GOBBLEGOBBLE

Back from the Thanksgiving Retreat!!! It was fun. :) This post is REALLY, REALLY long, in case you haven't noticed yet. So yeah.

Pictures: http://www.plurk.com/p/2sa5rv or http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=151350&id=1456718305


WEDNESDAY
- School got over. I went home, got a small snack, and loaded my English essay onto a memory stick to finish in the car.
- About 10 minutes later, Mom got home and we packed up the car to leave.
- We left. I worked on my essay for the ride, then when I finished stared out the window and spaced out and stuff. It was boring.
- When we got to the retreat house (my great-aunt is a nun and takes care of it, and she and the other nuns there let us use it for the weekend) we unpacked the car and found our rooms (there're about 150 rooms).
- After I'd gotten all my stuff into my room, I went into the dining room and said hi to mah family. Mah family said hi back.
- Then I went to the basement where I was promptly attacked by Joey and Connor, my 6- and 7-year-old (respectively) cousins. Anna, Joey's 8-yr-old sister, was more diplomatic and waited until I could stand up to hug me.
- We ran around and stuff until 9:30 when the young'uns had to go to bed. I went upstairs and played Hearts and 500 (card games) with the adults and waited until my aunt and uncle got there.
- Uncle Brandon got there with his girlfriend, Erin, who was looking...apprehensive. And rightly so. All the Kuhn-Lovejoy-Kimbros in one place can seem pretty dangerous for outsiders. :D I say hi and they say hi.
- I go to bed at 11:30 cuz I woke up at 6 that morning and was tired. And had just won at Scrabble against the Scrabble Champions of the World, and I wanted to stop while I was ahead. Said g'night to the adults and Mary, Lizzie, and Michael (the Kuhn trio: 19, 15, 14 years old respectively).
- Zzzzz.

THURSDAY
8:45 - Woke up, put on a sweatshirt, ate a light breakfast of toast and milk (Turkey Day dinner at the Kuhns' place requires an empty stomach, but cousin-sitting requires at least SOME sustenance), and headed downstairs to the basement.
9:00 - Lizzie, Anna, and Joey were already there. Anna and I built The Epic Fort (It wasn't THAT epic, but with only 1 table, 2 mini side-tables, and 3 twin-sized blankets, it was EXTREMELY epic. :P) while Joey and Lizzie continued their game of Connect Four.
9:30 - Connor came down after eating a biggish breakfast. He and Joey teamed up and attacked Lizzie and me. Anna played interference and didn't do so well.
10:00 - My aunt came downstairs and informed me that she'd finally gotten there at a quarter after midnight. Her girls (Veronica, 4, and Lucy, 2) were being shy and were hiding behind her legs, so she left after a few minutes.
11:30 - Connor, Anna, Joey, and I went upstairs and changed into nicer (non-ripped/sweaty from wrestling and running around) clothes for mass.
12:00 - We went to mass, led by my 3rd cousin (who's a priest) and, about halfway through, by my great-uncle (who's a hilarious guy and a priest), who'd just gotten there from doing something else.
1:00 - Went back downstairs to burn off as many calories as possible (OK, just to run around and play :P) before...
2:00 - Thanksgiving "dinner" commences. I eat about 3 platefuls, Anna eats 2.5 (she skipped breakfast that morning so she could eat lots [remember, she's just 8] of food. xD) Connor ate almost 2, and Joey ate 2 and a fourth.
2:50 - I decide that it's too quiet and get up to *cough* get some pie. Or so I claim. Then I walk over to Tommy (Connor and Ava's dad), Cool Whip in hand, and smear a huge spoonful on his nose and across his face. Thus commences the Cool Whip Wars of 2009. DUN DUN DUUUUUN. Tommy cracks up and vows to get me and my team (Natalie [my aunt], Anna, Joey, Michael, and a few others) back before or during the family football game that afternoon. I, speaking for my team, accept his challenge.
3:15 - Everyone's done with "dinner" and dessert and we decide to go start the football game.
3:20 - All the wimpy slowpokes go get their winter coats and hats on, while I'm standing (im)patiently in the entryway in my sweatshirt, jeans, and open-laced Converse. Cuz I'm a Minnesotan, that's why.
3:30 - They FINALLY get all their stuff on, we go outside and I realize it's even warmer than I thought. I take off my sweatshirt, to the (apparent) EXTREME AWE of my family, and am left with a spaghetti strap tank top and jeans. Le gaspeth.
3:32 - We play football. Michael, Mary Katherine (my 19-yo cousin. Mike's sister)), and I make some epic (for lack of a more accurate word) passes back and forth and our team beat the other team 27-18. All in a tank top in jeans. *bows*
4:00 - They started a new football game while Joey dragged me down the hill to the kids' soccer game, which was basically just kicking my old rubber Bob the Builder ball around and seeing who could get to it first. Joey has a really good drop-kick, and Anna is SO FAST. It's insane. She beats me in 3/5 of our races. (Not that I'm even remotely fast or athletic or anything, but she's EIGHT.) But yeah.
4:45 - We head back towards the building. Tommy tosses me the football, which I instinctively catch. It's COVERED with Cool Whip (where he got it, I have absolutely no idea) so I get it all over my bare hands and a little on my stomach. I stick out my tongue at him and figure that I'll get him back later.
4:50 - We go into the TV room and watch UP. Tommy, Natalie, and Brandon have a Sudoku race, which I take advantage of: I go to the kitchen and grab the tub of Cool Whip. Then I, after quickly and quietly filling them in, (they were too little for the Whip Wars last time) get Anna and Joey to scoop some up with their fingers while I take a huge handful. We walk innocently up behind Tommy to "see who's winning" and soon his whole face is white and Cool Whip'd. Mwahaha.
4:55 - I resume watching UP. Brandon, helped by my diverting Tommy, wins the Sudoku race. Tommy gets second and Natalie gets 3rd, just barely behind him. Tommy sits down behind me to watch the movie, and I get on my guard.
5:10 - Sure enough, Tommy suddenly leans over and smears a huge glob of Cool Whip across my face, then dabs a little on Anna's nose (Anna was sitting in my lap). Tommy laughs evilly. I tell him I'll get him later.
6:20 - Michael and his dad comes into the room, right as the movie's ending, and say that they're done building the bonfire and that we should go down soon, or at least see how many people are going to come. Ends up that Tommy, the Michaels (duh), Mary, Lizzie, Natalie, Veronica, Anna, Joey, and I are all going to come.
6:22 - All of the above get ready for the bonfire; I actually put on a coat and hat, since it was leaning precariously close to 10 degrees out, but just stuff some gloves in my pocket (I hate gloves). I also slip a little something else into my pocket. Heehee.
6:30 - Everyone's ready and we hike out over the hill, down to the railroad tracks, and down the steps to the clearing by the river. I was stupid and forgot my camera or it'd be the PERFECT place to take some AMAZING pictures. *whacks self* But yeah, it was really beautiful.
6:35 - First Michael, then Tommy fail(s) to light the fire. I snag Tommy's matches and light a piece of cardboard on fire, then hold it near the kindling in the middle till it lights. Then I toss the match in and slowly but surely it lights. Pssh, city boys. :P We stand around and sing and talk for a while.
6:45 - I walk conspicuously over to Tommy. He doesn't notice. I carefully squeeze some Cool Whip (that's what was in my pocket) onto my hand, still without being noticed, and move a little closer so I can wipe it on his face. I bring my arm up quickly, aimed perfectly--Tommy's hand shoots out, catches my arm and twists it behind my back. He wipes his OWN supply of Cool Whip on my face using his other hand, then grins. "Nice try." Grr.
7:10 - Veronica's getting cold, so she and Natalie go back up.
7:40 - It's pitch black out, plus we're running out of conversation topics. Joey and Anna are getting cold and tired, Mary and Lizzie are both sitting on cardboard pieces, and the bonfire is sort of dying out. Mike walks over to me and asks if I wanna do a fireworks show like last year. Of course I do.
7:45 - Mike and I fling stick by stick into the river. They arc up, wildly shooting sparks all around, then spin around an average of 4 times before coming to a landing in the (trust me) FREEZING cold water. They usually send a couple sparks floating across the water, which adds to the general amazing effect.
7:55 - The fireworks show comes to an end as Mike and I double-team the gigantic stick in the middle, which hits the limb of The Mighty Oak, then plummets down into the water below (taking the branch with it). The red-hot coals of the fire are mesmerizing: the fire's energy is down to just the point when it's still glowing, but you can clearly see the waves and jets of energy shooting from stone to stone in the pit. I literally can't look away; neither can anyone else. We pretty much just sit there in silence until Joey starts complaining about being freezing; Michael's dad takes them up.
8:00 - The Kuhn trio, Tommy, and I stand there for a while longer before Tommy sends Mike and I up for a couple buckets to put out the fire. We run up, get not one--not two--but three buckets, and run back down. Both of us trip over the train tracks. Heh.
8:05 - Mike and I set down two of the buckets and bring one over to Tommy, telling him that he gets to help. Then Michael nodded and we heaved the bucket up and over Tommy's head. Cool Whip completely covers his head and shoulders, and a little bit spreads down his shirt. "Betcha didn't see that coming, did you?" I ask. He didn't. MWAHAHAHAHAHA.
8:20 - We're done putting out the fire, and Mike and I are practically frozen solid from the frigid river water. We stagger back up and go inside, then both change into our pajamas and head back into the TV room. They're watching Pirates of the Caribbean 2, and the kids are drawing on plates and making magnetic picture frames and stuff.
8:25 - Mike and I, after we're in warm dry clothes, drag Tommy into the TV room, where he publicly announces his defeat for the year. My team cheers me and Michael on for defeating him, but out of nowhere Tommy takes out a container of Cool Whip, scoops his hand in, and holds me still while he smears it all over my face, then turns it over on my head. "Gonna need a shower tonight, eh?" He laughs like the evil man he is.
8:30 - I'm wet again, but clean and warm, and I come back and watch PotC with people. James (the face painter cousin) found himself in Ripley's Believe It Or Not and my grandma's spazzing out over it. Mike, Anna, and I are all laughing at her while watching PotC.
9:45 - Connor and Anna, the only two young'uns still up, get sent to bed. Tommy comes back and laughs at me more. I thbbt at him.
11:00 - The movie ends. I get my butt kicked by my great-aunt and grandma at Scrabble, then kick Tommy and Michael's butts at Hearts. I shot the moon once, for the first time. :D :D :D
12:30 - I'm exhausted from chasing the young'uns around all day and go to bed.
12:40 - Washed my face, brushed my teeth, in my PJs. I pass out. Zzzz.

FRIDAY
8:40 - Woke up, put on a cami, and ate some scrambled eggs and apple juice. Talked to people. Hung out.
9:00 - Got dragged to the basement by Anna. Told the young'uns about what we did a couple years ago when they were litte(r) and played Hide and Seek Extreme for a while, then flashlight tag, then other stuff.
11:00 - The young'uns, Lizzie, Michael and I start cleaning the basement.
11:10 - Done cleaning. Anna and Connor immediately take out the blankets, tables, and Connect Four.
11:15 - I get the stuff back and suggest playing a game that doesn't involve any fort-building or board games or anything, OR beating up on their older cousins (by then/now, I was/am covered in bruises and scratches). They go get some plastic plates from upstairs to color on and poke holes in.
11:30 - Anna, Joey, and their family leave. Sort of.
(I have to format this; there's a convo.)
12:00 - Tommy comes downstairs to get Connor (Ava already left) and holds out a hand to me. "This is the first year that someone's ever tied at a Whip War."
I shrug. "I don't think we tied, Tommy. I'm preeeetty sure I won."
He winks at me, shakes my hand, and says, "Well, it was definitely the closest one of all time. You're getting too good at this...I might need to kidnap you next year, make you work for me instead of on Natalie's team."
Grinning, I reply, "I dunno, I think -- at least this year, anyway -- it's more of my team, not Nattie's."
Tommy frowns. "Well, I still think I should somehow get you on my team next year. You and Mike both; that was the best EVER at the bonfire last night...Then again, I could train Connor, but still."
I laugh. "That was so fun...You pretty much set yourself up for it, though. Told us to go get buckets, for god's sake..."
"Ahh, that's true...Well, remind me never to let you two around buckets again, 'kay?"
"Kay."
12:20 - I go up to my room to back, still laughing at Tommy. After I packed, we went outside and took a group picture with everyone, then went back to haul my stuff out to the car. Then...oh, god, THEN.
12:30 - THEN, when I came back outside, I saw Tommy over by my grandma's car. "What're you doing, Tommy?" I yelled at him. He looked up, grinned, then went back to whatever he was doing. I ran over, intrigued, and saw him smearing Cool Whip all over her window. "Why're you putting Cool Whip on HER car?"
"Because you were on her team, and usually the Whip Wars are us two."
"You and my grandma?!"
"...Wait, what?" He looked a little worried. "This is Natalie's car, isn't it?"
At this point, I couldn't help but start laughing. "Um, no, this is Betty's car. That--" I pointed to Natalie's car "--is Natalie's car."
"Sh*t."
"Watch your mouth, Tommy," I teased.
He stuck his tongue out at me and replied, "Sh*t isn't a swear word; it's a natural human funtion." Then he ran off to find some window washer and paper towels.
12:45 - Brandon came out and helped clean the window off. Natalie laughed and told Tommy that it only counted if he got us on the FACE; cars were cheating. Brandon, Tomy, and I got the window mostly clean before Grandma came out, so she didn't see the full brunt of it...which was BAD. Finally, we got it clean.
1:00 - We drove off into the sunset.

THERE. I'm finally done writing. It only took, like, 3 hours. WHEEEEEEW.

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-Emilee
P.S: Y'know how, earlier in the year, I said my English teacher curse wasn't broken? Yeah, Fraver took the curse and not merely BROKE it, he smashed it to smithereens and then broke the smithereens into smithereens. And then whacked those super-smithereens with a rubber chicken. :P He's awesome. And I seriously need to tape one of the classes, but I don't think I can, which is stupid... :( But he's SO. INCREDIBLY. AWESOME.