Thanksgiving Weekend

OK, after a crazy couple of weeks, a computer virus wiping out our hard drive, and life moving in hyperdrive, I'm ready to get back on the blogging bandwagon. I do have to apologize for my picture quality. It hurts me to see how poor these pictures turned out--can you guess what I have waiting in a box hiding in my closet?

I do have to start by saying how grateful I am for my husband, my kids, and the family I was raised in. I am also grateful for the marvelous friends we have met across the country. I am thankful for my husband's jobs and the promise he gives me that things will be OK. I am truly grateful for the opportunity I've had to host Thanksgiving in my home to my family for the last 6 years! What a blessing to have a home that people will come to. I also love cooking and love eating, so it makes sense when I say "Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday." I love that it celebrates our humble and indebted position in this world for all that we have been given by a loving Heavenly Father. Plus it doesn't come with the stress of shopping and glitz. This year my sister's family, Mandi, Ryan, and their 2 boys (Chris and Max) came from St. Louis. Tuesday night, she got to sneak away with me and a few friends to see the anticipated film, New Moon. I do have to state that I have been on Team Jacob from the beginning. :)


This is Emma helping me prepare for the week. :)

I found the cutest idea on family fun and had to try it out. We needed an activity to keep the kids busy and this filled a few minutes. Aren't they adorable with turkey leg hats?

Mandi was so good to capture a shot of the beautiful table as I was trying to get everything ready. Can I just say homemade rolls taste better at the holidays than any other time of the year? I thought it was so cute when nearly every one of my kids asked what they were supposed to eat on the chargers. Having a plate for a decoration was a weird concept for them. :)

Isn't this how all of us feel after dinner? Carter's turkey tiredness hit him even before the meal was over. Knocked him out cold for 45 minutes! Unbelievable! I think the little cousin sleeping next to him had been waking him up earlier than normal. :)

The next round of pictures were taken on Saturday at Lincoln Park Zoo in downtown Chicago. It was a GORGEOUS day with sunshine and warm temperatures (for Chicago). We had some great close-up experiences with the animals. Here are Carter and Chris, who were inseparable. Chris loved being buddies with big Carter, and Carter loved the attention and being revered. They were too cute!

Max is so cute! He's so fun to squeeze--when he lets you!
Evan loves to try to defy anything, but gravity was the law of choice today.

Chris

Mandi and her boys. Darling!

This is the black bear exhibit. The family in front of us said he was no where to be seen, but I found him sleeping up next the glass! We were SO CLOSE! It was amazing! Only a plane of the plexiglass separated us.

Max and his daddy!

Calling for wolves. Again, Evan's feet are not touching the floor. Not an uncommon occurrence. We just got our bathroom wall patched from him "tarzan-ing" off the towel rack and pulling it out of the wall.

The kids!

Carter and Chris--best buddies.

I love how Chris is watching Carter run. He watched and soaked up everything he could from Carter. Even songs like "We will, we will ROCK YOU!" I think that one shocked Mandi. :)I love the apes at this zoo and have seen some amazing things. This gorilla struck the thinker pose just for me. He was awesome!

This sweet mama stopped to rest and comfort her child by nursing her. Fascinating to observe!

Stradling Baby Shower

Saturday, November 14th, I hosted a baby shower for my dear friend, Kelle Stradling. She had previously given birth to a beautiful baby girl, Alyssa Elaine. Alyssa slept the entire time giving all of us who attended some quiet cherished socializing time mingled with sweet treats... a perfect evening. :)

The theme of the night was "Blueberry", since Alyssa's older brother, Grant, had chosen that for her name months before she was born. I thought that was just too cute and precious, so I based the colors, invitations, and even the gift off of her nickname. It turned out beautifully. Here's the dessert table. I am so grateful to my friends, Crystal Barlow, Renee Leighner, and Camille Pocock for donating food to the event. None of them could make it, which was so sad, but their goodies were appreciated. On my counter, I had a fruit platter, pretzels, crackers, cookies, etc. with a chocolate fountain. Chocolate fountains are instant deliciousness and fun.

Below are the Red Velvet Cake Balls that I made. These were a major stress as I dipped chocolates for the first time EVER. They turned out quite nicely and were delicious. This was the only dessert totally gone by the end of the night! I'm definitely making these again.

Here's sweet Alyssa in all of her seriousness. She cracks me up how she always has her eyebrows pursed in the middle. She is studying all that is going on around her. She is lying on the blanket Jennifer Braithwaite and I made for her. I entitled it "Blueberry", of course. It turned out so cute! As silly as it is, I'm quite pleased with myself for how well it turned out. I'm also deeply humbled and grateful to Jennifer for her expertise and help.

And here's.....Kelle! Kelle is sporting the newest fashion trend in all of the bathing world. This is a bathing apron, made by Cheryl Lines. It is for mothers (or fathers) to wear over their clothing so that they don't get drenched while bathing their children in the tub. Where were these when I had all my little ones??? Well, Kelle had been eyeing the apron that Cheryl made Meredith Jacobs a few weeks before at her shower and was secretly hoping she was going to get one. Lucky Lady. Kelle is sure pretty in pink as she models her coveted apron. I am so glad she got some beautiful and fun things for herself and Alyssa. The Stradlings are one BIG, happy family! Congratulations to them!

YOU exhibit

We had Tuesday off from school for parent-teacher conferences, and since I'm a member of the Museum of Science and Industry now, we traveled downtown for a fun day. There is a new exhibit that has recently opened up that we HAD to try and it surpassed our expectations. It is entitled the YOU Exhibit and is all about human beings, their bodies, their needs, etc. The first activity you come to is the laughing garden that has an article written up about the healing power of laughter. There are motion sensors in the "garden" that activate the TV monitors. As you move more, the faces on the screens laugh harder. If you can only imagine how crazy my boys & Emma got as they were jumping and running past these people. Evan discovered they even laugh at his belches and arm-pit farts and everything. This was definitely a day of exploration and discovery.


Below is a cool table that provides 4 or 5 different games about food--healthy choices, supply and demand, balanced diet, etc. We monopolized this table for probably 20 minutes trying out each game and learning how to manipulate the roller balls in the table. Fun!

This display was also interactive and all about what is in our blood. Using your shadow, you could "grab" different parts of the blood and drag them into an identification area where it tells you what it is (ex: red blood cell) and what it does. Awesome! Evan loved it when a pin would prick through the skin and it would clot. Blood is amazing.
This was a hit and had a line! It's a game called "Mindball" where the players wear a headband with sensors that read your brain waves (EEG) . The point of the game is to become more relaxed than your opponent (if that's possible as you compete) and the ball will drift away from you to the player the least relaxed. Carter got beat. I think he was too worried about losing. Typical!

We then got to see a portion of the Body World exhibit that is now permanent at the museum. I LOVED the exhibit and enjoyed teaching my kids and having them learn and actually see the different systems of the body, how they work together, etc. They also had a room devoted to maturation of an embryo into a newborn. Miraculous! I just don't like thinking about how they got the specimens for that portion of the exhibit.

Another display was of prosthetic limbs and "toys" or tools used by people in accidents to continue their hobbies like basketball, surfing, mountain climbing, etc.

Before we left, I had to let them get a little more energy out by visiting the IDEA factory. They all have a blast in there. Emma loves sending the balls up through the tubes and down the rivers. It really is fun for everyone and I can just stand there and watch them all bounce from one thing to the next. "Mom, watch this!" is one of my favorite phrases.

We wore them out! Both girls claimed to not be tired, but a picture is worth a thousand words. :)

This is where a kid can be a kid and a grown-up can be a kid!

Go Giants!

Evan's football season is officially over. He played his last game on Saturday, November 7th and his team won! I guess they were a part of a 3-way tie for first place in their division. He loved playing and improved a ton! It's hard as a mom to watch him hit and get hit, but I'm dealing with it. :) Doesn't he look tough with those stickers under his eyes? He's so cute!

I know the parents and teachers are all grateful to have football over. The fourth grade team all came out for the last game of the season. I am so impressed that they showed up and stayed to the end. That is definitely going the extra mile.

This is a picture of Mrs. Vasquez with Cole, Evan, and Sam H.--3 of the 5 players in her class.


This is a final picture of Evan going in for a block. He's doing a great job at getting low

I am amazed by how fast my Lizzie is growing up. She speaks in full sentences, sings songs, carries on one-sided conversations on her phones with her grandparents, teases, tickles, fights back, and calls every child about her size "her friend." She continues to make me smile every day. I love this little girl! I had to capture a few of her favorites and put them on this video. Enjoy!

Halloween happenings

Halloween was fun and busy this year. Emma had a marvelous time at her preschool party. I think it's so cute that she's holding her friends' hands. :)


I love attending the preschool Halloween parades. The kids are so cute and the teachers come up with some great costume ideas. Emma was the leader of her class this day! What a beautiful Princess Strawberry Shortcake!

Lizzie wanted me to take a picture of her as we were waiting for the parade to start. She was wearing her Strawberry Shortcake outift--"just like Emma." She kept telling me that they matched. She's darling.


Friday afternoon, we headed over to the Elementary school for their parade. Since it was raining (and had been for a month, it seems), we were inside along the hallways and into the gym. Carter was Paul McCartney and actually received extra candy for knowing who Paul was from more than one candy-giver.


Friday evening we began the pumpkin cleaning and carving. Steve took over the seasoning of the seeds and added some butter. I prepare them in a less fattening way; however, I do have to admit they were delicious. There just weren't enough!! Emma and Lizzie loved every part of the pumpkin. They had tons of fun getting "messy."

Here are the finished products. Emma's was a cat. Lizzie's was wanting the roasted marshmallows above him. Braxton's was a scary traditional jack-o-lantern...that he carved HIMSELF (1st time ever)! Carter's was a pirate skeleton. Evan's was homegrown and taken to school for pumpkin science, but then he decided to throw it away in the compost pile, so he didn't get to carve his own. {He's hating consequences right now}. Emma's and Lizzie's pumpkins were also grown in our own garden--a fun moment of pride for our little family!


These cookies are Steve's family's tradition. They are giant ginger cookies with orange-flavored frosting decorated into faces using chocolate chips and candy corns. I can safely say that I've perfected making these. They are really delicious. Steve keeps asking me when I'm making another batch. Just like the pumpkin seeds, there are never enough. Plus, they make my house smell wonderful!

Halloween night finally came! Steve was walking in the door with the boys from carving pinewood derby cars when our cute new neighbor, Sydney, was saying "trick-or-treat" at our front door. My girls were begging to go with her. Steve took them along so that I could supervise getting the boys ready with their costumes. It was quite chilly, so the girls didn't last very long. The three of them warmed up in the house and played while Steve then took the boys around the block.

Emma was practicing her curtsey for her door approach. :)
Lizzie's nose, hands, and feet were red and freezing!

At my boys' ages, this is now a fun time to dress up, but it's also a serious night to acquire as much candy as their parents will allow. Due to the temperature and their wish to not cover up their costumes, they did not last much longer than an hour either. We have PLENTY of candy, though. I tried to put a little education into it, and we counted every piece and weighed our bags. Carter, because of those extra pieces given to him after hearing who he was, received the maximum amount with over 100 pieces of candy.

A few days before Halloween the girls were wearing matching outfits and too cute to resist! It wasn't raining, the leaves were everywhere, so I took them into the backyard and we played for a bit. I just love how excited they are for everything! Life is much more fun with them!