Gobble, Gobble // 2012

This year was a little different then the past. Since the Clawsons were in Pittsburgh, we decided not to split the day but to spend the entire day with my family (this was MIL approved, btw) We headed up to Bentonville. With a little unexpected stop in the beginning (more to come on that) I was so excited to to spend the entire day with the fam. Not that I don't love to spend time with the in-laws, because I certainly do. It is just that we always have to leave right when it starts getting good, gametime. I was pretty pumped to be able to enjoy family gametime.

We started out the day with a little FB time with Lisa.

The Reds were in the kitchen cooking up a storm!

 

Well, the Reds and my Daddy. He is always a part of the Thanksgiving cooking crew.

The tables were set for the droves of people that were about to join the celebration.

The kids decided to head to the office to draw and make about 20,334,093,820,348,875 paper airplanes. I am pretty sure they powered through two reams of paper. It was an insane operation they had going on in there.

Michelle getting hugs and kisses from Sidney.

Goofiness.

 These two are the best of pals and so very handsome!

 They were working a mean game of solitaire.

I got some snuggle-time with my loves. My heart is SO very full!

Chaz is a little fond of Kelsey. Wherever she goes, he goes. He is quite the fan!

This little guy is a mover. He loves this desk and will play for the longest time!

Drool and all, he (and Karlee) love some Lisa-time.

Once the food had settled, everyone became sloths. Well, except the kiddos...they became crazy animals.

 I'm not sure what the "calm ones" thought of all the chaos but it was just another part of Thanksgiving!

So, remember how at the beginning I mentioned we had a stop on the way to my parent's house? Well, here is how that story goes. We were driving down 540 on our way to my folks house. I was reading a magazine, the boys were in the back and the hubs was driving. Suddenly I hear the hubs say "Ummmmmm, you know I am going to have to turn around, right?" I honestly thought he was going to tell me he forgot something at the house but instead he says "Did you see that? In the median?"  Oh mercy, what am I in for.......

Well, you see there was a dog in the median, he was standing but obviously scared. We couldn't just leave him! The hubs noticed the sweet thing had a collar so in all fairness we thought this would be a quick stop and a call to this little guy's parents. All-in-all just another happy Thanksgiving story for the books. Well, not so much.

I stayed in the car with the kiddos while the hubs went to investigate. We have stopped so many times for dogs, hauled them to their rightful owners, etc. I really thought nothing of this. That was until I looked up from my magazine and say my husband carrying this sweet little pooch like a baby. I could hear the dog crying from the inside of the car. I jumped out to understand what plan the hubs had. I quickly realized he didn't have a very good one. He said "Open the back" Ummmm, no. I am not putting this poor, hurt dog in the back of my SUV along with the overnight bags, food, etc. I decided to drive and the hubs would hold the dog. 

Poor guy, every turn and lean he would yelp. We knew he was hurt and we knew it was his leg but beyond that we had no idea. Oh course I told the hubs that he was in charge of the call to my Dad announcing the Thanksgiving guest. I knew my parents wouldn't care because this is totally something they would do but I wanted them to have a heads up before we just barged in with a hurt dog.  We got there and the hubs and daddy cared for this little fellow all day. We determined either his femur or his hip was broken but because it was Thanksgiving there was really no where to get him help. 

The hubs tried all day to get a hold of the owner. Did I mention the tags had a Texas address??!?!?!  Needless to say, we had to wait until the next day to take him to the vet to see what was really wrong. 

The next morning Dad and the hubs got up and headed to the vet. They were gone forever...... finally mom asked me to text them and see what the deal was. After a very long pause I get this "Surgery monday"  I'm sorry, WHAT!?!?! Surgery?? We went from a simple rescue and return to surgery. Oh my! His femur was broken and the only way to fix it was surgery. 

Well, long story longer.. We finally located the owner and he basically told us that we could have this dog. He was too busy and didn't want him anymore. Who does that?!?!  The boys seemed to love him and he was great with them and everyone else.....SO, we now have a dog. I can't say that this is really what I wanted to happen on Thanksgiving (I wasn't ready for a dog just yet) but it was only appropriate on this day. We determined he actually had a much worse life then we even thought. Obviously, he was abandoned.. he was also shot several times with a BB gun and at times he shows signs that he was abused.

His name is Wrigley (or RowRow as the baby says) and he is part of our family. He is still a pup so I am dealing with the puppy things --chewing, barking, digging in the trash, just being weird --but he is a good dog. A really good dog and he is ours.