We packed up the car and headed to Holland, Michigan for the Thanksgiving weekend again this year.
It took an extra hour to get there due to lake effect snow, but it was worth the extra driving because once we arrived, it was like a winter wonderland. Snow everywhere!
We were making snow angels on the snowy beach!
Jim and Derek were having a contemplative father-son moment. Priceless.
This is one of my favorite shots from the weekend. Ruthie and her grandma definitely have a special bond.
Jake taught Ruth how to throw a snowball into the lake.
Peter and Jeremy made the Stanley Cup out of snow and hoisted it in victory.
I often caught Derek just staring out at the waves, enjoying some solitude.
The lake can be captivating.
For Thanksgiving dinner, Peter scored a home run with his turkey shaped cake pops. Not only were they super cute, they tasted delicious!
Jeremy had a staring contest with his turkey. Guess who won.
As for the real turkey (and I’m not talking about Jeremy), my grandpa carried on the tradition of carving the 30-pound bird. With his electric knife. One of my earliest childhood memories is of Grandpa carving the turkey with an electric knife.
Friday was a laid-back day. Ruthie got to hang out with Aunt Chris…
…while the boys taught my dad how to play Nertz.
Saturday we took a big family picture.
That night Jim started a campfire and we roasted marshmallows and made s’mores.
The last thing we did before heading home was bring the large load of garbage down to the curb. It was a long driveway, so Jim got creative. We wouldn’t want to make the boys work too hard–it was a holiday weekend, after all.