Thanksgiving Break

Ryan and I had a wonderful break with our families!  However, it did not start off so well.  Sunday night before school let out, I came down with some nasty stomach virus.  By Tuesday I was still nauseous and was still having joint pain and a fever.  I somehow managed to make it down to Texas and was feeling immensely better by Wednesday.  We got to go down to the movie set my little sister Cassie has been working on all semester.  It was really neat to see where she has been.  We ate lunch on set and it was so good!  Especially because I had only eaten apple sauce, bananas, and toast the past several days.  Cassie has her own trailer where Ryan and I hung out with my mom while Cassie did school on set.  The strangest thing was that as we were walking back out to the parking lot, we saw all these green parakeets perched up on the electrical wires.  I asked Cassie if they escaped from set, but she said there had not been any in the movie.  My mom later told us that one of the wardrobe ladies fed the birds every day, so they continued to come back.  She and Cassie I have decided are kindred spirits, since this is exactly what Cassie would do.

After leaving set, Ryan and I went downtown to visit my sister Alex and my cute little niece!  Belle has gotten so big!  She is walking (and falling) and has this hilarious fake little laugh that she sometimes does.  She loved Ryan and showed him all her treasures and would bring books over to him so he could read them.  We took her down to the park on Town Lake where she likes to eat the playground pebbles.  Her favorite thing right now is the Christmas lights.  She will stand mesmerized on the front porch, for as long as Alex will let her, looking at the glittering lights.  

We went back to Cedar Park and had dinner with my family and went and watched Tangled.  My favorite thing about going to the movies is hearing Cassie giggle and crack up.  It was super cute and the horse in the movie reminded all of us of our dog.  Wednesday, all and all, was a perfect day.

Thanksgiving day, we headed out Johnson City to have dinner with my grandparents and aunt, uncle, and cousins.  Blanca had a blast playing in the huge backyard with my grandparents two dogs and my aunt's boxer.  My granny is the best cook in the world.  My aunt made some delicious pies too.  I was so full!  We watched the longhorn/aggie game.  My dad was happy as the aggies won, and that normally does not happen.  Cassie spent the night in Georgetown at the Campbells.    

Friday we hung out with Cassie, went to IHOP for breakfast, took her home, took my brother to work at the mall and then made the mistake of venturing in.  It was a madhouse.  It was Ryan's fault, he wanted to participate in the "festivities" of Black Friday.  We went with his parents to see the lights on the square in Georgetown and then went and watched Harry Potter again.     

Saturday Cassie and Mom had to go back to set and Travis was working.  Ryan and I went hiking with my dad out at Georgetown Lake.  It was nice to spend some time with just my dad.  Blanca had a blast.  I have never seen her little tail wag so fast for so long.  There were lots of rocks to climb over and tons of things to smell.  Nine miles later, we came back to the car where Blanca promptly fell asleep on the way home.  She was exhausted for the rest of the night.  We had dinner with Ry's parents and then went back to my parents' house to hang out for awhile.  Then we had to say our goodbyes and head back to Georgetown.

Sunday we said more goodbyes to Ryan's parents and got in the car for the eight hour drive back to Fayetteville.  I am already counting the days down to Christmas break!  I love my wonderful family!

It was strange to come home and not have Derek be there.  It was hard, and I am sure it will continue to be hard.  I think what I miss most is Derek and Ryan laughing together.  It was one of the best sounds in the world, hearing those two brothers laugh together.  We went and visited his grave Sunday morning before we left.  We love you Derek, and miss you very much.