thankful: 2014

Here we are – it’s already December 1st and what’s new? Not much, just another 11 months that have flown right by. Our tree is up, the temps are down, and winter is upon us.  This Thanksgiving season came and went in a blur, spanning the second half of November.

A couple weekends ago we went to Tennessee to visit my family.  We decided to go early since my sister and her family would be on vacation the entire week of Thanksgiving. While I would have loved to hop in a suitcase and make another trip to sunny Florida, I figured I should probably stay home instead.

My sister’s best friend and her family recently opened their own Froyoz shop so you better believe that was number 2 on our list of places to visit – right after we ate dinner.

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Saturday (11/15/14) was “Thanksgiving.” It really felt like it all day long.  Lots of yummy food, football, games, and hanging out. I didn’t get the memo about wearing stripes though.IMG_5869 IMG_5885

My mom’s amazingly perfect peanut butter pie. Oh, that meringue. IMG_5897

Of course my kids would be the ones with their mouths full of food in every picture…IMG_5904

Sunday we had to go home after lunch – you’d think we took the boys to the aquarium. They loved the lobster tank at Red Lobster.IMG_5907 IMG_5910 Flash forward 10 or 11 days to the Thanksgiving Day everyone celebrated. My sister-in-law and her husband had to work Friday so we didn’t get together with them. My father-in-law was still recuperating from his knee replacement surgery the week before so we didn’t get together for several days like we normally would.  My in-laws came to our house and I prepared our meal…which was pretty pleasing to my taste buds!  We had crock pot turkey, yeast rolls, broccoli and cauliflower au gratin, hash brown casserole, green bean bundles, peanut butter fudge, toffee chocolate bars, and….IMG_6220 IMG_6221 IMG_6223 IMG_6224

…a nap.IMG_6229 IMG_6234As you can see, I didn’t go out of my way to take loads of pictures.  We actually spent most of Thanksgiving weekend holed up at home, putting up decorations and cleaning. I was sick with a cold so didn’t feel like doing a ton anyway, so it was nice to just have a 4 day weekend to spend at home instead of traveling here and there. It felt great going back to work with all of our laundry and dishes done and house aglow with twinkling lights.  The boys are excited about taking turns with our 2 advent calendars – a traditional felt one and a Lego one they got from their cousin, Spencer.  Just enjoying this time of year and trying to get my shopping done so I can enjoy the days before Christmas this year instead of getting into a complete funk like I did last year.

If you’re still reading all this rambling, thanks, and I hope you had a relaxing Thanksgiving weekend too!

xo,

~C~

 

Catch the Moment: week forty-six

I slid my memory card into the computer as I began working on this post, not quite sure what to expect. I knew I had taken a picture every day, but many of them were rushed and felt uninspired. I’m surprisingly pleased – not necessarily with the quality of the photos, but that they really do capture the little moments of our lives for the past 7 days.  That’s what the project is all about.  As it nears the end, I am getting really excited to compile all 365 photos from 2014 into a little memory book for our family. A millisecond of each day of this year to bring us back to that moment in time, even years from now.

Linking up with Sarah, Mindi, and Stephanie for week 46 of Catch the Moment 365.

316/365 – Wednesday, November 12th: The boys’ cousin, Spencer, sent them a Lego advent calendar.  I tried explaining to them that we couldn’t open any of the little tabs until the first of December but they didn’t want to hear that. We made a deal.  They each got to choose one character and agreed that there would be noooo issues on the days that they found those little windows empty come December….time will tell if they hold up their end of the bargain. 11-12-14

317/365 – Thursday, November 13th: Date night for moms in the Maple Room. This time I got to visit Dexter’s class while Ryan spent time in the Oak Room with Theo.  Dexter truly loves every water job and was proud to show me how to clean the windows with a spray bottle and squeegee.  Several times.  Or several dozen times. Whatever.11-13-14

318/365 – Friday, November 14th: We traveled down to East Tennessee to celebrate an early Thanksgiving with my family.  These three littlest grandchildren sure enjoyed their frozen yogurt (and playing in the kids’ corner!) at our friends’ new Froyoz store. 11-14-14

319/365 – Saturday, November 15th: Thanksgiving, but not really.  My sister and her family are going on vacation the week of Thanksgiving so we headed down a couple weeks early to visit and celebrate.  I celebrated all weekend long by eating no less than 4 slices of this heavenly peanut butter pie with perfectly beautiful, light, fluffy meringue – made with love by my very own mama.  These are the best pies in the world…she could sell them and makes millions. And probably hates it when I request them – that meringue sure is fussy.  Seconds after the picture was taken, we mangled it into an unrecognizable disastrous mess, but it sure was delicious. 11-15-14

320/365 – Sunday, November 16th: I guess we’d never taken the boys to a Red Lobster before. I’m thinking we would have remembered how fascinated they were by the live lobsters in the tank.  After lunch, we ended our short trip to Tennessee and headed back home. 11-16-14

321/365 – Monday, November 17th: I get to work extra early on the days Theo and Dexter don’t go to school to make up for getting in later on the days they do.  This day I was even earlier than usual and it is always eerie, being the only one in the building, hallways still dark. And yes, that’s snow! Our first accumulating (barely, but still an inch or so) snow of the season…about a month earlier than I’d prefer.11-17-14

322/365 – Tuesday, November 18th: Theo wanted me to photograph his latest creation.  He just thinks these things up…what’s neat & interesting (to us) is that his creations are always symmetrical.  11-18-14My favorite photo this week has to be sweet little Penelope’s face on Day 318. What’s yours?

xo,

~C~

the fourth: 2014

Huh, how about that. I guess I’ve never posted a 4th of July recap. Well, last year we were on a little weekend getaway for our 10th wedding anniversary but it wasn’t all festive with fireworks and that kind of crap.

So here’s my first real Independence Day recap. It was nice that the 4th was on a Friday which lent itself to a lovely, long weekend.  Ryan’s parents live on a small lake that is perfect for relaxing, jumping off the dock, floating around, and taking pontoon boat rides. They invited us We invited ourselves to come and stay for the weekend. Ryan’s sister and her family were able to join us from Ohio as well. IMG_0641

Obligatory red, white, ‘n blue outfit pics.

I mean, could they be any sillier? No. Cuter? Never.

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silliesLove them a lot.

They napped for HOURS every day.

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Saturday was our 11 year anniversary so Nana and Pop Pop watched all three boys while Ryan and I enjoyed a rare double date with his sister and her soon-to-be husband.  Dinner at FARMbloomingtonfarm

Their FARMfamous garlic fries. Oh. Wow. And their homemade chipotle catsup. Yes.
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Our view from the “silo” table.IMG_0693 IMG_0698

Neat sights at every turn in this one-of-a-kind restaurant.
Yep, even by the bathrooms.

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Although it was a GORGEOUS night to walk around downtown Bloomington, which is lovely, we wanted to get back in time to enjoy the fireworks over the lake with the boys. Aunt ‘Chelle treated the boys with glow swords and glow bracelets –they may have been a bigger hit than the show.
After messing with my camera settings for five minutes before the actual show started, I gave up and put the camera down. I couldn’t figure it out and didn’t want to spoil the moment.IMG_0719 IMG_0720 IMG_0723
Sunday mornin’ cherry eating.  Theo likes the “yellow cherries.”
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 Dexter prefers red.
There is a HUGE component of our weekend missing…. the LAKE and the sunshine that we were so lucky to enjoy all weekend.  Seems like when we are all able to get together, we are cursed with cool temps or cloudy skies – or both. Not this time. Again, I chose to live in the moment and not take 500 pics. I had a drink in my hand and the sun on my skin and many long conversations with my sister-in-law. That was all I needed to make the weekend complete.
A few iPhone pics:  PicMonkey Collage
What’d you do for the Fourth?
xo,
~C~