who celebrates thanksgiving two weeks early?

well, i do. along with twentyfive members of my family. not even kidding.

why? well, let me explain. efrem turned ninety so grandma and grandpa flew in from kauai, which was an excuse in itself for all of us to get together. and the original plan was to have a legitimate thanksgiving feast but then somebody (who will remain nameless, MOM) decided we needed to go to the law firm and work work work so turkey turned into pizza which turned into chinese food. but really, is thanksgiving even about the turkey? nah. it's about the people, duh. and i guess it was sort of a christmas celebration too, because we had a gift exchange. what the hell, why not.

i'm not sure i could ever fully explain my family. it's another one of those things you have to experience to understand (like the westmont community). EVERYONE says their family is crazy, but really, mine ACTUALLY is crazy. (just ask kristy, sarah, dan or dillon) here are a few events that might make your jaw drop.

-my brother pantsed my uncle. and his step daughter might have seen. his son responded, "don't worry nikki, they're not all that small."

-my aunt got her face drawn on, like a pirate (she might have been intoxicated, it's unclear).

-my other uncle pantsed my uncle, again.

-poker. poker. poker. my aunt won showdown on a flush. i couldn't believe it.

-my three aunts and i hid from everyone in the pantry closet that measures two by three. they found us. damn.

-we went on a morning hike and everyone had different interpretations of growing up. my mom thinks she took care of all the kids and my aunts and uncle think she's crazy. i think they're both right. 

-we tried to get my grandma to stop reading and play the game. she wouldn't so my uncle tried to take away her book. so she bit him and somehow there was blood drawn.

-my cousin has carpal tunnel in his thumbs from texting so much. and he got mad when we took his phone away. "it's for your own benefit- we're trying to save your thumbs!" he didn't like that response.

-in the middle of the gift exchange there was this weird groaning sound. i looked up to see my grandpa getting his bald head and hairy back scratched. he was so happy. dork.

so, we are REALLY dysfunctional... and I WOULDN'T TRADE THEM FOR THE WORLD. they are the best thing that's ever happened to me. our dysfunction has taught me more about life and how to live it than any thing else. and in the spirit of early chinese-should-have-been-pizza-thanksgiving-dinner-slash-weekend, i am so thankful for them. each and every one of them.

most of us, looking semi-functional: