fourth Thursday in November

football- check

good food- check

friends- check

family time- check

While, we affectionately acknowledge this day as Thanksgiving, over here it was just another work day for John.  No four day weekend with a kick-off feast.  However, you may remember that since Friday is our Sabbath and Saturday is still Saturday, Thursday is the last day of the work week.  

This is how we celebrated Thanksgiving this year, our first in Dubai:

football

Saturday before Thanksgiving, John organized the 1st annual Turkey bowl at one of the local parks.  There was a great turnout and a fun picnic with families afterwards, plus the weather was perfect- a good time was had by all.  Plus, the BYU game wasn't on until later that night, so we were all still in "wishful thinking" mode.  We opted to NOT wake up and watch the game (thankfully).

food and friends

John worked a full day and we went to the Thanksgiving buffet at the Courtyard Marriott right by our house with about 60 other friends (mostly from church).  It was a great meal, not the same as home cooking and eating/ grazing all day long, but I enjoyed a feast.  Asher loved the night and was totally entertained (or entertaining) the entire time.  I'm not sure what he ate, but I did fill his plate for him once. Ivy was with us and was an angel all night.  She also did some entertaining by letting some of the other moms and dads (who haven't had little ones around their house for a while) spoil her, take pictures of her, put lipstick on her, give her more pumpkin pie etc. etc.  The night ended when Ivy accidently pulled the high chair (heavy wood restaurant high chair- you know the type) on top of herself and looked and sounded as if she had seriously broken her nose.  We headed home, gave her some tylenol and put all of us to bed.  Thankfully she looked much better in the morning- although still bruised.

family

The weekend following Thanksgiving was great. 

Friday was the Primary Program at church (I wrote a separate post about it), and the theme of their program was all about families and recognizing that we are all God's children.  It made me especially thankful to be a mother and so in awe of the blessings that little Asher and Ivy are to me!

We spent Saturday enjoying the outdoors and being together- John took the kids swimming while I ran errands and then we all went to the beach for the afternoon, sunset, and a bbq.

Aside from being away from extended family and friends, we enjoyed all the makings of a great Thanksgiving weekend and we are thankful for so many things!