesday morning we woke up and jumped in the car for a 3 hour drive to Kansas City.  We stayed at a super fun place called the Great Wolf Lodge.  It is an indoor water park and hotel.  It was the perfect size with slides for all ages.  My girls had the best time there swimming, going on slides, and playing on the playground.  Clayton and his cousin Clara who is a month older than him hung out in the strollers, sleeping when they were tired.  They were both great babies, happy to watch all the action of the park.

We arrived at the hotel in the afternoon and quickly changed and played at the indoor water park for a few hours.  That night we headed to an amazing dinosaur resaturant for dinner.  The restaurant was full of animated dinosaurs that moved and roared, along with all sorts of other creatures.  It was a really cool place.  The kids loved it, and I'm pretty sure the adults were all just as impressed.  The next morning we spent at the water park then cleaned up and all the kids went with the dads to a movie while all the moms went shopping.  There were great outlet malls right by the hotel.  After shopping we hopped back in the car and headed home to Omaha.

Thanksgiving morning my Dad and I headed out on a bike ride.  We rode about 25 miles to a near by town and then through the country on passing by some farms.  It was a beautiful morning, and such a fun ride.  Thanksgiving was perfect.  It was so fun to be home, I haven't been home for a thanksgiving in years.  All the cousins had a wild time playing together.  There were 14 of them, the oldest being 8.  There was a lot of running, screaming, and playing going on.  After dinner we all loaded on a trailer for a hay rack ride.  It was a little chilly by then but the kids loved it.  We drove through the country, saw horses running through fields, then found some huge hay bales for the kids to run and play on.  It was the perfect ending to our day.

The rest of the trip was spent fishing (Matt fished everyday and caught a lot of fish), shopping, and visiting with family.  My parents arranged to take all the adults out to dinner one night which was really fun.  It's not often that we get to spend the time free of kids enjoying one anothers company.  I was able to see my Grandma and Grandpa which is always a highlight for me.

Our last day there on our way to the airport we stopped at the Winter Quarters Temple to show the girls.  It is such a beautiful place and so neat to show them where their Mom and Dad were married and sealed.  Then we headed to the Visitors Center to see the Gingerbread display.  It was always one of my favorite things to do during Christmas time growing up.  The girls were amazed at the houses made of candy.  I had to have a serious talk with Gabriella about looking and not touching.  After that we were off to the airport and home.  Thank you Mom and Dad for such a wonderful trip.  We can't wait to come again.

 Kate loved the little slides, and also tried out one of the big ones. 

 My brother and his little boy Cole.

Hudson and Makenna

The girls received their Christmas nightgowns early since they were all together.  My mom ordered these beautiful hand made nightgowns.  All the girls LOVED them!

 November 21st was my parents 37th wedding anniversary.  What a great way to spend it, getting a huge bucket of water dumped all over them!  I think my Mom had the most fun of all us on the water slides.

 My sister-in-law and her beautiful girls.

The Dinosaur Restaurant

The fishing was really good.

 Leaving for our bike ride.  Yes, it was that cold.

 This little boy was spoiled.  Hannah loved holding him.

 The kids table at Thanksgiving.

 The hay rack ride

 All the girl cousins in their beautiful nightgowns.

 My grandma and Clayton.  He was loving her.

 At the Winter Quarters temple.

 The Gingerbread display.

 The gingerbread houses my Grandma, aunt, and cousins made.

 I love that Matt and Gabriella are hugging in the background, so cute.