This is my beautiful Grinnell Family. Not to be confused with my real family that called three times on Thanksgiving Day and passed the phone around the table. 
The turkey was 21.6 lbs and delicious. I could tell Kathleen was a bit nervous (she was responsible for cooking the turkey) because she set her alarm for 8 AM to ensure the seasoning was just right. The oven was impossibly small but the turkey was covered in rosemary and tin foil by 10:05. I literally shoved it in for her. She basted every half hour during the second half of cooking and she must have run up and down the first and second floor stairs 30 times over the course of the morning looking for assorted ingredients. Rumor has it, she jacked a pot from Read or Haines Hall for the gravy. I think the tablescape speaks for itself.
Auntie Joanie's turkey was a really fun, really festive touch. I had originally planned to cover the entire table with a single beige plastic banquet-size table cloth that I found atthe Hobby Lobby (not Shack like I suggested in a previous post) while I was lost in Des Moines. It was not until I realized the table was twice as long as the cloth (the guest list was up to 17 at this point) that I freaked and started cutting things in half. Les took me to Wal-Mart at 2:30 for a second tablecloth and a meat thermometer. There were three patterns of plastic cloth left in the entire town of Grinnell. I chose red thinking the "Happy Birthday" motif may detract from the orange and red leaves I picked up in the city. Before dinner, Spring, Christena, and I found a massive bag of balloons left over from a hall study break. We blew them all up, even the green and purple ones that detered from. This is Britt, Christena, Suzanne, Spring, Les, Brian, and I blowing up balloons in the first floor lounge.
We ate at 3:30. 
To Britt's HORROR, six extra, unaccounted for people from North Campus showed up with a massive bowl of chow mein and a pineapple and honey glazed ham. Britt got especially pissed when they sat at the decorated table instead of the supplementary one we threw together just after they arrived. As the hostess, Britt encouraged everyone to introduce themselves and tell the group for what part of the meal we were responsible. I sat near Les, Kathleen, Christena, Adam, Amanda, Will, and Nilesh. A good time was had by all.
After dinner, we sat around in our PJs, ate leftovers, watched Little People Big World, and Pieces of April, a Thanksgiving classic about a young woman charged with cooking dinner for her estranged family.
Friday, instead of “buying nothing” as suggested by our favorite chapter of Free the Planet (FTP’s president and vice president both live on the third floor of Loose,) Nilesh, Spring, Christena, Britt, and I drove to Jordan Creek Mall!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! to find formal wear for Winter Waltz. We were almost stranded in Grinnell when Britt’s car broke down on 6th Ave. right in front of Spring’s house. We called Campus Security for a jump, but fortunately the car started (although we were fully prepared to get out and push her Volvo the 55 miles to J Creek.) We hit Cheesecake Factory for lunch then split up for the afternoon. Actually, it was just Nilesh that peaced. The rest of us went to Torrid and took advantage of a really incredible sale. The mall wasn’t as crazy as I expected- the M.I.L.F.s and the sexy preppies and their beautiful Arian children were out in responable numbers but they weren't overwhelming. On our way home, we stopped at Hyvee and picked up some ingredients for Thanksgiving II. Christena was kind of disappointed with the non-traditional green bean casserole served the day before so she bought infinity cans of beans and made a second pan. We ate half of the pan together and then Christena ate the rest that night after Irish Car Bombs. I made spaghetti because it sounded good, Britt made delicious corn cheese mush casserole, and we reheated all the leftovers we could find. Three weeks later, the massive bowl of gravy is still in the top of the fridge. I may dare someone to eat it tonight. You know, just to break up the monotony of hell week. Sunday evening, we TPed Noah's room. This is what the room looks like if you are lying on the floor on your side outside of his room.
This is the first picture of Ryan back on Loose Second after break. He missed many wonderful Loose antics while he was gone. Sucka.
Holla! Happy to Be Alive Hour Party:
Waltz:
Meredith, Ryan, XTena, and I before the Pre-Waltz festivities.
This is our campsite in Pine Mountain, GA in the AM. You can tell it's morning because things are zipped up and the air looks cold. We slept on the ground in these four GORP tents- mine was the second from the right- 45 miles outside of Columbus. I slept in the Volvo wagon the second night because the ground was too cold and too uncomfortable. I was the only one to take a shower in four days. I seriously hate camping. HATE IT
This picture really captures the political and social diversity of the crowd. Nuns and punks marched together in solidarity. Many students from Jesuit schools were in attendance (they were flown in by their schools and put up in hotel rooms) because the SOA was initially questioned when two Jesuit priests and several Catholic missionaries were murdered in South America at the hands of SOA graduates. 
The protest was like nothing I have ever attended. I plan to go every year I am able. 
