the Monday after

I can hardly believe Thanksgiving is over. JoDee and her family came for the week, and my boys lived happily ever after in a world of cousins. I love that they love their cousins. And I love spending time with JoDee.  And I love re-meeting nieces and a nephew who live far away.  Six months in those little lives brings plenty of change to reacquaint with. 

Aidan, Davyn, Madee, Baylee, Crew 

On Wednesday we headed to the Zoo. We’re a zoo family, but I haven’t taken the boys yet this year because it has been so (damn!) hot. Not this time. The day was lovely, and I spent more time watching our own wild animals than those housed in the enclosures. Because..well, we definitely had some characters.

Baylee (the girl who spent the night at my house and told me in the morning that she didn't like cereal.  "You can just put some whipped cream in a bowl and I'll lick that up instead.")

Crew (who LOVED the freedom of "no stroller" time)

 
mine 

Showing them "tomorrow's dinner".  Aidan's ultra-concerned question:  "but who has to eat the bum?"  

I was crazy tired after the zoo, but still hadn’t done my Thanksgiving grocery shopping. Note to self and all others who aren’t sane enough to already realize this wisdom: don’t grocery shop the afternoon before Thanksgiving.

We managed. And survived. But went on to another valuable lesson. Don’t save pie making for 9:00 p.m. on the day before. This episode did, however, happen in good company, at Mandi’s house, with Madalyn in tow (I love when JoDee lets us steal her older girls!). Yes, I fell into erroneously thinking my two pies and Mandi’s four could be whipped out and I’d be home by 10:00 . Not even close. But did the late hour stop me from my ingenous plan of handcutting 30+ pie dough maple leaves to adorn the plainly pumpkin pies? Sadly, no. And it sure didn’t stop us from *quickly* transforming Mandi’s amazing homemade caramel into turtles. I have a talent for falling into the trap of last minute unnecessaries.

But the dinner turned out lovely. Despite turtles that few touched and centerpieces at which Jim rolled his eyes. Of course, we have to have centerpieces.  Yes, I know it's only going to be Cyndee, JoDee's family & us.  But Thanksgiving is Thanksgiving. And matching table cloths and fancy centerpieces make me smile.

 

I ended the day grateful for a JoDee and Cyndee who humored my Boggle love.  And gratitude also came later for a husband who didn't whine when his ASU team lost.  He should have spent his time Boggling with me, I say...

Comments

[Kelly]

Aidan's face in that first picture is hilarious! He looks so thrilled to be in a cave with giant bugs.

I'm glad you had a good Thanksgiving! Your table looks beautiful! I was a bit startled to see it outside, but then I remembered where you live!

JoDee's kids are beautiful!

[Kelly]

And yours are, too, of course! I didn't mean to imply that only hers were.

[Tammy]

Looks like so much fun. What a great mom you are, always doing special things with your family. Your boys are so cute. I also started my 5 pies at 9:00pm the night before, and they too had to have pretty fall leaf cutouts on each one.

[Annalisa]

You have to have fancy centerpieces for the most important feast of the year, even if it is just family! Oh men, when will they understand these necessities?
I love Aidan's concern about the turkey. And love the perspective of re-meeting littles who can't remember back that far. So true.

[Hilary]

oh, I wish I could see the pictures!!! Loved reading about your perfectionist tendencies... ME too, me TOO... You gotta do what makes you happy, so true.

[April]

I love your centerpieces, and I can hear the eyerolls all the way over here.

Ditto on the hot zoo...maybe this week. It is surprisingly cool over here. I'm trying not to be too excited though...in fear of jinxing it!

I agree that the best things about the holidays are sisters and cousins. So happy for you!

[mandy]

I can't get over that you eat Thanksgiving outside. That is such a foreign concept to me. It was freezing cold here! I love the snow but don't enjoy the cold that comes with it.

Your Thanksgiving sounds wonderful.

[lelly]

here, here for matching tablecloths and centerpieces!! 'tis the season.

[Shanon]

You are amazing and insane! Did you take pictures of you pies? I'm glad you guys had a good Thanksgiving. We missed you and maybe some holiday we will go to the same thing!! Hey, who did eat the bum?

[Mandi]

I think I'm still recovering from the pie-making night. Your table looked beautiful. And I would be scared to Boggle with Jim -- who knows what words he'd come up with that I've never heard of! I'd definitely have a dictionary nearby.

[Amy]

Jim actually doesn't spell very well so I think we'd be safe, Mandi!

[Tiffany]

What fun to have family visit--cousins together are such a lot of fun (and noise!). :) It was great to see your photos.

I love the beautiful squash/gourd (what do you call them? ...pumpkins?) candle holders--amazing!

[jenny c.]

I love all the photos you capture of your sweet boys. Is it bad to say I haven't been to the zoo since elementary school. I guess that will change next year :) Maybe we could make it a play date!

[Megan]

Pictures are fun, makes me homesick!