HOME AGAIN!!

Here we are again...soo far behind in blogging that i dont even know where to start. Im sure its easy to see how i seem to completely fall off the face of the earth the second we get back home with family. There really is nothing better though. We seriously have just loved very minute of being home!!

We actually didn't think we would make it home for thanksgiving this year but about two weeks before thanksgiving we found out Jeff had some meetings in Washington DC and since the new United flight goes right though DC on the way to Salt Lake it seemed too good to be true so we bought tickets last minute and packed to come home. It also worked out soo perfect that our friends from Nigeria just moved back there so we planned to stay a extra day or two to go see them and their new place before they're off to russia for their new post. I had never been to DC before so it was fun to see the city, which was absolutely BEAUTIFUL! I think the best part of all was the fact that after 2 years of missing my favorite season we finally caught the tail end of fall. I really couldn't get enough....ask jeff.....



The Smithsonian has far too many museums to see in just two days so we picked the Air and Space and then the Natural History Museum, only because of the movie "Night in the Museum." They were pretty cool though!!




We searched the place for all the characters on Night at the Museum then later found out some of them actually weren't in this one. We did find a few though...and of course a lot of other cool things.



Most everything was within walking distance so after we walked over to the capital build, licholn memorial, the white house and a few other stops inbetween......





No, we didn't see Obama but i did see someone that could have been black in the window......who knows. We for sure spotted a few snipper on the roof though......how awesome would that be going to bed with that security. We actually were surprised at how small the white house was. Definitely looks a lot bigger on TV.



Probably the most memorable part of the whole trip was seeing the Flakes again and joining in on their "turkey harvest." They were GIANT turkey so i was excited to see if the process would actually be as smooth as Levin made it sound. Melissa and me just sat back and took pictures and let the boys do all the dirty work! Here are some before, during and after pics.......
*Warning: pictures may be disturbing, when i say turkey harvest i really mean it!!*




For some reason this picture makes me laugh every time......Just a random turkey.......hanging there.......



After draining for a bit they were put into this pot of boiling water for about a minute so the plucking would be easier. Im surprized they actually fit.....



Jeff and Levin trying to get that turkey "bald as a babies butt"............



And finally 6 turkeys later, the final product....a whooping 40lb turkey!! Im not kidding....40 stinking pounds. I was not lying when i said these turkeys were GIANT!! The top 3 weight 40lbs, 38lbs, and 36lbs. I would venture to say they had enough turkey to feed an army that thanksgiving......



Thanks Melissa and Levin for the entertainment!! We sure had a good time and loved every second of seeing you guys again!! After we continued on our way to utah just in time for thanksgiving which of course was full of fun, family and most of all good food!!! I cant even count the number of times Jeff and I sit down at the dinner table in Africa and dream about the day when we are back in america with a plate full of good food. Kathy's turkey dinner was all of that and more!! All the siblings were home so it was a full house but soo much fun seeing everyone again! Unfortunately i didn't take many pictures, but i did get a few one evening when we had the brilliant idea of putting boxing gloves on the kids.....





For some reason this was way funnier to all of us then it was to the kids and of course it ended in every single one of them in tears. We really are the worst, although it was good entertainment for about 45 seconds. Anyways, we were soo happy that we were able to make it back for thanksgiving!! There is nothing better then being home with the fam!! Now if i can catch up till christmas by the end of the week.......