~Thanksgiving Holiday 2011~

I think our Thanksgiving holiday started the night Nick got back from China.  His plane came in early and it was celebrations all around for our kids.  We were all so happy to see him!  The next day Nick went in late to work so he could get some sleep, but came home with seven roses for the seven years we have been married.  Very pretty and very thoughtful.  Wednesday Nick worked a half day and we went and had lunch with him before coming home to play and set up Christmas lights on the house with the kids.  What fun! (Pictures to come as soon as I'm ready to brave the cold after dark.)

On actual Thanksgiving Nick played in the annual Elders Quorum Turkey Bowl and came away unharmed.  Thank goodness.  After a yummy brunch we set up our Christmas tree and took down the trampoline while it was still a balmy 60 degrees outside.  This morning it was a mear 30 degrees.  I think we chose wisely.  

Then we made our dinner contributions and headed over to the Welch's house.  It was just our two families this year and it was nice relaxed meal.  I felt very happy and content surrounded by yummy food and people I am thankful for.  I forgot to pull out the camera until right before we were leaving, but Nick did catch this beauty for me.  These little ladies make me soooo happy.  So does my dear friend, Tiffany.  I love this picture.  It makes me smile.  

 And these three munchkins crack me up!  They had a great time playing together, destroying the basement, laughing, and just being goofy.  I am thankful for all three of these cute little faces.

 That night we looked through that ads and Nick found some Black Friday deals worth getting so he went out for the midnight sales and I went to bed.  :-)  It worked out pretty well since he was still jet lagged and his sleeping schedule was all messed up.  The next morning we took things easy and spend much of the morning in our jammies.  At a certain point Cordy grabbed my hand and brought me to the back door, demanding to go outside.  I was feel generous so we put on our boots and she walked me around the backyard for a good 10 minutes before she decided she was freezing and ready to go inside.  Nick thought it was really cute and took a picture from the window without us knowing, where he could stay nice and warm.  Smart man.   The rest of Friday is a blur, ending in Hyvee Chinese Food and the new "Christmas Carol" movie, both of which we will never consume again.  Nightmares for the kiddies and upset stomachs for the parents.

 Saturday was another lazy day, but we decided to be brave and took the kids ice skating.  We knew it would be a one kid at a time thing because someone had to stay with Cordy off the rink, but it was still fun.  Nick took Elyssa around once.  I took Alec around twice and Elyssa around for a second time.  Let's just say it's a good thing I'm confident on the ice and can somewhat skate backwards.  Elyssa was a limp noodle on the ice while Alec was stiff as a board.  Once I got Alec to loosen up and relax he had a much better time and even started singing Jingle Bells.  I may be a really impatient mother sometimes, but I love teaching my kids new things and introducing them to things that I love, making it all that much easier to be patient when them.  I was pretty busy on the ice and sadly we didn't get any pictures.  

Over all it was the kind of low key, relaxing, homebody Thanksgiving weekend we all needed.  

Now we're all geared up and ready for Christmas!