Thanksgiving Day

In honor of my one year anniversary since my last post, I am finally putting up some pictures. However, I do post on my other blog every week.

This year we decided to do a race as a family. I had done this race last year with my dad and sister (as you may have read in my last post). It is a 5k in Queen Creek which always sponsers someone with cancer.


Here we are before the race. That is why we look so happy. Katie, Rachael, Jayden, Kyana, Grandma Webber, Megan, Ally, Grandpa Webber, Orson and Barb. And just so you know, I have to keep my ears warm.


Grandma walked around the block with Kyana and Megan, although they look like they just might be running.

Here are some finish line pictures. We didn't get Rachael, who in her first race, came in at 29 minutes. Wow.


Grandpa cut a minute off last year's time with just over 31 minutes.


Katie had to stop and tie her shoe, but still came in at 34 minutes. Unbelievable.


I had my personal best this year. I cut my time by 3 minutes with 41.48. My goal was 42 minutes and I finally achieved it.


Orson came in just seconds after me and look at the difference in our faces. He looks like he just ran 20 feet instead of three miles. So unfair.


Ally ran with Jayden.


At four years old, he completed all 3 miles.


A new Holt family tradition has begun. Anna just got her cast off on Tuesday. She is still in a boot and out of activity for 6 more weeks. Then she'll start training for next year.

We decided to go to the movies in the afternoon. We saw tangled in 3D and we all liked it.

We enjoyed an evening feast.








Hope you all had a wonderful holiday.

Thanksgiving in Arizona

This is the first year we have stayed in Arizona for Thanksgiving. We always have gone to California in the past to be with my Grandpa. Last year he passed away, and since the Holt reunion is on Saturday, we decided to stay home.


My dad, sister and I started off the day by running in a 5k. This was my first race this year. I ran two last year but have since shed 35 pounds. My goal was to run the entire race and I was shooting for 42 minutes.


I achieved one of those goals. I didn't walk once during the race and I finished with a time of 44:26. Much faster than my first try at over 51 minutes a year and a half ago.


Here are a few looks at us after the race. My dad creamed me by 12 minutes and it was a personal best for him.

This guy is 65 years old and started running only last year. What a stud.

Now it's on to the good stuff. The meal.


Megan and Anna got all dolled up for the occasion.


The main table is ready with the main part. Turkey, stuffing and sparkling cider.

Katie helping in the kitchen.

Ally with her self portrait.


Jayden, Megan, Kyana and Anna waiting for grub.


The group.

Ally and Wayland

Mom and Dad

Turkey

I was asked to teach a class on how to prepare a turkey and make gravy in preparation for Thanskgiving. I also decided to show some leftover ideas that I make. You can find the recipes for these on my food blog.





Here's Tom before:

And after:



Making the gravy


Here are some leftover turkey ideas.

Turkey Cranberry Wreath


Turkey Enchiladas


Turkey Pot Pie

Happy Thanksgiving (the post that never ends)

What? Didn't this just happen? Well, Thanksgiving started early for us. The week before, my sister and her 5 girls came to visit us. They live in Utah and go to year round school and they were on their 3 week break. So, we benefitted, big time. Imagine 9 girls and one boy in the house. Fun, fun, fun! We decided to get Christmas put up the weekend before Thanksgiving for several reasons. 1. We were headed to California. 2. Thanksgiving was very late this year, and it would already be December when we returned from our trip. 3. I had 6 extra sets of hands to help put up decorations.
This is the kids tree. When we moved to Arizona we decided to put up two trees. One to hold all the ornaments we have collected through the years, and one to decorate any way I want. I'll have to post a picture of the other tree later.
The cousins really have fun together. They made sugar cookies.
Megan and Brenna
Kayla, Katie and Aubrey. We have many self portraits on the camera.
Sunday night we went to the visitors center at the Arizona Temple. Here are all the cousins. They are almost in age order(Nathan is holding the baby) From left to right. Brenna, Jayden, Megan, Emily, Anna (two days younger than) Lindsay, Kayla, Aubrey, Rachael, Katie, Nathan holding Kyana. This is happiness captured.
We traveled to my parents house in Cali on Wednesday. We pulled in at Midnight. Thursday morning I was up at 6:30 to run in a race. (I will do a separate post with that whole story).
Here is my brother-in-law, Robert carving the turkey. When he was done, I ripped the rest to shreds with my bare hands. Hey, you have to get down and dirty to get all that delicious dark meat.
The kids table, pre kids.
My sister Jenna. I wanted to put my head on her body, but I don't know how to do that. You get the idea, though.
These two are so cute. Megan is 14 months older than Brenna, but they have fun together. I think they will be life long friends.
The kids table, with kids.
Good eats with my cousin David and my Uncle Dale and Aunt Helen.
Friday we went to Hollywood. When you grow up 20 minutes from Hollywood, you just never go there. Here we are with the famous sign in the background.
We drove past Hollywood High School. I'm sure many famous people went there, but I don't know who.
When you go to Hollywood Blvd. you run into lots of characters. Just be warned that you have to tip them if you take a picture with them.
Grauman's Chinese Theater
My Dad's favorite movie when he was a little boy was a western called "Shane", starring Alan Ladd. Of course, we're more familiar with Alan's famous daughter Cheryl who won our hearts as one of Charlie's Angels.
Here's something you never see. A line for the men's bathroom. It was the day after Thanksgiving.
Here we are at the Kodak Theater. This is where they hold the Academy Awards.
We took this picture because this is the year my mom was at the academy awards. The other thing about growing up close to Hollywood, is sometimes, you actually know movie stars. My mom was this boy's date.You may remember him from Swiss Family Robinson or Old Yeller. Don't worry, they were both 16 at the time.

Picture Provided By: TeenIdols4You.comFor my own claim to fame, I was buddies with Wil Wheaton. He first starred in a movie called Stand by Me.
Picture Provided By: TeenIdols4You.comBut, he was most famous for his role in Star Trek: the Next Generation. We were friends in high school. I was a senior when he moved to our school as a freshman. I would take him to Burger King for lunch and tutor him in English. He was a cute kid.
To finish out our day, we headed to Universal City to peruse the City Walk.

At the end of the City Walk, you find Universal Studios. If you ever go to the L.A. area this is a fun place to go. The kids really enjoy taking the tram ride on all the back lots and learning about all the films and T.V. shows that have been made there.