Thanksgiving Weekend

Our Thanksgiving weekend started with two extra days off from school because of snow that canceled all fun activities from Monday to Wednesday and resulted in one small snow man and nothing useful getting done.  Thanks, Aunt J for playing in the snow with the boys!

Then we got the news that the CCAA temporary probation of our adoption agency had been lifted and we attended a soup dinner and praise night at our church to start the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend off right.

We started Thanksgiving morning with Apple-Pumpkin muffins per a friend's instructions.  We could spend the morning making muffins because we were assigned the green bean casserole and store bought potato rolls for Thanksgiving dinner at Oak's sister's house.

Sunflower "helping" make muffins.

The boys filling the muffin pan--our pan has round muffins, I had never seen square ones before.

Eating the truly wonderful results!

Then, after a brief rest for all three cranky children, we headed the 2 miles to Oak's family get together where I proceeded to take pictures of Sunflower.  She took my breath away, but I had sooo much trouble capturing it to share.

One of my favorites!

SnapDragon missing 3 teeth!  Good thing rolls and pumpkin pie are soft (it's all he ate!)

Dessert Time; Huckleberry was so glad to add whip cream all on his own!

Just pretending to sleep, but oh so cute anyway!

Did I mention I found Sunflower's dress in a bag of hand-me downs I sorted through 3 years ago and peeked in on the off chance I would find what I wanted Thanksgiving morning?  God does give good gifts!

Playing with a doll that used to belong to Oak's Mother, but now came home with Sunflower.

Ready to eat Pumpkin Pie--Oh, actually only the whipping cream!

Really what I wanted Mommy was 3 glasses of Egg-Milk!

Friday we entertained my dad here with steak and mashed potatoes.  Thursday was his first Thanksgiving without my step-mother and he didn't want to do anything fancy.  So Thursday he ate a T.V. dinner and worked, but Friday he came to our house and Oak helped him go buy tires for his truck.  However, while some may be interested in seeing pictures of his new tires, I did not take any.  Sorry to disappoint!


Saturday we joined a large group of friends to hunt for a Christmas tree.  This was the fourth time we joined them for this tradition. There were goats to feed and everything!

Sunflower LOVED being able to feed the goats by putting the food in the can and sending it up with a rope.  Then she didn't have to let those horribly stinky adorable goats touch her at all!

Hunting for the tree!

Found It!  Oh, wait...

NOW we found it!  We took several pictures with another tree before changing our mind!

Proof the Mom and Dad were also there and didn't just send our kids with friends; ummm, maybe next year!

Drinking Hot Chocolate!

Sunflower was fascinated by the sleeping Baby Jesus--night-night!

Helping Dad tie the tree on top of the Minivan.

Waiting for everyone to be ready to head out to lunch.

Still waiting; Oak watched Sunflower play in the car, so no group shot.

We finished the day out with pizza with everyone then home for some naps (Sunflower and Oak) and Nintendo time (Me, Huckleberry, and Snapdragon).  Now the kids are sleeping and I am posting a blog post.  Tomorrow we end the fun filled weekend with our long anticipated double date with my friend (best friend if you want to be all high-schoolish about it) and her husband to see the new Harry Potter movie and out to dinner!  Thanks, Aunt J for babysitting!  The tree is up in the family room, blocking most of the T.V.  We should have it decorated in a week or two.  I'll let you know, maybe.

I hope you all had a Blessed Thanksgiving!  And if you celebrated it in October, I hope your October was blessed!