Thanksgiving is Always the best Weekend Ever!

I have really grown to love Thanksgiving.  Christmas was always my favorite and still is by a slight margin, but I love all the extra time you get with family and friends Thanksgiving weekend.

Of course there is always preparations to make,

the making of menus and list,

the shopping,

 assignments to carry out,

and getting a jump on the cooking.

If all that could be left out(I could really, really embrance Thanksgiving).

In order to bring in some non-foodish traditions to our family on this food filled holiday, this year I instituted a Family Turkey Trot.  Adam took a picture of the temp to prove to the world that I am cruel.  But he went along with me.

It was a blast.

We only did about 2K, but we'll increase it next year.

The kids did super.

It's a keeper.

Then it was home again to pull all the food our of the oven.

No one(me) ever remembers to actually photograph the final ensemble nor the eating, but it was glorious.  So much good, good food.

Then the after party with dominos and gingerbread houses.

Friday was our NYC day.  Its been a while since we've taken the whole family down.  We spent the day with our friends the Shaws.  Rebecca and I left early to fit in a temple session before the boys came with the kids.  We spent the next few hours at the Natural History Museum before heading home by way of the Rockerfeller center and Apple Bee's for Alexander's birthday dinner.  It was a nice day in the city.  It was properly cold, but not horrible.  All that hiking we have been doing really helped us out too.  No one complained of sore legs or feet.

"Dumb Dumb, bring me some Gum, Gum."

Saturday night was Light up the Town, a favorite tradition.

The kids had fun with the hola hoops, live nativity, Santa parade, and bumping into school friend after school friend.

A little Christmas decorating.

I never know how many decorations to put up.  

We were leaving super early this year for AZ, and of course I didn't see the point to drag all our stuff out, but my kids were not up for that.

So out came the count down calendar, a few special items, and our new chalkboard traditional "kids" tree(inspiration found on pinterest somewhere).

And that brings one of my favorite weekends in the year to a close.

Family Picture Time

I have been dreaming of fall photos ever since we moved to New England. 

Finally, I scheduled them(on the coldest Saturday in Nov). 

Thank you my friend Christy at There's A Moment Photography.

Rosey cheeks and noses and funny faces.

Those boys would not stand still for anything.

And you know how all photo shoots go.  We pushed it too far and people(Adam) got grumpy.

That's a rap.

Write it Down, so It's not Forgotten

A day I wanted remembered.

Everyone had a really nice day, except.....I made my kindergartener cry.

It was Friday and the girls were buying hot lunch(pizza day) and so no need to pack lunches.  Only I forgot that they would still need their morning snack.  Gracie came home in a huff.  "Mom, I had to sit at my desk alone while everyone else got to eat their snack!" she hollered at me.  I could see little tears starting to form and I imagine there were a lot more tears earlier that day during snack time.  I felt really bad, but not bad enough to take all the blame.  I made her a deal(deals are mine and Gracie's thing), if she reminded me about her snacks on Fridays, I would remember to pack them.

Ellie had a friend invite her horseback riding.  She still loves those horses.  Maybe, just maybe, we can let her do a little riding this year.  She will have to earn half the money for the weekly lessons and that would mean working at least three hours a week at the warehouse cleaning or filing.  I think she is up for it.

Emma was annoyed that Ellie had somewhere to go after school and she did not, but I made her favorite meal(baked mac and cheese) for dinner and her favorite babysitter came over that evening.

Cayden cried like a banshie when Adam and I were trying to leave for our date.  He kept yelling, "I hate Jessica(our really, really nice babysitter)!"  Which is ridiculous, he loves her, and has told us so many times.  He just doesn't like to see Adam leave without him.  It breaks his poot little heart.

Adam and I had a really nice date.  We hadn't narrowed down any plans before leaving.  I had a meal to drop off for a gal in my church that needed it and then we had rough idea about dinner and maybe a movie.  But I think we are kinda over "going to the movies".  All that money to sit and stare at a screen when really we should be spending out time talking, informing each other about our thoughts and worries and just general news. There is not a lot of time for that in our busy lives.  But after dropping off my meal, Adam got a call about a family in need and it was off to the grocery store for us daters for some neccesities for them.  He serves as the bishop of our congregation and one of his main responsbilities is to look after the welfare of those in his charge.

*More on how service in done in our chruch here in this link. 

So we flirted in the grocery isles, snuck in a kiss in the parking lot after checkout and headed over to deliver our goods to the family.  After a short visit we were ready for dinner.  The closest place was the Waterbury mall, but after getting out of the truck we just weren't feeling the vibe of the place-especially since Adam couldn't get his toolboxes to lock and the base music of the parking lot was making the earth quake.  We jumped back in an headed to our little hometome, stopped at the warehouse-cause we always have to stop and the warehouse for something- and dropped into the "Tavern" to have a great meal.  I am never driving to eat out again, the food was that good.  We had to wait a bit for a table, but we used that time to stroll down main street just talking about how much we have grown to love this town.  We've spent nine happy years here and plan on spending quite a few more.