Thanksgiving...

This is a super long post with lots of pictures of our Thanksgiving weekend...we packed a lot into the long weekend! We spent Thanksgiving day at my parents house...we had the traditional meal we always have...and Elsie finally got to eat her strawberry pie for dessert...yum!

James...lookin' all spiffy for his first Thanksgiving! He napped all during the meal...that made for a happy mommy!

The kids were very excited to be able to play in the snow...we had a bit of a snow storm the night before Thanksgiving...so they had lots of fresh snow to play in!

Shoveling snow...making snow forts...going on 4-wheeler and sleigh rides...what fun!

Elsie thought going on sleigh rides behind the 4-wheeler was the best thing ever! I remember riding in this sleigh and thinking it was the best when I was little...on to the next generation!

After the kids came inside they enjoyed a tasty treat of snow and cheerios...what is it about eating snow that kids love so much!?

I think Ana spent about 20 min getting Oliver ready to go outside...he played for 5 min and had to come in because he was freezing! Elsie is older this year and can stay out for a whopping 10 min!! When Elsie and Oliver had to warm up they stood on the couch and watched the kids on the 4-wheelers...

We all go to my parents house and literally trash the place! People are coming and going all day and half the night...they never know who is all coming or when (or if) people are leaving. It seems every time the whole family is together Jon and I get so busy visiting that the kids fall asleep and the next thing we know it is mid-night or later...so we usually just spend the night instead of driving the 4 miles home! This time just Elsie spent the night...and Jon had to make a 12:00 "Elsie run" because she wanted to come home...after getting there she fell asleep and slept the rest of the night with no problems...

Cousins...Oliver and James...could they be more opposite? Blue eyes and blond hair, brown eyes and black hair...So cute

Everyone minus my parents...what a crew! How my parents escape being in pictures is beyond me! I have to point out that Elsie was being a little poopie head girl and would not look at the camera for anything! Sometimes it is frustrating having a free-spirit little 3 year old!

More snow pictures...Oliver loved being pushed around in the giant snow shovel!

We did not get tons of snow...but there was enough for the guys to get wild and crazy on those darn 4-wheelers (and the little dirt bike!) At one point Colter was driving a 4-wheeler while pulling Jon behind...Jon was sitting on a saucer sled holding onto a water-ski rope attached to the 4-wheeler! After they had enough fun on the 4-wheelers they when out to the woods with several guns to do a little target practice...

Sunday night the guys decided to light the big brush pile...we girls all had to pile into the van with the little kids and drive down the road to get in on the fun...A picture of Jon and I!! We have very few pictures of Jon and I together...and of all days for me to look crazy...as we left the house in a hurry with the kids I just grabbed a hat from the top of the pile to plop on my head...I normally do not go about wearing bomber hats! Anyhow...good picture of Jon and I...very rare!

Laura, pulling the kids and Jon around on the sleigh...I must point out that Laura has a broken collar bone...I mean the bone was broken right off...but now that the doctor has told her it has healed enough to take it out of sling...she thinks she can DRIVE the 4-wheeler! She is not a fast learner...

All the guys by the fire...even little James! It was quite chilly out so James and I sat in the van for a while and just watched...but this little guy loves being outside...it is just a matter of time before this little guy grows up and being wild and crazy with the big guys...

Daddy and James...

In the end we had a great Thanksgiving...we have so much to be Thankful for...the most important thing we are thankful for is Family...and we have an amazing family!