Best Thanksgiving of 2014

Time goes by so fast these days, let's turn back the clock and revisit Thanksgiving 2014! For the holiday I flew out west to celebrate in Utah and Idaho. First Celebration: Del Taco with my brothers late Monday night.

Not just brothers, also Becky.

I hit the Del Taco menu hard, sampling new treats like carnitas fries.

And ordering off menu to get a Bun Taco.

Wreckage.

Then, chance internettings early Tuesday lead to lunch at 5 Star Barbecue in Orem with famed former-New Yorker Madi.

After that lunch I had two more lunches, first I tried out Taco Paraiso in Provo because LOOK AT THAT SIGN

For a few quarters more they'll handmake you hot and fresh tortillas for your tacos there. 

And then I scurried down to Springville for Don Joaquin because I had to.

Just when I thought I couldn't love Don Joaquin more, I discover they're having a Black Friday Taco Sale.

Then I sampled the donuts next door to Don Joaquin's because isn't it important to know if the donuts next door to the best tacos are any good? (they are).

My drive back to Highland was interrupted by a visit to a graveyard of giant styrofoam blocks.

And DI

I could have got a change machine!

For dinner Tuesday night I met up with the Beans and the Clarks at El Morelense and met baby Echo.

Cheese-covered Al Pastor platter.

Al Pastor tacos.

One half of my first Cubana since July.

Then I went over to the Clark home,

And was gifted a Man of Action's Sport Cap.

Wednesday things really got going when all us Brim descendants loaded up and headed for Downey, Idaho.

Along the way we stopped for dinner at world-famous Maddox Restaurant.

I had steak,

Becky had vegetables and macaroni and cheese.

And the Edwards family shared a salad.

Brigham City Temple.

Visited with Aunt Linda when we got to Downey.

See that semi-feral stray cat?

I caught it!

Thanksgiving morning in Downey Idaho!

City folk go for a ride in the back of the pick up out to the farm.

It was windy, I'm not crying.

Farm time!

Family ran around on top of the hay bales because that's lots of fun to do.

Just before Cory stomped on Mom's head

Then we visited the Cambridge Cemetery (Cambridge is a suburb of Downey)

And got chased by this dog.

Sorry, Walker. You're riding in back this time!

Back to the farm house.

Thanksgiving Dinner is served.

Odd. I didn't get any pictures of the whole family at the table Norman Rockwell style. But I did get Ellie stomping on her dad's back, Norman Rockwell style.

And there's this picture from dinner. Walker chose to sit by me, but then let me know "Sometimes I like to sit by you and sometimes I don't."

Beautiful Downey. Time for a family photo and a post-dinner walk.

Pie time.

That night we played a bunch of games, including Dungeons and Dragons. Crazy to think we've been playing together for a year and a half and no one has died. Maybe next time. But also crazy to think we've been playing together for a year.

One more Downey morning.

Right by the house there's this tree that grew up with a tractor part around it. There's a lot to see in this small town if you just look. Whoah. Is that a life lesson?

Lots of relatives and friends on the Downey War Memorial.

Spoils of the Black Friday Sale at the Downey Store.  Walker wanted Air Heads, Walker got Air Heads.

Gun time at last.

And at the end of our drive home: In n Out in Draper. I did not eat all of this. My eyes were bigger than my stomach.

Aaaaand for an additional dinner that night: I got family to come with me down to the Provo Don Joaquin's which, guess what, is STILL home to the best tacos I've ever had in the United States.

This time I also tried their quesadilla,

 

The amount of melty cheese inside this thing is unreal. Best college student food in the world!

Champion meal demands a champion beverage.

As usual, Don Joaquin puts me through a range of emotions, ending in anger over how delicious it is.

Mom:

Owen:

Saturday I had lunch at El Cabrito and went to the Aquarium with Marla and didn't take any picture of any of that. Sorry.

But that night I saw the lights at Temple Square with my family and did take pictures of that.

And then we had a great dinner at Just Thai where my fingers got too sticky to take pictures of all the food and also there was so much food and I just wanted to eat it

Becky, Greg, Rachel and Me.

I had the honor of driving Grandma home. We had her out past curfew! Yeah!

Sunday was my last day, full of around the house Sunday stuff. Blake lent me his room while I was there, there was this animal in there and I liked it.

A white board-honoring by Ellie.

And I did some drawing with Walker

That night Cory drove me to the airport. And I ran into six people that I knew there. And that was Thanksgiving!