Post-Thanksgiving Baby Blessing

 I am tired of being so behind on this blog... So, I am using valuable childless time to try and catch up tonight before I lose a lot of good memories to just being too far behind.
 
So, if I go back to the last major event that needs to be blogged, it is sadly, Thanksgiving weekend.  First, Ray and Reva came up to spend Thanksgiving with us and got here on Wednesday.  We had a fun Thanksgiving, but Mckayla's reflux (undiagnosed at the time so nothing we could do for her) was so bad that I spent all my time with a very fussy baby which left our guest Reva doing most of the cooking and cleaning for our Thanksgiving dinner.  Reva is so great she didn't mind, which was a good thing because Mckayla was a beast for many of those days.

Then, on Friday, most of Steve's family who was coming arrived.  Steve's sisters Kathy and Lori, Kathy's daughter Amanda, Lori's husband Curtis and their daughter, Bridget, all came for the festivities.  We had a fun night of Steve's new found chicken Parmesan recipe with more people than our supply of chairs could hold and as a result had people eating at coffee tables and on the floor everywhere.  We are amazing hosts....  But, we had lots of laughs before everyone headed to their hotel for the night.

Saturday was the day of gifts for Ellie. Kathy and Amanda brought her a puzzle and then Lori and Curtis brought her some activity books.  So, by the time my Dad, Kerry, and my sister Julie showed up that afternoon she greeted them at the door requesting gifts. I explained not everyone was bringing her and Mckayla gifts despite earlier events and that we don't ask people for presents.  Then "Grandma Sun" (Kerry) pulled out gifts.  Oh well, at least she's a grateful child and was sure to thank everyone.

Most of the guys went shooting at a local gun shop and range Saturday while the ladies hung out around the house with a cranky Mckayla and an Ellie who was beside herself with excitement at all the people there to play with.  Ellie was, as always, especially taken with Bridget and Amanda.  We heard a lot of "Amanda, go downstairs?"  "Come here, Amanda!"  "Where's Bridget?"  "Come play, Bridget!"  That kid can go and go....

We had a nice, laid back pizza dinner that night and just enjoyed family time.

Sunday we met everyone at church and Steve, Curtis, Ray, a Bishopric member Brother Anderson, and Bishop Lybbert  blessed Mckayla.  It was a lovely way to spend time with family and being grateful that Steve worthily holds the Priesthood and can bless our family with this gift from our Heavenly Father.

After church we came home and grabbed some pictures of our family really quick.

And then Steve set to his traditional welcoming of a baby into our family by cooking prime rib for lunch.  Once again we had people eating everywhere in the house, but it was a fun lunch to spend together before everyone had to hit the road to be home for work and school on Monday.

We were so grateful so much family was willing to make the very long drive to be here with us as we blessed our baby girl and introduced her to so many of the people who will love and teach her in years to come.