Some Thanksgiving Firsts- Part 1

Our family started a new tradition in 1989- we spend a night or 2 away from home, just enjoying some family togetherness. Our 1st few trips involved spending the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving at the Holidome in NLR, about a mile from our house :) We stayed in a hotel room, swam in the huge indoor pool, and played shuffleboard in the activity area. We would eat breakfast there on Thanksgiving morning and then head to Grandmomma's for the big Graddy family feast.
As the kids got bigger, we moved to booking 2 adjoining rooms, then to Embassy Suites in LR, and then to a cabin or rental house at Petit Jean, Mt. Nebo, Hot Springs, and last year's sight-unseen rental of a duplex mobile home with cows in the front yard :)
Since all the "kids" are now grown and have real jobs, it has become increasingly difficult to schedule around everyone. Last year, Cate & Clay couldn't get off work in time to join us, so this year I scheduled it for the weekend before Thanksgiving. Sadly, Clay still didn't get to be with us. He works at Dillard's in Louisiana and couldn't come to Arkansas until that Sunday. The rest of us had a very good time, though, at the Tanyard House on Petit Jean Mountain. The view was unbelievably gorgeous! We had our traditional pizza Friday night, hiked to the falls Saturday, and had our traditional chili Saturday night. We also celebrated Mindy's birthday a few days early.
Video proof---








To be continued... in Colorado... wait for it...