Thanksgiving 2009

Ben and I had a great Thanksgiving. We didn't have his whole family together on the actual 'day', but managed to get together both before and after. Meghan & Cody were in town for a few hours before heading to St. George and of course we jumped at the chance to catch up with them. The picture above was about a third of the group that turned out for lunch.

Then on Thanksgiving Day morning, I suited up (didn't mean to dress like a sniper/black cat) and met with Emma for the Park City Turkey Trot. What a race! No, I've never blogged about running before, don't go looking for it. Or anything involving exercise for that matter. BUT, Emma asked, and needed a running mate, and how lame would it have been to wimp out of a 5K? Yeah, that's bad. Emma probably remembers me as this gym-going fit person from college (we were in the same BYU ward at Liberty Square seven years ago - memories!) Now we're in the same ward again - she has two kids and is in incredible shape, and then there's me.

I had a great time even though it looks here like I nearly died. We started the race at 8:30 and the temperature was somewhere near 13 degrees. Eek. I was afraid of those darn side cramps, they always get me! I never got a side cramp, but I did have some serious swelling in the thigh area. I felt like I was running with the legs of a sumo wrestler. Odd! Thus putting serious pressure on what seemed like toothpick ankles. Why? Was it the cold? Maybe. Was it the fact that I haven't run since my last 5k attempt in 2007 with Taryn & Mom in SF? Probably more like it. The highlight for me was being passed by a troupe of seven year-olds.

Emma was a terrific coach and very patient! It only took me three days to be able to walk and attempt stairs again... and now, I'm nearly inspired to get in better shape. My sister Lindsey said she was so proud of me. She just completed the Catalina Island marathon three weeks ago. Talk about mountains vs. molehills. She is my hero.

Later that day, Ben scheduled golf with his dad and Matt. I thought it would be good to go along to walk off the build-up in my legs. These men are die hard. Half the course was covered in snow and they still played 9 holes with a snow-matching ball. :) Ben will do anything for golf. It turned out to be a nice day in Farmington.

For Thanksgiving dinner, Ben and I joined his parents and Amberly and her darling girls for a most fabulous buffet at Little America. What a treat. I decided that I'd burned thousands of calories earlier during my 3 1/2 mile run, why not stuff myself? Delicious mashed potatoes & gravy. yum.

As per holiday tradition, we made it to the movies and saw Christmas Carol. NOT a kids movie. I was frightened myself at a few points. The effects were cool, (see it in 3D if you get the chance) but it was not a kids cartoon. I'm making an appointment to watch Muppet Christmas Carol - I'd rather associate the story further from the way Dickens intended it.

Sunday the whole family met at Kathy & Jed's for a 2nd Thanksgiving meal. Isn't the old saying, "where one is good, two are better?"