Thanksgiving

1 I have no idea what I was thinking the day I created this invite, other than OMG it's almost Thanksgiving and I just got home! This was our 5th annual B.O.B. and despite starting really small this year, we had 31 people come! My friend Liisa was kind enough to extend the invite to group of helicopter pilots and crew who were just deployed and stopped over here in Hawaii before continuing on.	2 So much good food and great fun to try everyone's favorite dish! Liisa's helpers, including two college girls, did such a fantastic job - it was all so delicious! This is a really relaxing way to do Thanksgiving. Dave continues to think I'm nuts even after 5 years of convincing, but I love celebrating the start of the holidays by being with as many friends and family as possible, and I especially appreciate including those who aren't able to be with their own family.	3 Co-conspirator extraordinaire! Liisa texted me regular updates of how many people were coming. The first made me go "wow!" - 10 guests coming! Then a day or two later I got another text, "count is now 33!" After my initial OMG! I was thrilled - it only took a few minutes to realize this is what it's all about and that it would all work out somehow. She did such a lot of work hauling kayaks for the guys among myriad other feats. Liisa - the guys had a great day thanks to you!	4 And mom did a million errands and things for me while I tended shop (work) or figured out logistics and coordinated details like pavilion, food, base access... Oh and mom cooked the biggest turkey on the planet!!! 23.2 pounds this year! Thanks mommy!!!
5 Phil is carving up our turkey for us - thanks!	6 Dave is getting some qt with Ben before he goes back into work. Look at the little smiles!	7 We got a pavilion right on the beach, on the north-facing side so it wasn't too windy (we were able to hold onto our plates!) and the kids spilled right out onto the beach where we could easily keep an eye on them playing in the shallow, calm water. Perfect spot. We listened to Eddie Kamae, of course, and Ten Feet on the truck's stereo. (For reference - the battery lasted 4 hrs of playing without a jump start!)	8 Tony refilling his plate!
9 Claire and Lis - love your cute faces!!! Yum yum yum! Thank you for joining us!	10 Kathy - what were you talking about? I dare not guess!	11 Ryan filmed a lot of the gathering.	12 Look at all this food! Deviled eggs, too! YUM! This is totally the way to do Thanksgiving. No one slaves in the kitchen all day.
13	14 The harvest bread being enjoyed by a visiting fly :)	15 Dave is grabbing a quick bite before heading back into work. Doesn't he always work on Thanksgivings? Is that a conspiracy of his so he doesn't have to fully participate in whatever I "cook" up?	16 But it's so much fun :) We all had a great time.
17 I got the other drumstick - yum!	18 These guys were laughing and laughing telling sea stories. Wish I knew what they were talking about.	19 Ryan played along with Ben so well - let him "stab" him then he played dead!	20 Watching the kids play as a squall heads our way.
21 Where are those guys anyway? The kayakers left without a proper briefing on how not to huli (flip) in the waves.	22 Meanwhile Ben enjoyed hamming it up with the big boys. He was stabbing the tarp pretty fiercely then looking up to see the guys laughing.	23 Always bring a football to a Thanksgiving gathering. Always.	24 And a surf board! Even better!
25 There's the squall - but where are the guys? Two swimmers went out after them.	26 Ahoy! We see them!	27 Did anyone take a headcount? All four coming back just fine...whew!	28 During the squall we raced under cover and put on jackets, towels or whatever we could find.
29 Funny man!	30 Squall snuggles :)	31 Jon takes the kids out for a nice spin!	32 Ben likes this look, don't you?
33 Gregg and Ben talking over the merits of a mask for snorkeling.	34 The guys are all so sweet to the little ones.	35 A man's gotta have his toys! See Sam swimming? He was in the water for hours! So tired tonight these two. No nap for Ben...	36
37 The girls head out for a bit, now that they're done doing SAR for the missing kayak guys ;)	38	39	40 A little more football before dessert...
41	42 More kayakers return from an expedition. We heard reports of turtles, puffer fish, an octopus...	43	44 Mom doing some FB mobile so our family can see us in real time :) Thanks mom!
45 Ben and his trucks! More work to do :)	46 Ben wouldn't do this move again for the camera, but he loves to bend backwards! So funny!	47 Looking for crabs is a real art!	48 Jon was pied piper with the kids :)
49 This water is great for them.	50 Nice shot, mom!	51 The guys would often be on their phones checking in with family at home. This is what Dave looked like when he was at sea I guess...checking in with me. So nice. One guy had just left a 2-day-old baby at home.	52 First time making this cake - it was great!
53 Liisa finally sits down :) We girls were super busy feeding boys, consolidating food, picking up trash, finding lost carving knives, keeping kids safe and fed...my hips are sore tonight!	54 Looking for a lost tiny crab. Sam was literally calling "Here crabby!"	55 And a gecko crawled right up into Uncle Guy's hair! Fascinating for the kids!	56 Thanks for playing along! How funny and sorta creepy!
57	58 The gecko jumped right onto Sam's belly!	59	60 Ahhh...time to go home. Thankful for sun and a great day! Aloha!
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