My family made the trek to Las Vegas for Thanksgiving. It seemed like there were a lot more of us than usual, but it was hard to tell until we actually all sat down for the meal. My father came from Albuquerque. His wife, Kay, stayed behind with her parents. My middle brother, Josh, brought his wife and all four children and my youngest brother Aaron brought his wife and three year old son. I think the final head count was around 10, but I only fed 8ish. The three year old was at the end of his rope by the time we ate and my nephew Jaden, who has Down's Syndrome, takes his meals through a J-tube.

It was complete chaos and I loved every second of it. Of course, I was in the kitchen the majority of the day. That meant that I didn't have to manage the children. My niece, Alyssa was a huge help. She set the table, snapped the beans, and took out the trash. My nephew Brandon peeled potatoes, took out the compost, and also helped with the table. Dad helped me cook.

My turkey was fabulous. I tried something new this year: a citrus salt rub on the outside. It sounds kind of strange but the salt seals all that moisture inside the bird so that it's incredibly juicy and tender. It was the first time I've cooked a turkey in many, many years and it was spectacular!

When it was time for people to leave, it was bittersweet. I was reminded all day of my sheer good fortune. I have so much love in my life, a beautiful family, great friends, work that feeds my soul, and great health. I only wish I'd taken more pictures.