It was a busy, family filled four day weekend!
Thursday: Thanksgiving Day!! We started our morning bright and early with cinnamon rolls and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on in the background while the kids ran around. We headed to my parents house for Thanksgiving lunch, home for 3 hour naps, and then to the in-laws for Thanksgiving dinner. We were well fed and very full at the end of the day! I ended my night/started my Friday morning with some Black Friday shopping. I had no plans on going, but that 3 hour nap kept we awake into the early morning hours on Friday.
This is what Harrison chose to wear for Thanksgiving lunch!
Opening their new Christmas pj's from Grandma and Grandpa Harmeyer.
Who knew playing with an old calculator could be so fun??!!?
Capping off our Thanksgiving by coloring in their new Christmas coloring books.
Friday: The day after Thanksgiving is one of my favorite days all year. It's always been a special "Mommy and Kids Day" and we've started our own traditions on this day. The boys got up early, Matt went to work, I lounge on the couch for a while, Elizabeth slept in and then we started our day with Christmas shaped pancakes, yogurt, baking, cooking, cleaning, decorating, and playing. After naps, the kids and I headed to my parents house where the kids got to help decorate their tree and eat Thanksgiving leftovers. We ended our night with a quick trip to Hy-Vee and watching holiday classics for the hubs and myself.
New pj's for Miss E. Just one of my several scores while Black Friday shopping.
Decorating our freshly baked gingerbread man! The past several years, the kids and I have made gingerbread cookies and decorated them, but on a recent trip to Wal-Mart Max discovered this giant gingerbread man cookie man, complete with a decorating kit.
Our gingerbread man lost his fight with the kids!
Elizabeth dumped the cat food into a bin that she carried around. Whenever a cat got close to it, she screamed "no kitty!" This is Doc, lucky enough to grab a bite before she got mad at him.
Red and green pasta.
One of the kid's favorite Christmas decorations: the Little People Nativity.
I finally got around to dusting while putting up decorations....I think I need to get a taller step stool so my kids can reach higher.
Helping Grandma Harmeyer decorate her Christmas tree. Ours won't go up for a couple of more weeks, so Max was thrilled to decorate.
Well, this is one way to contain them at the grocery store!
Saturday: Our Saturday Family Fun Day went something like this: Christmas pancakes, watching a Christmas movie, shopping for holiday decorations, lunch at Monterrey, decorating, naps, yard work, dinner, Festival of Trees and Lights, running through the skywalk, not making it to the Science Center like originally planned, baths, bed, and then a movie/date night in for the hubs and myself.
First visit to Santa was a success. No tears, Harrison asked him a million questions ("why is your belt so big?" "Can I have some of you beard?" all while stroking his face) and Max was questioning about why this Santa looked different than the one he saw at Hy-Vee.
Riding the train....this makes the third train ride of the season.
Sunday: Family Fun Day #2. We took the boys to "Frozen" while Elizabeth went to Grandma and Grandpa's to play, played in the backyard, took naps, treated the kids to their favorite Chinese food, and Jolly Holiday Lights. We ended the night by watching part of "Home Alone" cuddled in bed.
We took the boys to the movie "Frozen." We all loved the movie minus the fact that there were 6 potty breaks, 1 popcorn refill, and 1 little boy getting stuck in the back of his seat.
Bup enjoyed some popcorn too when we got home.
Putting together their Lego Christmas tree and Christmas train.
We got home from Jolly Holiday Lights and found this guy in our yard thanks to Grandma and Grandpa.
The boys kept asking "where are his mom and dad while he's doing all this??" and "is he naughty? Since his mom isn't around to see it?"
"Home Alone" movie snuggles with the boys.
Perfect end to the pretty close to perfect weekend. Next weekend will be another Family Fun weekend with more Christmas time activities planned!