An Unconventional Thanksgiving

This year for Thanksgiving, I had bought everything for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.  I wasn't super thrilled about it because Thanksgiving just isn't my thing. It's fun to celebrate, but the hoopla of making a huge dinner just didn't sit well with me.  Now CHRISTMAS Dinner DEFINITELY is MY thing!

My friend, Renee, was trying to get everyone to go to the DFAC (the base's Dining Facility aka cafeteria) this year.  A whole bunch of people were going but we had to decline because I had already everything and thought we were inviting some of Brian's single work friends over.  We also had had a few other invites from people, so the DFAC wasn't really high on the list. But then the single friends ended up traveling last minute for the holiday, too last minute to go to our friends' house, so we thought we would just be doing it on our own.  

Fast forward to the night before Thanksgiving.  Brian was up all night with the flu and neither of us got any sleep.  I thought, "He is the main one I'm making a huge meal for.  The girls actually would rather go to the DFAC (they like the DFAC food. It's actually really good food.).  I'm goin to the DFAC!"

I was seriously glad I did.  We had such a great time.  The army put on a serious feast and the decorations were amazing.  Coming from a catering family, and knowing how hard it is to prepare for that many people, I was impressed.  You'll see from the pictures below.

Xanthe & Xoe LOVING the chocolate fountain they had set up while people were waiting in line. Luckily, we had gotten there early so we didn't have to wait very long.  But within the 15 minutes it took us to go through the food line, the place was packed and the line went all the way out into the parking lot.

Entrance Way right next to the chocolate fountain. I'm taking these pictures mainly for my dad. I figure he'd appreciate these tables. I wish I would have gotten a picture of the cakes and pigs that were lining the entryway. I got individual ones but not a whole overview.

What most impressed me were the army officers, including the VERY higher ups... Colonels, Lieutenant Colonels, etc., serving us the food in their "blues."  It was a little humbling for me because I feel like they already do so much for our country, to have them standing there serving the food made me feel a little odd. I'm sure there is another reason they do it (like politics in saving money from having to pay other workers), and I know a few of the men who do it that hated it, but I was impressed and appreciated it.

There were lots of these all around the room. Random, huh? But pretty cool actually.

They also had sheet cakes all around the room dedicated to all the "units" we have on this base.  This is the Unit Brian works for, and their insignia.

One of the sections of the DFAC. There are two back rooms and a whole other side the size of this room. The "lines" on the right are the salad bars and condiments.

One of my favorite parts was that they converted the back "sports" area to a kid-friendly area.  I was worried about spencer because he was at the age of being very "busy" and I didn't know how much I wanted to be chasing him around the whole time.  But we found a TV that had on kids' shows and I thought, "Genius, people! Thank you!"

Then all of our friends started showing up.  There were SO MANY  PEOPLE there from our church.  I was seriously shocked. And when one family left, another one came in. I thought, "What was I thinking!? This was the way to do it and I am gonna do this EVERY year."

(Our old bishop's family.  They moved last year.)

I will DEFINITELY be coming back here year after year until I move back to the states.  I know some people think it's super trashy doing this but I don't care. Some of the most amazing families do it every year since we're away from home. It's fun to be able to see so many people all at once.  Happy Thanksgiving. Until next year!