A Family Thanksgiving in Texas 2022
Join me and my family for a holiday gathering! Since we live so far apart from each other, moments like this are cherished and enjoyed to the fullest. I try to pack the trip with as many fun things as possible for the kids and build in plenty of family time with games and food. There’s never a shortage of entertainment or laughs. Let me show you what a Family Thanksgiving in Texas 2022 looks like for us!
who will be there?
- Mom (aka – Shirley)
- She’s ridiculously good at croquet, does everything in a hurry, and enjoys everyone being together.
- Dennis (mom’s husband)
- He loves playing chess, he’s very jolly all the time, and loves good food!
- Matthew
- He flew in from Denver to be with us for Thanksgiving, won’t touch cranberry sauce out of a can (lol), and doesn’t eat cheese. (Crazy right?!?!)
- Colby
- His smoked turkey is THE BOMB, his green bean casserole with fresh mushrooms is to die for, and he burst out singing randomly all day, every day. (So does Matthew)
- Teresa
- She’s always up for a good time, she takes really good care of all the kids, and came in 2nd in croquet… right behind mom.
- Me (aka – Jessie)
- I love food, family, and fun. Being together is incredibly important to me and I LOVE to try new things and do new things every time I travel.
- Brady
- He loves to play games of any kind, especially cards. His favorite side dish at Thanksgiving is corn casserole and he’s really good with the younger kids. He’s a teenager, so that is a big deal to me. His cousins LOVE him!
- Ava
- Ava LOVES all food, all children, and is up for every adventure that I throw her way!
- Luke
- His nickname is “JO-JO” but even more recently I’ve given him another one, “picky pants”. He loves ketchup and more specifically loves to dip his rolls/bread in ketchup! (ugh) But outside of ketchup, pizza, tacos, and plain cheeseburgers, he’s very hard to please.
- Levi
- He is a giant ball of energy, super sweet, and loves to play with his cousins!
- Colson
- He’s the baby of the entire family, the last grandchild. He gives the sweetest sugars and when he talks, you just melt into a puddle.
what is on the menu for a family thanksgiving in texas 2022?
Thanksgiving Day:
- Smoked turkey
- Cornbread dressing
- Green bean casserole
- Corn casserole
- Yeast rolls
- Broccoli Salad
- Roasted Brussel sprouts with bacon and balsamic vinegar
- Sweet potato casserole
- Baked Alaska
- Pecan and Walnut Roll
Game Day Eats:
- Hot ham and provolone sliders
- Cheeseball and crackers
- Veggies and hummus
- Cookies
- Little smokies
- Sparkling cider
check out our holiday on my youtube channel:
what games did we bring to play?
Outdoor Games:
- Corn hole
- This game is a Southern staple. I think almost every household this side of the Mississippi probably has a set. It’s basically two pieces of wood with a hole cut out in each, some bean bags, and distance. Can’t get simpler than that! Land on the board and get 1 pt. Land in the hole and get 2 pts.
- Croquet
- I grew up playing this game in the yard. I have some pretty fond memories of my family outside enjoying each other’s company while trying to get the balls to go through the wickets.
what activities do we have planned for a family thanksgiving in texas 2022?
Prairie Lights
- The Christmas lights in Grand Prairie are truly a sight to see! First, we paid $25 for our car full of people, next, we rolled down the windows and sunroof, and then watched in amazement as various themes of Thanksgiving and Christmas played before us in the form of thousands of Christmas lights. But do you want to know what makes his place even more unique? In the middle of the drive, you come to Holiday Village. It’s a place set up in the middle of the park that includes, Food trucks, pictures with Santa, a walk-through light display, carnival rides (for free!), and more! Whenever you are done with that, you simply get back into your car and drive through the rest of the park/lights to the exit. This is our second time to go, and we LOVE IT!
Ice skating at the Galleria
- We made plans to go ice-skating at the Galleria in Dallas because on this particular day the ice-skating rink that is closer to my brother’s house wasn’t going to be opened. Little did we know that this just so happened to be the day that they were doing the annual Christmas Tree Lighting and there were THOUSANDS of people there to see it. We got there just in time to see the 2022 Olympic ice skaters put on a 15-minute show and then count down with Santa for the 4-story tall tree to glow with millions of lights. It was breathtaking! After all was said and done, the line was WAY TOO LONG for the ice-skating rink. So, we decided to go eat wings and ice-cream instead.
what’s the schedule for a family thanksgiving in texas 2022?
Day 1 – Travel
- First, load the car
- Second, stop at the store for travel snacks
- Third, arrive at mom’s house
- Then, unload car and settle
- Next, go out for dinner at Rosa’s Cafe
- Finally, swing by Walmart for last minute food items
Day 2 – Thanksgiving
- First, brunch at Colby’s house
- Second, spend the day cooking and playing games
- Third, pick up Matthew from the airport
- Then, eat Thanksgiving dinner
- Next, take Thanksgiving pictures
- Finally, end the night with more games
Day 3 – Game Day and Lights
- First, Krispy Kreme Donuts for breakfast
- Second, drive back to Colby’s house for lunch
- Third, make sliders and film a cooking video
- Then, play corn hole and croquet outside
- Next, coffee and desserts
- Then, make a TikTok and chill
- Next, drive to the lights in Grand Prairie
- Finally, drive back to Colby’s house for late night snacks and games
Day 4 – Matthew flies home
- First, breakfast at Bacon’s Bistro and Cafe
- Second, grab lunch at Grimaldi’s with the kids and drive back to Colby’s house
- Third, visit with Matthew until he leaves for the airport
- Then, relax for a moment
- Next, go ice skating at the Galleria
- Then, grab dinner at Wingstop and ice-cream at Brahm’s
- Finally, head back to mom’s house to crash for the night
Day 5 – Travel home
- First, wake up and pack while kids eat breakfast
- Next, load the car
- Finally, drive home
check out our other adventures:
How to Plan a Family Trip to Gulf Shores
