Thanksgiving Gingerbread Party with Melissa's Family

Amber and Kylee kicking back before the big feast...

Our neighborhood Turkey Bowl that Russ put together last minute:

Can Rhett keep Russ from getting the pass?

Go, Drew, go!

Great smiles from my baby bro and baby sis:

Travis and Melanie

Oh, I am so glad Mom is making the gravy...I don't think mine from a package would have been quite the same as this made from the flavorful turkey drippings!

Great-grandpa overseeing Russ' turkey carving job...

Amber and Melanie striking a pose...Is this the "Blue Steel"?!

Crystal, Melissa and Travis

Melissa working on her gingerbread house --

This is a fun tradition Mom/Grandma started with us several years ago. She even painstakingly bakes all of the gingerbread house pieces and whips up the frosting which hardens into a cement-like substance to keep the houses solid through the Christmas Season (well, at least until we start picking at and eating them!). Everyone brings a treat-decoration to share, and then we go to work...

Now how fair is it that Crystal is a professional cake decorator?! 

Her and Travis' house was incredible.

The crew with their completed gingerbread houses (this doesn't show the floor-to-ceiling mess we left in the process of creating such magnificent artwork!).

Sledding at Jodi's house in Manti

Melissa and Glory Girl sharing a tube

James getting some air...

Melissa

Drew

Rhett

Gloria

Halloween 2007

Is it one of our favorite singers, Michael Jackson (pre-1990's), 

or is it Gloria?

Drewcilla

Batman Zach

Gloria and Zach off to trick-or-treat in the neighborhood...

Capital Reef October 07

This was our first time to Capital Reef. We had wanted to go there for quite some time, so we made last minute plans and got a hotel from Russ' GoUtah Card (buy one night, get one night free -- it worked well). Here we have Rhett without a shirt and dad with a shirt -- come on, Russ, take it off!

"Contemplation" -- Rhett and Drew

Where is Waldo? Oops! I mean where is Gloria?

The kids and mom made it to the top to see this spectacular bridge (Russ made it too -- he's, of course, the behind-the-scenes cameraman)

Drew and Gloria find a little cave to hide from us in. 

Gotcha with a snapshot!

I can't remember what Russ and Gloria were pointing out for Drew (a lizard, his garbage to pick up, ???)

Trip to Las Vegas

2nd cousins: Blake, Rhett, Kyle and Amber

Who's the craziest -- Kyle or Amber?

It was so fun seeing my (Melissa's) cousin (Stephen) and his sweet little family --

Russ, Melissa, Darlene and Stephen

Fisher Reunion at Grandpa Tim's Cabin by Strawberry Reservoir

Now that we (Melissa and siblings) are grown-up (well, kinda!) and that most of us have families of our own, my smart brother and sweet sister-in-law (Travis and Crystal) got us going on our own family reunions. This was our 4th annual (Right? 2004-Bear Lake, 2005-Melissa's place, and 2006-Oak City Canyon). We had a great time hiking, outdoor cooking (and, of course, eating), exploring dad's acreage, playing games late into the night (I think Russ is king of Catan), visiting, joking, cooling off in the stream, and shooting each other with Travis' paintball gun ("We'll give you a 10-second head start, Rhett!"). Oh, and I must mention the death-defying act required for getting to the potty (Just kidding! Dad/Grandpa did a great job securing the ladder across the mini-canyon.).

Melissa and Dad/Grandpa

Drew

Melissa and her dad standing in front of his rustic little cabin that he has fixed up so nicely

Miss Kylee bug enjoying a few bites of watermelon...yum...

Jeff and Zach meandering down the road from dad's cabin...

Zach loved the swing Grandpa put up on the tree. He spent a lot of time there...

Crystal and Kylee getting their feet wet (literally!)...

Rhett plops right in -- he must be on the swim team (not that we could tell by his well-defined upper body or anything!). 

Jeff and Gloria try to get Zach's attention. He is resting on the rocks with Aunt Melissa because he is a little timid about the water (and it's just a little cold too!). 

Katty and John play with Jacob in the water...He's giggling the whole time!

Kylee is being passed to Gloria. Gloria can't get enough of her baby cousins! She is so good with them too. Maybe that's why she is in such high-demand for babysitting.

Jacob loves the water!

Grandpa helps Zach get use to the water. I like your walking stick, dad!

Zach, Drew and Gloria rest on and by the island in the stream.

Don't drop him, John Boy! What trust Jacob has in his daddy. Wheeeee.....

Kylee is not sure what to think of Uncle Russ in his safari hat. It makes a cute picture though!

Iron Chef at the Prestwich House

Rhett and his Lemon Chicken Shish kabobs over rice

Tawny working the grill

Jeannie working the grill

Jeannie presents her surf and turf plate

Randy presenting their shish kabobs

Neil with beer-battered onion rings and burger

Russ displays his roasted garlic infused chipolte barbeque cheeseburger with pineapple

Judge Marilyn marks her scores

Steve, Marilyn and Scott debate over which Iron Chef should win

And the winner is: Rhett. Rhett shocked the world winning his first ever Iron Chef competition with no culinary school background and very little cooking background at all. Rhett entered the competition with a resume of quesadillas and toast. But his fist time cooking a real meal in front of tens of people proved to be the charm. His lemon chicken shish kabobs over rice served with a fruit smoothie won over the judges. Other contestants, mainly his dad, were demanding a recount, a closer look at the replay. Some say, mainly his dad, that there may have been ingredient tampering, or a possible bribing conspiracy. Oh well, dad (I) lost, but watch out next year.