Oh Las Vegas, how we love thee.....

For some people, Vegas is all about gambling and strip clubs. For us, it's all about family. I have loved going to Vegas my whole life and consider it a treat anytime I get to go, even still. My biological dad's family is in Vegas (most of them) and I was raised going down there whenever I wanted to. My first trip driving alone to Vegas was when I was only 16, and that was before cell phones were so popular!!! I love that my mom and dad have allowed me to have a relationship with the Albrecht side of my family and I am blessed that they have been so active in my life. This Thanksgiving was special because my uncle Barry and his family came down from Northern Utah, so all but 5 of us were at Thanksgiving dinner. That doesn't happen hardly EVER!!!!

First things first, Macayo's... it's tradition. It's our favorite place to eat as a family. Macayo's is the reason I never knew what a quesadilla was, for us, they are called "TCTs", toasted cheese tortilla!!! And Macayo's is the reason my kids know what a Shirley Temple is!!! YUMMY!!!! Looking at these pictures makes my mouth water!!! We had a great time, especially when my cousin, Jacob, got the explanation from my Grandma of who Lorenna Bobbitt is!!!! Ohhhhhh, THAT was GREAT!!!!!!
There were so many of us, they had to seat us in an "L" shape just so we could fit!!! Good times!!!


Then it's Thanksgiving day. Dinner was at Aunt Vicky's house, that's where we always stay. They are always so willing to have us down, even though we out number them!!!! We love spending time with the Hoppel's!!!

Here's my Aunt Vicky..... she's gonna LOVE that I put this picture on my blog!!!! LOVE YOU AUNT VICKY!!!!!!!

And my Grandma Albrecht. I love these two women so much. I have always looked up to them and they continue to be great examples to me!!!



Now, enough of the small talk.... BRING ON THE FOOD!!!!!!! You can do a Coke count if you want to!!!! It's like Where's Waldo!!! How many Cokes? haha!!!

Let us eat TURKEY!!!! Here's my biological dad (in brown), Scott, and my Uncle Barry. Both of them are WONDERFUL cooks, in fact, Scott is one of the top chefs in Las Vegas. As a funny note, Scott pulled the turkey pan out of the oven WITH HIS BARE HANDS!!! No pot holders for him!!! Barry made the yummy mashed potatoes, Scott carved the turkey that my Aunt Vicky seasoned and cooked, Grandma made the green been casserole and everyone else brought stuff!!!! I'm just wondering why that cooking gene skipped me? DANG IT!!!!
Here's my Aunt Vicky, Aunt Iva, my cousin Rebecca and Tyler..... just waiting on the final touches before we dig in!!!
LOOK AT THAT!!!!! Can you hear it? Can you hear the angels singing? I can!!!
I don't know what my Uncle Gus is telling us about, but it looks exciting!!!!

Dinner was delish and the company was fun too!!! The only ones we were missing was Debbie and Andre that were at home, Little Ricky, who's in the air force and currently in Washington state, and Dallen and his new bride, Brittney. They stayed with her family this year. Not too bad, huh?

Then we had family picture time.

Here are some of the people that I love the very most in my life.....

Scott, my Grandma, Uncle Barry, Uncle Ricky and Aunt Vicky. It's fun to see my Grandma with all of her kids. That doesn't happen much. I love these people soooo much!!!!


Uncle Bear with his family, Elizabeth, Danielle, Iva and Danielle's FIANCE, Daniel. We had a great time with them. I love these guys so much. It's hard for them to live in Pleasant View, they're just so dang far away!!!
Here's my Uncle Ricky, Dalin, Jacob, Rebecca, Rebecca's boy toy, Matt and Aunt Rhonda. My Uncle Ricky is louder than me, you heard it... you didn't know that was possible, but yes, he is louder AND more obnoxious than me!!!! Man, I love him!!!!
And then I have my Aunt Vicky, I've always been her favorite (don't tell Rebecca). That's KC, Uncle Gus and Trey.... the Jacob look alike from Twilight (only better)!!!! These guys always let us invade their house when we come down, in fact, they left on Friday to go to a ball tournament in California, but we got to stay anyway!!!! These boys are the nicest boys you will ever meet, and aren't they sooo cute?
Here's Grandma with all the grandkids (minus Andre, Little Rick, and Dallen)...

Danielle, Grandma, KC, Jacob, Rebecca, ME, Joanna, Trey
Cambelle, Savanna, Tyler, Elizabeth and Maddison.

This picture was great, but not as good as the next one my Aunt Iva got, right as she said "3" to take the picture, I grabbed Rebecca's boobs!!!! It was so funny!!!! I can't wait to get THAT picture!!!! We had everyone in stitches!!!
Thursday night, we went to New Moon (yes, that's #3 for me!!). We had to take Grandma to see her boyfriend, remember THIS POST about my Grandma's love for Jacob? Needless to say, she wasn't disappointed!!!!

Friday morning started off with us saying goodbye to Aunt Vicky, Uncle Gus and the boys. Randy went over to RC Willey with Rebecca and Matt to get us a camcorder. I'm so glad he did, black Friday saved us 50% on the camcorder we've been wanting!!! We got our $400. camcorder for $210. including tax and a bag!!!! YEA!!!! When he was done there, we went to Grandma's. The boys went to Dick's sporting goods for ammo and the girls (and Daniel) went to the mall. One of the highlights for me will be my Aunt Iva asking the saleslady in Macy's where the women's lingerie is and Daniel, without missing a beat, asking where the men's lingerie is!!!! That poor lady!!! I laughed soo hard!!!! After all our shopping fun, we went back to Aunt Vicky's for dinner and to hit the jacuzzi!!! It was sooo relaxing!!! It makes me want a "jubi" as Cambelle calls it!!!!


This is what everyone looks like after a long day of shopping and a night sitting in a hot jacuzzi!!!

Saturday morning was "Grandma pancakes" time (or skinny pancakes as my kids call them)!!! My Grandma Jorgensen passed down a love of crepes, we always love it when Uncle Bear will make them for us!!!
One HAPPY customer!!!! Ohhhhh they are so good!!!!
Then Aunt Iva needed some snuggle time with Cambelle!!! Who doesn't?

Then it was off for home. We had such a blast. My cousin, Danielle got engaged to her boyfriend, Daniel this weekend. Poor Daniel took crap all weekend, just like Randy did almost 14 years ago!!! He's a good sport. I think he'll survive!!!

One thing that I learned this weekend, is that my family loves me for who I am. Not what I used to be, or what I might become. They care about TODAY and love me for what I am. They don't care that I swear and they love Coke just as much as I do, both things that I regularly get judged for by others. I love that they will take me for what I am and love me so very much unconditionally!!!! THAT is what I would call Christ-like love. After spending time with them this weekend, I realized that I am so much an Albrecht and a Jorgensen. They complete who I am. I am so blessed to have that understanding. It's like the icing on the cake. Isn't that what we all want? To be loved NO MATTER WHAT? Well, I have it and I'm very grateful for that!!!!

I hope you all had as great of a holiday as we did!!!