More Thanksgiving...

This year we snuck an extra Thanks-giving celebration in...we made a little day trip of going to see Jon's dad. It is about a three and half hour car ride...so it is quite a task to go for the day! The kids road extremely well though...not a single potty break or any crying even! My children never cease to amaze me!

 This was our first time visiting Jon's dad in his new parsonage...and one of the first times meeting his dog, Rudy! James is quite a dog lover lately...so he had fun petting Rudy. Just to clarify for any family that might read this, James loves dogs, but is not allowed to have one. He may love other people's dogs until he is old enough to have his own house...I am not an animal lover in the least! {Christmas is coming so I thought I better clarify one more time!}

 Jon's brother and his family were visiting on the same day...so it was fun for the kids to get to play together twice in one week!

 We had to get some quick pictures with the cousins, brothers, grandpa and great-grandma...what a task that was! I snapped several and this is the best we could come up with! Sarah, when you read this...sorry your kids were over 8 minutes late for their naps...but it was well worth it, right?!

 I don't think Elsie uttered more than 3 words the entire afternoon we were there...she has become extremely quite in new situations and around people she doesn't know. After you get to know her, look out...she doesn't stop taking!

 James, on the other hand is quite a little show off! He knows when he is the center of attention...and he kinda loves it! And he is not bashful in a new place...it just makes him want to explore a little more!

 As you can tell from this picture, Elsie was "stuck like glue" to me! I sat at the little kids table and ate my meal and played with them...not because I am anti-social, just because my kids love me...like a lot...like 'don't sit 3 feet from me' kind of a lot!

 But we still had a good time, even if we did sit at our little table and act anti-social! It was nice to see everyone again...maybe now that we know the kids are capable of traveling all that way, we can visit again without letting several months slip by again!

The ride home when just as good as the ride there...my children must be growing up! We managed to stop at the mall and do a little shopping at Baby Gap {awesome black friday weekend sales!} and we stopped by the Children's consignment store, where Elsie talked Daddy into buying her a little pink Vetec laptop!
 Because we are crazy, on our way home Jon and I decided to drop the kids off at my parents house {at 9pm!} and pick up one of my sisters and go into town to crash a wedding dance! We were not invited to the wedding, but Ceara and Ted were in the wedding...so we figured that was a good enough invite, right!? We stayed for awhile...watched the dancing, visited and took some pictures. It just so happens that the building where the dance was held is also the police station, so we sat in the police station for what felt like forever visiting with the police officer. The officer used to date one of my sisters...and he and Jon graduated together...it was fun to catch up. The joy of small town living...