Thanksgiving

This week we wanted to give Lynne and her family the "WHOLE" Thanksgiving experience! We made turkey cookies with the kids. I had a great recipe from when I was younger, but, it was a bit too frustrating. So, we copied these off of some one's facebook page and they were super easy and cute!

Alan and I got up and left the house at 5:45am for the Turkey Trot!

A few thoughts on this experience. First, Alan was all business about getting to the race, which was 45 minutes north of the house. I on the other hand was all business about getting to the gas station to get my newspaper with all the Black Friday ads! I went up to get gas, and was going to fill up and then pay inside and get my newspaper at the same time. The pumps would not work, so I went in to tell the lady, and she acted like I should know that they are all "Pre-Pay" down here! Another experience when I thought to myself- "Katie, we are NOT in New Prague anymore!"

I wanted to get a paper and she said they were in the box outside and you needed cash to pay for it. This sent me into a tizzy, as I didn't have cash on me. So, I go to the car, and Alan is looking nervous about the time. I told him I NEEDED cash, and we had to tear the car apart for change! I had Erik's car and he doesn't keep change in it! So, we looked and looked and came up $0.55 short. Now, what Alan doesn't understand is I LIVE for Black Friday. I was feeling a panic attack coming on...when Alan remembered he had a dollar in a pocket in his backpack! Can you say- "Cha- Cha- CHINGA!"

So, I went in to get the paper, and came out and Alan was drinking his energy drink and eating nuts. I was so nervous about not getting a newspaper and now the race, that I had to go BACK in to go to the bathroom and Alan was TOTALLY getting annoyed at me! Luckily we are good friends and can give each other a hard time! (:

We drive to the race, Alan's first one in America, and mine in a year and a half. It was SO crazy busy! What I didn't take into consideration, was the laid back style of the south. They literally let people sign-up until the very last minute! So much last minute, that the race started 25 minutes late with all of us standing there waiting. They kept announcing every few minutes, "Just a few runners left to register!" Finally the gun went off, and the running began! There were two spots in the race where they didn't have it marked, and NO ONE knew where to go! It was unbelievable that with over 1,000 runners, they were so laid back! At the end, they had different types of race snacks than we do in the Midwest...such as buns, and Nutella spread! We decided to skip the snacks and I introduced Alan to Duncan Donuts breakfast sandwiches and my FAVORITE French Vanilla coffee! A perfect way to end a great run and a fun experience!

Then there was a first annual football game...

yes, they are trying to brainwash my kids and yes, bunny ears never get old!

Peace-out Lefty!

Love watching Lefty draw up plays on his hands and tell everyone what to do!

Like HE even knows what he's doing!

After a lot of talking to, Alan carved the turkey for me...as I was getting the rest of the meal ready. Guess in Scotland, it's not proper to carve the turkey in someone else's house. It's considered rude! I gave him the knife and told him "We are NOT in Scotland anymore...GET CARVING!"
We FINALLY used the dishes we got from Erik's Grandma about 10 years ago! Thanks to his Mom and her husband for the wonderful center piece they sent us for the special day! I felt like a "REAL" grow-up!

Can you believe it?

Our kids are FINALLY old enough to eat at the "kids only" table!

Looks like SOMEONE LOVED Auntie Katie's MEAL!

How can you not LOVE this kid?

We had the best Thanksgiving! It's the first one I haven't had to travel for, minus the one where I just had a baby. The food was delicious, and the company was outstanding! The kids played SO well and were able to play outside for most of the vacation. That makes a BIG difference when 10 people are all in one house for 7 days and you are all not on top of one another! Next year it will be our turn to go to New Orleans, unless someone puts in their reservation at the inn early enough! (:

Now we are all really looking forward to seeing family at Christmas! I'm sure the next month will crawl by!

Sneak Peek

Here's a sneak peek of what Lynne and I were up to today while our husbands were up hiking in the mountains! Can not wait to see more! We had a GREAT experience, and highly recommend this photographer. She is brilliant with kids!

http://cmtphotography.com/2010/11/friends-forever-weddington-nc-family-photographer/#comment-22

Lynne's Visit

Well, Lynne is here, and it's CRAZY and I am LOVING every minute! Six kids ages six and under. We have two six year olds, a five year old, a four year old, a two year old and a one year old! Here we are at the Mall. We went to get pics taken with Santa, and to eat dinner! Let's just say, we got a LOT of looks at the mall!
Kids love to go down to the park. Playing in the sand isn't the same as it was on the North Sea a few years back...but still just as fun!

Loving the outdoor pedestrian malls! Mom's can drink coffee, while kids play!

Weather has been low 70's all week! SO nice!

Two new members of the group are getting along JUST fine!

Bubba Jr. and Bubba Sr!

They are slowly turning my kids into LSU fans...

But not before I turn their kids into Packer Fans!

Emma and Curtis at his Thanksgiving Feast at school!

So special that she got to go and be his special guest!

We are VERY blessed and thankful for many things in our life, especially having such great friends on this Thanksgiving!

My Lil' African Drummer!

Johnny has been SO excited for his class Thanksgiving feast and program today. He told me they were performing an African dance, and needed to wear animal ears, tails or something to do with Africa. Quickly we got on the horn and called Auntie Ann Maire and she sent him an outfit she brought back from Ethiopia.

Looking Sweet!

Johnny and his teachers!

They did a dance, and then after the dance, the principal announced that Johnny would be playing an African drum for all the pre-schoolers to dance to. I had NO idea he was doing this. (Curtis is in the orange shirt with the video camera, way into it!) I knew he liked drumming and wants a real one for x-mas this year, but did not know he thinks he's a professional! Here is a pic and the second video is of him drumming! It was a little chaotic for me...but everyone was loving it!

Johnny keeps telling me he's going to perform an African dance. One day he told me it was called the Zumba. I called Ann Marie to see if she had heard of it, and she was DYING of laughter. I'm talking, true "Ann Marie" laughter! She told me it was a class at the YMCA!

What's even better is we saw Shirka's new video on TV at Target when we were shopping, and Johnny told me that was his dance that he's doing, what Shirka was doing! LOL!

Even so, he LOVED it, and looked forward to performing it! Enjoy the video above!

Hmmmmmm,

Found this post-it on my counter today.

All I have to say is I didn't write it...

Lack of Posting

Bubba took a liking to moving the kitchen chair across the room in order to climb on the counter to get what he needs! Here's the little monkey in action!

Beautiful weather lately! Highs in the upper 60's, leaves at their peak, and SUNNY!

Great days for parks, walks, and picnics!

This weather kicks BUTT...way better than the heat this past summer!

Going for an early morning walk and getting leaves!

Just a typical "quiet" dinner with my boys last Friday night!

This semester my posting has been lacking due to little free time. I am taking 6 credits to renew my teaching license, and lets just say, everything fell a little farther behind than normal! This week I FINALLY finished up...but not without 17 loads of laundry staring at me in the face once it was all done and over with! (: Erik's been a big help watching the kids and doing the running while I finished it up during "crunch time" this week. I'm relieved to have it past me and looking forward to the holidays now! (And maybe finally getting to unpacking my CLOSET!....NO LIE!)

Naughty Boy...

Looks like I might need to lock up the smelly markers from now on!