Holidays begin

Its that time of year again. The weather is finally getting cold, wet and blustery.

Thursday 22nd - Thanksgiving wasn't how we originally planned it, but it was actually quite wonderful! Mixing things up after the last two years doing the same thing.

Tim and I participated in Chico's annual Run For Food. There were close to 6,000 people there piled up in Bidwell Park to support the Jesus Center. The money raised goes to provided a Thanksgiving meal to all the people in Chico who can't afford it. Mom, Dad and Grandpa Hoyt volunteered at the run. After it was finished, Cara joined us and we all went to Peet's Coffee for a light breakfast and coffee.

Around mid-day, we (Tim, me, Mom, Dad, Grandpa and Cara) went up to Redding to meet up with our cousins and Aunt & Uncle for a large meal together. Nineteen of us sat around the table sharing stories and having a grand ole time together. Hung out through the evening watching football and got to view the new house that our cousins just bought and are fixing up. Its a pretty incredible place and the work they have done on it is a vast improvement to what it was when they first got it.

Friday 23rd - We went back home to sleep for the night. Black Friday proceeded with a few good deals we got at Kohls and the most empty I have EVER seen Costco. I would have to say Chico is quite the place to be for this shopping day. Its quite mild compared to the greater Sacramento area. I could actually breath here.

We drove down to Sacramento and made a quick stop to Ikea. We picked up a new bed for the extra extra room at Tim's parent's house. Now that there are two of us couples when we stay at the house there needs to be more room for all of us. Christmas time we will be setting up the bed for them and making the finishing touches to the newest guest room. I love organizing and decorating, it is nice that I can be a help to complete this project for them.

Tim got tired of shopping, so when we were done at Ikea we headed over to our friend's house. Brian is one of Tim's great friends from college, and McKenzie his new wife of a almost half a year now. We decided it would be fun to spend some time with them, and we actually got to be their first house guests to stay over.

Brian and Tim went out to play some disc golf, as they love doing, and played until it was dark out. I went over to the Roseville Galleria to finish up my shopping. I wanted to make sure I could get discounts while there were offering them. I pretty much completed my Christmas shopping list. Really mice having it done well in advance, I don't have to think about anything except for the wrapping.

The four of us had a wonderful home cooked dinner at their place. And finished the evening at this cool place that has a large variety seasonal, local and unusual beers on tap. Got our beers, took a table and played a great many rounds of this really fun game called "Spot It".

Saturday 24th - Tim and I drove over to his aunt and uncle's house where two of the three cousins were visiting home. We hung out for a little while and had breakfast together. Short, but sweet. This was our only opportunity to see Thomas and Laura during the holidays and so had we to take the opportunity.

We got back to Brian and McKenzie's while it was still mid-morning and they were only just having breakfast themselves and so we joined them for "second breakfast" (Hobbit quote).

We hung out for the rest of the day at their place talking, eating and watching the college games. GO DUCKS! When the games were done we said our good byes and headed home.