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Change is a lot like death. At least in the havoc it wreaks on my emotions. In the less than two year span since I was last home, my mom, two of my sisters and my dad all moved to new homes. No, I don't think it was all a conspiracy so that I couldn't track them down. 

Wait...

Okay, no. No it wasn't. Even though my mom changed her phone number. Hmmm. 

Mom?... 

Everything was so different. And being an OCD, list maker who doesn't handle change with grace and dignity, I felt a bit pouty about what home would mean from now on as I pondered where we would have Thanksgiving. How could I raid my sister's closet for super cute clothes if I couldn't find it? Yes, change feels like the death of something familiar. I totally just made that up, and I'm pretty proud of that sentence. Those questions would meet answers by the end of my trip home...

We flew out of the Denver airport where I discovered that the city of Colorado Springs is way better than the city of Denver because the mountains can be seen without binoculars.

Denver:

Colorado Springs:

The moral of that rant is to move to Colorado Springs.

After a considerable amount of hours flying and driving, we finally made it to the home of my sister Bobbie. She had an entire list of activities to be accomplished by Dawson with her help. Please disregard the cowlick and pajamas. That's just how we roll.

At the top of the list was to create decorations to hang from a Thanksgiving banner. All of you focus your attention on the table of crafts and not on my reflection in the mirror or the amazing sunset view of my sister's back yard. I tackled the project with amazing ineptitude. So I quit. Out of all my sisters, I have the least creativity. But hey, if you need a list, or something organized. I'm your girl.

 

On Tuesday we visited my mom and dad. So that there's no confusion, my mom and dad are divorced, but they get along splendidly and they both now live in the same apartment complex. Different apartments. I will not allow this blog to be the instigator of rumors. Even though I heard my cousin is pregnant.

They have a beautiful view of Sylvan Lake from their living room windows. We took the boys outside to the feed the ducks, and that's when I spotted the view of The Way.  One sister told me that old building was haunted and another sister told me the people who lived there were in a cult. Just a brief history for those of you who care.

The boys fed the ducks moldy bread which didn't bother me because I felt that we were doing them a great service. Penicilin will cure all their ails.

 

When the frigid temps set in, we moved back inside and mom broke out her reading glasses.

On Wednesday we went to visit my best friend Kelly. I thought I'd take a moment to point out that she moved within the last two years as well. I refuse to dwell on conspiracy theories. Their temporary living situation is on a farm, and the cows are hemmed in by an electric fence. On the outside of the electric fence is another fence which is barbed wire. When I asked Kelly if the barbed wire fence was electric, she said she didn't know because she never touched it and she thought I should see. So I did. It was electric.

Dawson and her son Jude are the same age and Dawson told me if we ever move home, that Jude would be his best friend. Isn't that sweet?

 

This is the cow that came inside the barn to hear me talk. I'm a motivational speaker.

On Thanksgiving....

The apartment complex where my parents live has a community center. So this is where our Thanksgiving was held. Even though I had misgivings about celebrating such a family oriented holiday in a community room rather than a home, I came to discover that there's nothing that a little festive decorating can't fix. Unless your decorating skills are crap. But I didn't have to deal with that.

 Here's the banner that Dawson decorated. It says "Give Thanks" but you probably have to click on the picture and zoom in to read it.

 My favorite bit about Thanksgiving is usually food, but this year it was food + family. See how I've grown in character?

 I forced everyone to pose for pictures before we ate so that I could have photos of myself that were untainted by food stains. Which seems selfish. So maybe I haven't grown in character. Just in butt size.

Then it was time to eat.

Afterward, we all gathered for a game of "Heads Up". It's a game on Jason's cell phone. You hold the phone to your forehead and when the word pops on the screen, the audience has to get the person holding the phone to guess the word by describing it. Jason urged us to play the version that is acted out, however ... and all manner of chaos ensued.

Here we have: Backflip. I personally am of the opinion that I'm an expert at the game.

 Harmonica. Clearly I'm the only person who plays the harmonica like you're blowing a whistle.

 Model. Nailed it. 
Even though you can tell my sister Bobbie (behind me) watches Project Runway.

 Sleep Walking. My niece guessed "Zombie" and initially I took offense.

 Once Evan and my nephew Remie broke a small glass table, we had to end the game.

This is my mom and her sister, my aunt Geri. They have nothing to do with the breaking of the table I just mentioned, but their picture came next in chronological order. My aunt Geri gave my mom a cd to listen to of me and my Aunt Ruthie (she passed a way just a few weeks before Thanksgiving) singing when I was about 14. I sang flat and squeaky. But the memory is gold.

 Black Friday!

A few years after my sister Sherri passed away, my sisters and I made an annual tradition to go black friday shopping, which I'm totally not capitalizing this time due to sheer laziness. This tradition continued until I moved to Colorado Springs, which still breaks my heart. So I have them FaceTime me and carry the phone outward in all the stores so that I can see the deals. That's just a joke. Even though it's a great idea. 

The memory of our very first trip: (I've never seen a Santa so cheerful. How many Santa's get to put their hand on my sister's butt. I won't answer that question).

Here we are! Shopping was about to commence which is why we're all in a good mood. If I had taken an after photo, I'm speculating that it would look pretty identical to the zombie photo I mentioned above.

 This trip was quite productive and I scored a pair of Han Solo boots (see Jason for explanation) which were originally $60 and I got them for $20. Which leads me to believe they are actually only worth $20 and I didn't get a deal at all. 

We managed to eat lunch at Cheddar's where Karen found a drink on the menu that limits you to 2 glasses. Of course none of us ordered the drink, but we speculated the outcome if we had.

 I stayed the night with my sister Karen and we watched The 12 Dates of Christmas. And Jason ordered Jim's pizza. My sister Anita should have been in this picture too, but she wouldn't come until she knew the pizza had been delivered. Just saying Nita. I have incriminating evidence in my FB Messenger....

 We went back to my sister Bobbie's house and Jason and I made a trip to Meijer in search of peppermint ice cream. It was on this trip where I found this little gem:

That's right. Free prayer in Angola, Indiana people! It's also what gave me the idea to offer prayer for 7 cents out of my home. Because 7 is a holy number.

When we returned (sans peppermint ice cream), Dawson had this taped to the front door:

 "Caution recording in process please be very quiet when you come in"

On the very long list of activities that Bobbie had planned was "make a movie". This activity was Dawson's undoing. He loves making films. And the whole thought of doing so, unearths his inner diva.

Here are a few behind the scenes shots:

Shhh! Editing in process!

And now I present to you: "How to Make a Recycled Christmas Tree"

This is the finished product:

Finally, as our stay came to a close, we spent one last day with my mom and dad. We took my mom to Shipshewana. Amish country. Where else could I have found this?:

I also found this amazing scrapbooking store that I didn't dare go into for fear that I would print out every picture I own and make a giant scrapbook. I mean how cool are these ideas?:

Evan found this:

We bought peanut butter spread from Blue Gate restaurant and then went back to my parent's apartment's community room for one final family dinner.

The kids made a train with Evan

Oh how I miss home.