Best Thanksgiving Time in California With Everyone, pt. 1

Right now my favorite airport is the Las Vegas airport because the whole thing has free wireless and you can get a great seat looking out on the runways and blog your Thanksgiving while waiting out your 4 hour layover.

4 hour layover?
I must have saved a lot of money or something.

Anyway, Wednesday last I flew with Mom from New York to Burbank to celebrate Thanksgiving with the whole family...our first total togetherness since Owen went on his mission in 2006.

"Hello, we're in Burbank!" that's what Mom is saying here.

Greg and Dad picked us up and I got to have Del Taco on my way home...check out my archives, that's how I like to do it: Del Taco as soon as possible after getting to California.

And then we went to Grandma's. Everyone was playing in the backyard, that's like the #1 thing to do at Grandma's.

Blake was building a drill, to get diamonds.

Greg and Rachel were getting to know each other a little better.



That's Emily and Kristen and Ellie.

Showed Blake the cat grave.

Neighbor's pool.

Sky.

Kristen.

Rachel kicking.

That's Owen, the one all you girls think is so handsome.

Ellie and her outie.

Assembled.


Later (but not much later, really) it was time for dinner at Twohey's. This is like the #1 Must Do in California for C0ndie descendants.

Our army assembled, plus Aunt Louise and Uncle Bob.

Aunt Louise had some family history to share with Mom.

Uncle Bob had the job of showing it...this is a chart of how we're more-or-less related to President Monson. It's so simple when it's on paper!

Almost everyone got a chili dip and onion rings.

At the other end of the table, chocolate milk was spilled.

The most essential portion of the meal: bittersweet hotfudge sundaes! (with some bizarre variations thrown in there...who ordered it with chocolate ice cream, hold the whipped cream, extra almonds?!)

Ellie got all savage on her sundae.

Emily and Rachel kept it more refined.

Mom, dignified.

Back at Grandmas, I got to play with Cory's iPod touch and his kids were vultures about it.

That night I slipped out for a little on-the-towning with Broek. What did we do? Oh, pretty normal stuff like hang out in one of the bungalows at the Chateau Marmont. This is the pool.

And this is the pool at the Vagabond Motor Inn in Pasadena where I spent the night with a few family member's because Grandma's house was too full.

Picked up and brought back to Grandma's, Thanksgiving preparations were in full swing. Rachel showed me her tats...

Dad carved the turkey.

Rachel took a picture of me. What picture?

This one.
Greg and I were smart enough to honor our father by wearing the Mickey Mouse shirts he got us for Christmas last year.

Family, talking, eating. The usual.


Blake and the Fun Machine provided the afternoon's music.

Did you know Grandma has a severe monkey infestation at her house? It's true.

Dusk approached and we packed up for the next phase of the trip: funtimes at the Beach House.



Tune in the next time I'm stranded somewhere with wireless for the next phase of our Thanksgiving adventure!