Warning: this post features activities not typically associated with Turkey Day but always associated with family fun!

With all my family far away in the northeast, I always love when my sister in New Mexico and her gang come to visit!!  I’m equally blessed to have wonderful in laws!!  Our Thanksgiving kitchen team is pretty much the best – my niece Elizabeth, sister in law Rebecca, sister Marti – we’ve established favorite sides and bring the sweet, spicy, and savory to the table!

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Turkey w/ gravy
Mashed potatoes – garlic, Parmesan, butter, cream, etc – fats aren’t fats on Thanksgiving day!
Jalapeno Corn Casserole – super yummy for breakfast! always make extra.
Cornbread Stuffing with spicy sausage and olives
Mushrooms in garlic and butter
Sweet potatoes with candied pecans and marshmallows
Cranberry relish – tart and delicious and we always forget it’s in the frig!
and the staple Green Bean Casserole
add Rolls, Pecan Pie Bars, and the overloaded dessert table and you have a recipe for a New Year’s diet Resolution!

*food photography and actual recipes to come – planning a family cookbook to celebrate our traditions!

Every family gathering is incomplete without a bit of culture (San Xavier Mission and Pima Air and Space Museum), a bit of post-turkey workout (Get Air and Tucmamoc Hill), a bit of friendly competition (bowling, pool, ping pong, Uno, Skipbo, Trivia, chess)!  I think we might have alarmed our guests with the level of competitiveness among the Ramirez brothers but you don’t grow up with 5 boys and play games quietly!  Recommended for the non-competitive, a cute get to know each other game Imagine If.  As in “Imagine if Sarah was a kitchen appliance, would she be 1. a stove 2. a microwave 3. a coffee maker etc.”  It’s disconcerting to discover the son you thought would be a juggler if he was a circus performer actually sees himself as a lion tamer – what?? and I thought I knew you!  This game is best played around the fireplace with Christmas music.

Disclaimer – photos do not feature all faces or activities as the photographer would forget to document and would instead just enjoy herself!

San Xavier Mission – that blue – that white – so gorgeous!  I sat in on the video part of the tour and learned a bit – the reason this mission was so elaborate was to attract all the native people to come and see something unlike anything they had ever seen before. It’s the “White Dove of the Desert”.  The plaster work it incredible – there is a rope detail that circles with room with tassels hanging at the alter similar to the Franciscan monk’s rope at his waist.  A bell and pomegranate detail circles the church referencing the Old Testament priest garments.  We were visiting with the littles so I didn’t get to sit through the entire informative video but the church itself was intentionally designed in the shape of a cross – definitely planning a longer trip back!  And next time with plans to purchase hot fresh fry bread sold in the parking lot – those wood fires smelled so good!

Thanksgiving Day – did I forget to mention s’mores? oh yeah.  Coconut covered marshmallows.  They are a thing and they are perfect!! and holiday house rules – If you are on a screen you better be playing a mutliplayer game with a person in the same room!  In my techy family interacting with real people can be a novelty.

Why have I never hiked this before?? Oh yeah because I am allergic to exercise.  That’s why.  But I pushed my way to the top because at every switch back (and there are a LOT!) there is a pretty spectacular view.  Tucmamoc Hill is urban hiking at it’s best!   

I think most of our crowd had not been bowling in years and at least half the adults have bad backs but Turkey season is here and a few of our bowlers scored a few Turkeys!