Smoke a Thanksgiving Turkey at the lake

     Once in a while, we find ourselves "without" five kids during the holidays.  It doesn't happen often and I am certain I wouldn't like it if it did, but this year we were alone during the Thanksgiving holiday, so we went camping.
     The kids were all getting into the snow ski spirit and thankfully work keeps them grounded at some point, so they all spent time with other family members, friends and/or each other while Steve and I packed up our new motorhome and went to the lake for a few days.  My brother and Judy had opted to spend time in Palm Springs so I would probably see them during the Christmas holidays and Steve's family was busy doing family things as well.  We invited everyone to come visit, but wanted them to understand that we were still going to be having out Thanksgiving out doors, like the Indians :)
     I found this to be actually an exciting option for Thanksgiving and bought a small turkey with all the fixings that we could smoke at the campsite and have when we wanted.  Russ actually ended up driving to meet us and eat, so we were a family of three, and had a nice day, we have much to be thankful for and I never forget to consider myself blessed.
     Happy Turkey Day everyone!

Smoked turkey @ Cachuma

Night after turkey - bacon wrapped filet @ Cachuma

Yum

Park City, Snowbird, Sundance, Deer Valley - It's all SNOW

     Utah, it has become a wonderful part of our lives.  The year that Phillip went to Southern Utah to school I began our love affair with Utah and all the wonderful things that come with it.  Now, it's winter again and Phillip is knee deep in powder in a place he absolutely loves!  I just got off the phone with him, he has been making snow this winter and they are in full swing - he says "it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas" and the season has just begun.  It's great to have a chat with the kids, especially when they are in good moods, the sun and the stars seem to be aligned, they are talkative and getting along with one another.  It makes a mom happy.

Phill loves Park City and so far it's loving him back :)

    

This time there was something in his eyes.

     Labor day 2010 - golf tournament play, lots of fun and laughter, yet I couldn't help but notice that Mark continued to stare off into far away places?  What's going on in that head of yours Mark brother?  It wasn't only once, I saw it numerous times and at least once, I know he saw me notice - it was as if he was drinking it all in, looking around for the last time, he eyes looked like deep pools and he was just taking everything in and filing it amongst his memories. It makes me wonder if he is feeling o.k. but then that is always something I constantly wonder and trust that if anything changes he will tell me, because he would.

     We had FUN!  We always do, and there was so much laughter that it made me forget about what I was REALLY thinking for awhile.  We celebrated with mom's birthday and the tournament and just plain being together.  Craig, Kim and the kids came by for a dinner and that was nice, it breaks my heart that both of my brothers don't feel the same way about one another that I feel about each of them.  Maybe it's youth or maybe not - but for at least one evening we were all together, and if Mark really was "drinking it all in" as I thought, then he went to bed feeling well loved and happy - that's a good thing.....