Back from Iowa

What a week. As I wrote in my last post TJ and I flew home to Iowa for Thanksgiving. We had a fabulous week with good home cooked foods, family and clear cold weather. We packed so much into our visit that it is hard to pick out one favorite memory as they were all so special. Everyday was an event of the best of meals. I can't pick a favorite. TJ got to try pheasant for the first time and really enjoyed that.
Thanksgiving Day, just where do I start. Other than getting up early and getting the bird in the oven it was a spectacular day. Mom and Dad had worked so hard and had many surprises for us.
We had the traditional Struchen food of turkey, ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy and my favorite green bean casserole, squash and sweet corn as well as a ton of salads and desserts. All the vegatables had come from their garden and were yummy.
During the meal a cowbell was rung and you had to take a turkey joke out of the container and read it. Now Kate and Jo totally got into this and had all of us groaning over the jokes. After totally stuffing ourselves Mom had prepared a program. Yeap I lost it and there were many tears as well as some laughter. In no particular order here are a few of the 1000 pics taken throughout our week. No not all of them are mine we combined 4 cameras to total that number.

Mini albums for photos of our week. We assembled throughout the week albums for photos of our days. I have to say Dad, TJ and Scott really got into creating their albums. Scott thinks the cricut is the neatest thing ever
Left to right Jo's, Dad's, Sheryl & Scott's, mine and TJ's

Table with all the decorations Mom had made

Kate getting into reading the jokes

TJ receiving his wooden toys (long story as to why Dad had them and TJ didn't)

Steve and Kate getting the clock Steve had made back. Thanks Dad for rescuing it from the community center

Kolby modeling Dad's basketball letter sweater that was auctioned off which by the way TJ was high bidder on

After the program we went upstairs and started taking family pics. What a riot that was to get all of us to smile and look in the same direction. So here we all are the "Struchens" 2008

Then from one big family picture we broke it down into single families. TJ and I as Jennifer, John and Sadera and Anthony were back in AZ

Next comes my sister Jo and her son Gabe. her other son Zach and his new wife are in New York

Next in birth order is my brother Steve and his family
L-R Kate their son Matt, Steve, their oldest Brady and his new wife Lindsey

And finally baby brother Scott and his family
L-R Kolby, my brother Scott, his wife Sheryl and their oldest son Keegan

My sister trying to get a night shot of TJ and I next to the light pole

The lighted wreath on the house

Dad, Jo and grandsons hanging the lights on the house

Dad and Jo decorating the lightpole

Mom teaching Jo and I how to make the traditional Christmas bread wreath

TJ working on his mini album

Dad working on his mini album

Daughters and daughter-in-laws at Scott's house

Baby brother Scott with his oldest sister me

Of course this had to be long with tons of pics. It was so hard to try and pick out just a few. I am anxious to get my pictures printed and get scrapping
Monday it is back to work and then Friday I leave for Cali with Kim H, and Colleen for another wonderful event at Kim C's. Looking forward to that so much. After Kim's event I will be home with no further planned travel plans scrambling to get ready for Christmas
Hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving