Work and Play with Grandma & Grandpa N

This weekend Grandma & Grandpa N came up for a Thanksgiving celebration. It is always wonderful when they come visit. Daddy & Grandpa did some outside chores, the boys played outside (a lot!) and we just hung out. It was great to see them. Pretty soon they'll be headed South so we have to soak up all the time we can get!

Daddy & Grandpa running the chipper. 

Little Ninjas hiding out in Daddy's shed. 

3 generations - love them all!

Eli & Grandma N

Fun at the Park with Friends

This morning, we met up with some friends at a local park to let the boys burn off some energy and also to let Mommy socialize! I love my Mommy friends and it's a wonderful treat that the boys can run / play while we catch up. Granted, there is a lot of monitoring, supervising and correcting but we enjoy the broken conversation when we can get it! 

Eli on the digger

Cole on the digger

Entirely too big for this but I turned around and Eli was in the whale bouncer thing. 

Eli is amazingly strong and is getting pretty good on the monkey bars. 

He is fearless and determined

so much that he pushes his limits! Don't worry, he didn't fall very far and didn't get hurt. 

Eli & his buddy Evan gathering sticks in the woods to build a fort. 

Hi Cole-man! 

D-U-D-E, you're so cute!

One day this will be a real 4 wheeler!

A mini-game of football ensued. 

With lots of running. 

Not sure what happened here but Evan sure is happy, Cole looks defeated and Eli is probably back there pouting. Such is the game of football!! 

Our Happy Thanksgiving

We had a wonderfully simply Thanksgiving Day at home this year. So much to be thankful for - our health, happiness, having a home, our loving family. We are tremendously blessed and try to remember that every day instead of just on Thanksgiving. I reflect (every year) on how Thanksgiving was for me growing up and think about what my boys will remember. I may have mentioned this in year's past but I'm going to mention it again! For me, I remember going to my Great Grandparents' house for a large gathering of extended family. We would rake leaves for them, an acorn fight always ensued, have lunch, play in the barn's hay loft and then use the tractor to take all the leaves away. That, of course, required jumping in them!! Then I remember the men would target practice with their guns - usually a soda can or something - and we'd all watch. Back then, I HATED raking leaves and always wondered why we had to do it. But now I know. Family takes care of family and you especially help your elders. My Great Grandma Verla was a sweet lady who dipped snuff and would tell us stories of when they first got power and taking the horse and buggy into town. (I am VERY fortunate to have memories of all four of my Great Grandparents.) These days, Great Grandma's house sits empty.... and it's kind of sad. But I'm glad it's still standing and is a reminder of those good times. I'm thrilled that my Dad deconstructed the barn I used to play in and reconstructed on their farm (pretty much across the street from Great Grandma's) so my boys can grow up playing in it. 

One other Thanksgiving Day memory of mine is watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade while my Mom cooked for our big lunch. That is definitely something that continues today. Eli & Cole love seeing all the balloons but their little attention spans can't handle the entire parade just yet....but one day! 

So this year, we went down to the lake and fed the ducks their Thanksgiving meal. The boys loved it and I'm pretty sure (based on how few people were around) the ducks loved it too! I cooked in the afternoon and we had a nice Thanksgiving dinner together. In the future, when the boys get a little bigger, I'd love to volunteer as a family at a soup kitchen or something. 

We hope you had a great Thanksgiving as well and that every day you think of at least one thing to be thankful for. 

Piled in the back of Mommy's truck - a special treat!

Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours!

Sweet boys!!

Our Thanksgiving dinner - Eli & Cole insisted on candles and we had a pine cone turkey Cole made as the centerpiece. And Eli insisted on wearing his swim goggles for dinner, guess he was concerned that a food fight would break out! 

Cole's Thanksgiving Party

Today Cole's class celebrated Thanksgiving with their Thanksgiving Feast. Lots of yummy food - turkey, potatoes, mac and cheese, even pumpkin pie. Of course, my picky eater didn't eat any of it but he sure enjoyed his juice box!! I love being able to go in his class and watch him with his friends. He has so many good buddies!

Just after nap time, before the "feast"

My sweet Cole-man

A table of trouble!!

Can never get enough of that smile. :-)

Cole and his amazing technicolor coat - he loves it!

Gym Party - 3 year old style!

Cole had a great time at his first gymnastics birthday party today. We got to celebrate his buddy Evan's 3rd birthday. The kids were fun to watch. Cole LOVED jumping into the foam block pit and generally climbing and jumping on everything. An awesome afternoon, left us with one tired boy!

Cole & Evan, the birthday boy

This looks so funny, like Cole is doing a plank. 

Make a muscle!

Balloon swords

Balloon swords from the pirate theme at church this morning. The boys loved them. 

2012 Raleigh Christmas Parade

We had such a great time at the Raleigh Christmas parade today! (I will confess I'm not thrilled about a "Christmas parade" before Thanksgiving but I got over it.) The boys were super excited and were hoping to see Storm Troopers again this year (no luck) but we did see lots of fun stuff. I was really concerned we would find a spot and then someone would have to go to the bathroom and we'd have to scramble for that.....but thankfully, these boys have some serious bladders! No potty emergencies and we made it through the entire 2+ hour parade. After the parade, we navigated our way out of downtown by just taking turns in the general direction I knew we needed to go and we ended up at Chick-fil-a. Awesome!! We had a great lunch and then headed home for a great afternoon nap. So much fun for all of us.=) 

Mommy & Cole, pre-parade. Don't you like his style? 

BMX tricks - Eli was all over this. He will probably be trying them soon in the front yard. 

"You talking to me?"

My crazy boys, waiting for the parade to start.....snacks mandatory for any outing. 

RPD ready to get the party started!

Honoring the flag

Wool E Bull - Durham Bulls mascot

Got to be NC! Love the Ag Department's huge motorized shopping cart. 

First time every.....fly by!

Super cool!!

Tractors are always fun.

But Cole does not look impressed.

Leesville Marching band - lots of bands and Eli had to know the name of each one. 

Eli saw a buddy from school and they were best buds for the parade. I love how easily they make friends. 

Kermit the Frog balloon - minus the helium. He had to ride on a cart.

Biggest tow truck ever

Nutcracker balloon - the only helium filled balloon. (If anyone understands this helium shortage, please explain it to me because I surely do not.)

Loved the jump ropers, especially double dutch. 

My parade loving boys!

High five'ing Muddy the Mudcat

BMX stunt kids - Eli HAS been trying these tricks at home. 

Rollin'

The special man of the parade.....SANTA CLAUS!

Post parade with Daddy

and with Mommy.