Thanksgiving in Mesquite

It was a Woolley Thanksgiving this year so we made our way down to Mesquite. We were excited to get away and to also try out the new car on a long trip.

Calista made herself right at home. Gotta love iPads!



We got in late that Tuesday night so we could have a full day of playing before Thanksgiving day. I wanted to work on some Christmas presents for my sisters-in-law so I took Calista and Téa with me up to my dad’s workshop, aka The Cave.

The girls settled in to watch Disney Channel while I got to work.



Papa’s Cave has all the amenities you could need: TV, mini fridge, bathroom, slot machine?



We are starting our kids young. Calista got a big jackpot a few bets in. We might have to get her to a gamblers anonymous meeting soon.

The view inside The Cave.



The view from The Cave. Barren wasteland, but a nice view.



I had fun using all the power tools in my dad’s workshop. I will admit my arms were tired from sanding. I made some nice cutting boards for Leslie and Alison. I sure hope they like them.



The next day was all about food! And prepping the food, of course. The food was delicious and we ate way too much.



We only had one minor mishap. Mom forgot to put sugar in the pumpkin pie mix the day before Thanksgiving. Thankfully, Smith’s bakery pulled through with a premade pie. Phew.
There is one dish that I will NOT touch, though. Tomato aspic. It is a gelatinous tomato dish with celery, avocado and shrimp. Now, I love celery, avocado and shrimp but those three things were never meant to be put into lemon Jell-O and tomato sauce. Ever.



After a huge meal (and a little nap) we took the kids to the park to burn off the turkey and yams. 
My kids are pretty awesome.



They take after Mark, I swear!



A beautiful sunset in the desert.



Téa says there aren’t enough pictures of Mark and me so she stole my phone and started snapping shots.



Not the steadiest hand, but she’s getting better.



The day after ‘Eat Way More Than You Ever Should’ day, we decided we really needed to be surrounded by second hand smoke, really bad casino smells and sketchy characters so we went bowling. Too bad the only bowling place is attached to the Virgin River Casino. It wasn’t the best atmosphere but it did wonders for my game. I got a turkey! I’ve never done that. Here’s proof.



It’s just an added bonus that I beat Mark. Saturday night was our last night in town. My parents fired up the fire pit and we roasted marshmallows for S’mores.



Coming down to Mesquite is always a relaxing vacation. There’s not much to do but we love it. There are no house projects that need attention or chores needing to be done. There’s plenty of time for reading, napping and eating. Perfect combination!