Thanksgiving Recovery

That's what we're in this week - half back to normal, half recovering, and starting to plan The Christmas Trip.  Fortunately, all went well on our whirlwind trip to MI to visit the families, despite being cut almost a day short due to full flights.  Unfortunately, I did not take any photos.  I'm really stinking it up lately with taking photos.  We'll blame the baby, whom I've taken to calling "Three," because I don't like saying "it," "him," or "her."

Some highlights from Thanksgiving week:

This is N and M anxiously awaiting Thanksgiving at my in-laws.  Their shirts say, "I like turkey with my game!"  They were so hungry that they climbed into their booster seats and waited for food while watching football.  This was taken by Aunt L and lifted from her Facebook page just so that this post wasn't completely void of photos.  They ate a sliced apple, applesauce, sweet potatoes covered in marshmallows and two bites of turkey, then were excused to play so the rest of us could eat as the food arrived for us!  Maybe someday we'll all eat together - maybe someday they'll eat a real meal.

Grandma and Grandpa babysat so Hubs and I could have Friday afternoon off to do some much needed shopping.  Basically, we bought his Christmas gifts and not much else, but that's okay - like I'm going to get to shop for him without the kids sometime in the next 3 weeks?  Highly doubtful.  It was fun to just spend the day together, without the boys, when we were both wide awake and not dead tired, like we are every. single. night. when they finally fall asleep. And to eat in a restaurant like real adults - you know, in peace, without high charis and spilled milk and ketchup.  It was lovely.  (In case you were wondering, we did NOT shop Thanksgiving night, overnight, or Black Friday morning.  We are not those kind of people, like some relatives we know.  You know who you are.)

In five days, my twin boys usually take 10 naps total. Last week, there was only ONE nap taken by little M on Saturday afternoon.  We have seen some SERIOUS sleep deprivation and I am now 100% convinced that my kids are not ready to give up naps.  In fact, N pulled the covers over himself last night and this afternoon, turned over and didn't make another sound!  (That's a miracle, in case you weren't sure.) What I despised last week (and nearly drove me off a cliff) is now my sweet peace this week.  There is a silver lining to everything.

Sunday was kind of whirlwind because we attended our home church in MI, then wolfed down lunch at the food court in the mall.  But I add it to my list of highlights because at the food court, we were able to share a meal with my parents and grandmother, Hubs' parents and siblings and us with the boys, all together.  The boys were happy because they got nuggets and fries (what else?), everyone was happy because they got to see them eat them (and eat what they wanted) and I was happy because I was 6 seats away when the milk tipped over and doused my mother-in-law's purse. I warned them all to watch those milk cups, so I am absolved from ruining her Coach purse.  See why I don't wear or carry anything new? 

And we can't wait to do it all over again in 3 weeks! 

Turkey, Pie, and Other Things I Love

It's Saturday night and I've finally emerged from my pie-induced coma to report on our Butterball Turkeys' Thanksgiving.

Boy o boy, do we have fun at the holidays now that we have the boys!  Wednesday night was my grandfather's 81st birthday party.  I tried to get the boys to carry the gift bag to him, but they wound up taking each piece of "retro" candy out of the bag and running across the room to give them to him one at a time!  They gave him Zagnuts and old-fashioned root beer barrels, among others.  The best part was when Grandpa told me the next day, "Those candies the boys gave me I haven't seen in years!"  It made me smile because, yeah, Grandpa, that was the idea!

Thursday was the big day and we spent the morning getting ready at my mom's.  Okay, that's not exactly the truth.  The truth is, the big train table, two cozy coupes and car racing track in the basement took up most of the morning.  We carried them out the door to the cries of  "choo-choo! Choo-choo!"  Fortunately, there were more trains at my mother-in-laws!

 One of N's favorite things is to open and close the microwave or freezer door, and his Uncle A indulged his every whim. Knock yourself out!

 The boys just couldn't wait for everyone to get there, so Hubs and I fed them some sweet potatoes and green bean casserole before the meal.  For the second year in a row, they slept through the turkey, but I'm okay with that because it means they're napping.

M and Daddy read a noisy book between naptime and pietime.  Dessert is serious business at my in-laws'...very serious.  There were 5 peanut butter pies, 2 lemon merengue pies, 1 Texas sheetcake, 1 banana cake, and one spice bundt cake!  I was able to restrain myself somewhat because I knew what was waiting for me at my mom's; my grandma's pumpkin and custard pie. 

This reminds me of a song I heard on the kiddie music channel 930 on Charter.  I can't remember the artist, but I do remember the words:

I love pie
I love pie
I love pie
I love pie
Chocolate pie! 
Strawberry pie!
Pumpkin pie!

Thanksgiving is always a festive holiday for Hubs, myself, and now the boys because we are quite literally surrounded by the people we love the most...and turkey...and lots of pie.

Happy Thanksgiving To All

We wish you a Happy Thanksgiving! May it be filled with love, food and time to reflect on how blessed we all have been and will be.