Thanksgiving Weekend 2015

We had a really great Thanksgiving celebrating with family.

This little turkey was really sick right before Thanksgiving. She refused to take medicine and refused to be anywhere but her momma's arms (especially at night).

But thankfully, her fever broke on Wednesday afternoon, and she was in a good mood and mostly back to herself on Thursday.

Bryan and Becca were able to join us for Thanksgiving this year. Nathan will share with anyone who will listen everything he wants for Christmas :)

Granny and Grandaddy and Matt's parents also came up to celebrate with us. My grandparents came up on Tuesday and were such a help to me with my sick little girl. I don't know what I would have done without them. They helped with laundry, prepared the food I was planning to bring for Thanksgiving and washed my dishes, so that I could focus on Elisabeth.

These people right here...

I thank God for them every single day but especially on Thanksgiving

These three make holidays SO much more fun!!!

We went to my parents' house for lunch. Chris, Mindy, Olivia, and Jeremy were able to join us again this year! Yay! My kids loved playing with their cousins.

And Elisabeth was thrilled to spend the day with her Papa Joe!

For some reason I don't have many pictures of just me and this guy, so I made sure to get one on Thanksgiving. He's pretty awesome!

There was no shortage of food.

Everyone enjoyed a scrumptious lunch with great company.

Elisabeth enjoyed her first real Thanksgiving lunch. Amazingly, through all her sickness, she never lost her appetite.

Samuel and Uncle Chris bonded during our visit.

We visited and played games and had a great afternoon with family.

Thursday night, Nathan and I went to Camino Villa with a few people from our Sunday school class to minister to the residents. They had dinner and we made a craft with the kids. 

Thursday night at bedtime, Nathan came up to me and said, "Mommy, do you know what I'm most thankful for?" He wrapped his arms around my neck and exclaimed, "You!" Best part of my Thanksgiving, right there. I can't get enough of that boy!

My grandparents and Bryan and Becca left Thursday afternoon. We spent Friday morning with Matt's parents before they left. And after naps that afternoon, we went back to my parents' house to spend some more time with Chris, Mindy, and the kids.

We got a few updated family pictures Friday afternoon

We ate dinner and played more games. Jeremy and Olivia never turn down a game of Settlers! It had been awhile since we played, and we all had a great time.

The boys played their own games Friday night.

Elisabeth had the best time with Olivia. I wish she lived closer so she could babysit!

We had plans to go to Edmond on Saturday to spend the day with Bryan and Becca, but an ice storm in OKC canceled those plans. Samuel had been a little under the weather anyway, so it was nice to have a day at home for everyone to relax and recover.

Since we had the day at home, we decided to set up our Christmas tree!

Decorating it with the boys was really fun. Memories just come flooding back as we pull out our treasured ornaments.

Whew, I teared up a few times thinking back to special Christmas memories. Babies grow way too quickly!

The busy weekend caught up to our sweet girl at lunch.

After naps we all needed to get out of the house, so we loaded up and went to the mall. We let the kids play and ate dinner at the food court. Then we came home to watch Bedlam.

The game was the low part of the weekend. I reminded myself though that at the beginning of the season, I thought a 10-2 season was a dream. The whole season was really a good one, aside from our last two games.

Sunday, we were all healthy enough to go to church, yay! And then more naps after lunch. I actually got a nap three days in a row over the weekend. I needed it after sick kids took over our bed all week. Matt was worried I was getting too used to naps by the end of the weekend.

We invited some friends over for dinner on Sunday night and had a fun evening eating, visiting, and laughing at the kids playing. I've been trying to be more intentional with hospitality and set a goal to invite people into our home for a meal at least once a month. I'm always so glad when I put forth the effort (instead of using my kids as an excuse), and Sunday was no exception. I had a great night, and our kiddos love having friends over to play. They didn't eat much dinner, because they just wanted to play!

Overall, we had a great weekend. We are thankful for the many blessings in our lives, especially the gift of family and friendships (and healthy kids too!).

A Bedtime Moment I Don't Want to Forget

Last night at bedtime, I laid with Nathan in his bed and listened with him to a CD of songs he is learning for a Christmas program at my parents' church. I teared up listening to his sweet voice singing so proudly about the birth of Jesus. Seriously, I was a mess. We just held hands and listened to all three songs as he sang along. Then I prayed with him and told him goodnight.

Tonight at bedtime, he asked me to do the same thing. So I did. I guess Samuel saw us, and when I went into his room to check on him, he asked me to play with him in his bed for a little bit. I sat down on the floor and leaned over, and played stuffed animals (pretending they were the Flintstones) for a few minutes. When I finished, I kissed him and told him goodnight. And he said, "No, I want you to play with me in my bed." I told him that I thought there wasn't room so I just sat on the floor right next to him. In his sweet toddler voice, he adamantly said, "No Mommy, I made room for you in my bed"as he patted the mattress next to him. I tried to compose my self from the puddle of mush I had become, and hoisted myself over his bed rail and into his tiny toddler bed. We cuddled and sang a song and he smiled the whole time.

Bedtime can be a stressful, tiring event trying to get everyone's teeth brushed, stories read, prayers prayed, foreheads kissed, water cups filled, and stern warnings to not get out of bed given. But I pray I never overlook these moments, when hurrying downstairs to get a few minutes to myself is trumped by cuddling, singing, and being loved by my boys. I'm so thankful for these little people who call me mommy and their simple desires to have my presence right next to them. They are a gift and so are those precious bedtime moments.

Pre-K Thanksgiving Feast

 Last week, Nathan's preschool had a Thanksgiving Feast for the Pre-K classes and their parents. Nathan has been so excited about it and has been telling me about all the surprise crafts they were making. I was excited too. I've been looking forward to my children's school parties and programs since before I had kids. I remember how much fun they were when I was a kid.

I made some fun cupcakes for the feast

And some for our peanut free friends too.

At the beginning of the lunch, the pre-k kids walked out in their costumes, sang a fun song, and prayed for lunch.

Nathan was BEAMING during the whole thing. He is in his element on a stage, and he kept looking at me and grinning. That boy makes my heart swoon.

Barry was kind to watch my other two for the afternoon, so this boy could have my undivided attention.

Daddy was able to join us too!

Nathan was too excited to eat much at the lunch. He kept wanting to get down and talk to his friends.

It was a fun lunch with my favorite preschooler.

One of the best parts about his school year has been the sweet friendships he has made. It's a new thing for him to make friends with little/no intervention from me. But he has made some great friends, and I'm so thankful to see him thriving socially and navigating this new world of school friends.

Levi is a friend from school and church, and we just love him and his family.

Nathan talks about Cole more than anyone else at school right now. They play together everyday on the playground and always yell and wave to each other in the parking lot at pick up/drop off.

The kids had a few other crafts they shared during the feast.

This is how Nathan cooks a turkey:

Nathan's first homework assignment was to disguise a turkey. He was thrilled to have homework and completed it the very first night he had it. I helped him a little with the idea, but he ran with it. They displayed all of them at the feast. It was cute to see what the other kids did too.

And he made a place mat with the things he is thankful for. Let's be honest, I was bummed I didn't make the list. I'm thinking he thought that everyone already knew he was thankful for his family, so that's why he left us off :).

I have been so very pleased with his preschool this year. The class sizes are small, his teachers are awesome, and there's such a sense of community within the walls of the preschool. It's just been perfect for us, and Nathan is thriving and learning SO much. I'm amazed with how much he has learned in three months. His classmates and their families are wonderful. It's just been the best experience, and I'm so sad he can't go to Kindergarten at the same school! If I made a turkey of things I'm thankful for, I would put his school and his friends and their families on it for sure :).

A Few Things That Turn My Heart to Mush

 Daddy and Son working on projects together. Nathan NEVER lets Daddy work alone. He is always "helping."

 Little girls in their Sunday Best!

 Books drawn by my favorite four year old.

He learned a song at school a few weeks ago and "wrote" a book about it.

Daisy Doll, Daisy Doll, Tell us what you see. Name the things around your house that start with letter D

Daffodils, dandelions, dogs that dig in dirt.

Daddy working in the yard, in his favorite shirt

 And his pride in completing his very first homework assignment!

He disguised his turkey as an OSU Football Player

 My Baby playing with her baby doll house.

 Big Brother reading books to Little Sister

 Little Boy bed head!

 Sleepy snuggles

 and cuddles

 And stalling at bedtime to build the tallest tower in the world