Thanksmas 2023

Thanksgiving week was here before we knew it, and we were excited for some quality family time with all 6 of us - definitely a rare and special treat these days! To kick off our fun week together, we all attended a Texans game together and enjoyed the beautiful day. The Texans were becoming a team to root for again, and it was so fun to cheer on our favorite team as a family.

On Tuesday, we flew to Grand Rapids to start the Thanksmas activities. Our favorite pastime at the airport has become family games of euchre - gotta get in the spirit for the days of games ahead! Flying into Grand Rapids instead of Chicago spoiled us this year. It's WAY easier to navigate that airport and short drive to Saugatuck than dealing with O'Hare and the much longer drive.

We settled into our usual hotel, the Best Western, where the family who runs the hotel has watched our kiddos grow up over the years. It was a crisp, fall morning and we took advantage of the lovely lighting to snap some photos outside amidst the pretty fall backdrop.

Once at Aunt Patti's house, the fun began! The guys were off to their usual basement card games, ping pong, playing with the kiddos, and of course, their beverages of choice. The ladies occasionally visit downstairs but also spend a lot of time upstairs in the kitchen and catching up over the spread of yummy snacks. So much fun being together with everyone again!

The next morning, it was officially Thanksgiving and we were excited for another day of family fun ahead. First up was the Thanksgiving meal preparation along with all the countless hours of card games. I also made sure to snap more pictures of my crew, although the boys are never fond of that activity!

When it was time for our Thanksgiving meal, we all gathered and squeezed around the beautiful setup from Aunt Patti and the sisters. We always have quite the large group, but this year we were truly missing Jeff's mom and stepdad who can no longer make the trip. 

We enjoyed such a delicious meal and ate until we were stuffed like the turkey itself! The food and fellowship is so special for everyone during this one time a year we all get together. After the meal and cleanup, everyone scattered for more games and some pantry shots along the way. Later in the evening, the ladies exchanged the girl gifts - one of my favorite traditions! Then we all gathered together again for the annual Christmas carols, concluding with "The Twelve Days of Christmas" in typical rambunctious fashion. It was yet another wonderful Thanksmas with the Arndt crew, and we were so thankful for the family time and bonding throughout our short stay.