We started off Thursday morning with realizing we had done our grocery budget wrong for the month and had $140 left for groceries...but not needing any groceries we decided to treat ourselves to breakfast out. And because the grocery budgeting had been so rough on me, I was allowed to pick IHOP. Mmmmm.
We came home and did a little playing:
And I did a little cooking. I made an artichoke dip appetizer and then moved on to boil the sweet potatoes. Well, I had forgotten that Dalton stuck a walnut in the burner on the stove the other day. I didn't get it out immediately the other day because I didn't want the boys to see me touching the burners...they need to believe those are always off limits. Anyway, I forgot and when I turned on the burner it totally caught on fire sending walnut ash around the kitchen. Had to put that out and move to a different burner. Eek! But I was able to finish up my sweet potato casserole with praline topping and after quiet time and naps were over we were on our way to Grammy's (my grandparents).
The boys were looking pretty cute. Easton doesn't really have any "dress-up" clothes so we went with harvesty colors:
And Dalton was looking super slick in Easton's little button-down from last year:
Lauren was super-festive in the pigrim hat Moosie brought:
And thank goodness for text messaging to keep immediately in touch with the loved ones who can't be with you on the holiday. I looked over and saw both my sisters texting away with who knows who:
When they both finally put their phones away for a bit we entertained ourselves by posing for pictures of ourselves:
We got some funny ones too...and then my aunt offered to take some of us...we did the "see no, hear no, speak no evil" thing but no one remembers what order it goes in:
And Dalton felt the need to join us:
Then it was time for dinner. We had a delicious spread with all the traditional fixin's. We brought food for the boys but Easton was anxious to try some stuffing. He saw it on Max & Ruby that morning and it was all he could think about. He tried one bite and spit it right out. Oh well. Jason also insisted Easton try some of my sweet potato casserole. He just knew Easton would like it but Easton insisted, "I don't actually like potatoes!" but he eventually had some, liked it, and had some more.
He later entertained himself and us with his favorite party trick:
And Lauren played too:
And the festive hat made the rounds again:
Gramoo always brings lots of stuff to keep my boys happy. We used to bring stuff too but stopped because her stuff is new to the boys and much more exciting. She's helping Dalton with some festive stamps:
And a parachute toy with Easton:
Eventually all of us moved away from the table and over to hang out with the toys. 
Easton and my uncle Jeff got to playing all kinds of fun, rough housey games. Easton had soooooo much fun and "Deff" was all he could talk about before he fell asleep in the car on the way home. Dalton wasn't quite so sure about Jeff and would get close before fleeing into the arms of someone he deemed safer. He'll come around.
We came home and got the boys straight into bed.
Friday morning we hung around the house before I got ready to go meet my mom and sisters at a spa downtown. It was Jessica's last day in town and my mom arranged for a special girl-bonding treat. Jessica and I had massages (in the same room) and my mom and Lauren had facials. I enjoyed a complimentary mimosa and then we all met up again and walked down the street for some lunch. It was a fun time. Thank you so much, Moo!
I came home and hung out with the fam some more. LSU was still on. Then Jason made dinner for himself and the boys. I was still full.
Today we woke up to this:
You can bet my boys were chomping at the bit to go out. So as soon as we finished with breakfast that's what they did:
Easton and Jason went to shovel the driveway after they were done playing. Easton even has his own little shovel. Dalton stayed in with me folding laundry. When they came in Eas watched Polar Express. We TiVo'd it last night. It has commerical breaks and when one comes on and it's time to fast forward he alerts us with "next stop, Mom!" or "next level". :)
After lunch, Dalton went down for his nap and Eastie and I headed to the library. He had some movies on hold and we got a bunch of Christmas books before coming home for his quiet time. Now he's sitting next to me watching Cinderella.
This afternoon we're all going out shopping. We have a new Christmas tree on our list, as well as this year's ornaments, and Easton is in need of a few new clothes and jammies. Dalton has way too many clothes...
Easton is lacking maybe a few things:
Especially when it comes to nicer clothes.
Anyway, we'll be finishing up our movie here shortly and heading out. But Jason was wondering if I was ever going to blog again since I've become rather fond (not quite addicted) to a couple of the games on Facebook.
This one's for you, Loms. :)
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Thanksgiving Recap
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Thanksgiving Eve
We've just been having too much fun and I've more than made up for my lack of picture taking, so today's post has to be split into two posts. There is just too much ground to cover. Make sure to check below this post for part two.
We haven't even left the house yet today but we've still had plenty of fun. We started the day with pie for breakfast. Or at least that's what I had and what I offered...Easton didn't want pie, though. He said, "I already had this" (last night) and wanted a Pop Tart instead. Fine...more for me! Big weirdo.
Then we moved onto some laundry. I'm a dork who sort of prides myself on being able to get stuff done around the house, keeping things relatively clean and in order, even with two little people around. But that's because they both like to help. Dalton filled our basket with the pile I made:
See how much he loves doing laundry:
(That "clean clothes" label is from Susan...I use all the baskets for dirty clothes.)
Easton insisted on carrying the laundry baskets today:
Even though it doesn't go as fast as it would if it were just me doing the work, that is so beside the point. I love showing them how to be a good worker, to take care of our house, and I love including them in that part of our day. Easton always likes to pour in the detergent in the washer. They both stand side-by-side on the step stool to throw the clothes into the washer from the basket. Dalton's job is to close the lid.
When the stuff comes out of the dryer Easton is great at helping. He'll match socks for me or we all toss balls of socks into the baskets. Today he was folding the washcloths we use to clean them up after meals:
Dalton wasn't being so helpful at that point this morning. After running off with several clean washcloths and napkins from our pile I found him here:
Doing this:
I emptied the dishwasher at some point, and even though the clothes indicate this picture isn't from today, you get the message that I let them help. Easton does the silverware. It takes him almost as long as it takes me to empty everything else. Dalton watches helpfully:
Whenever I have to sweep the floors (which I had to do this morning), we all get a tool. I get the big broom and dustpan and the boys choose between the Swiffer vac and the little hand broom and dustpan. Or dustbuster. Dalton usually goes for the power tools while Easton prefers the old fashioned way.
After our chores we moved on to some more fun stuff...making hand turkeys. Easton immediately busied himself with cutting beaks and legs all by himself:
He was doing great and was super cute to watch. While he snipped away Dalton and I worked on his turkey. He needed a lot of help. A lot. I forget when Easton got real crafty, but whenever it was, Diddlebug isn't there yet. He kept taking off our googly eye. Then smashed his hand in the glue so that when he was trying to glue on his feathers...
...he ended up like this:
Dalton needed to be all done at that point so he moved into the living room for some milk and Wiggles:
While Easton finished up all on his own:
Easton saw the project a little differently than I did. Other than cutting out the handprint and the wattle, he did it all himself:
Here is Dalton's which is so obviously influenced by me and my own view of how a handprint turkey should look:
Then we cleaned up and moved on to some feather races:
And the boys played by me on the floor while I folded more laundry. And look how close Dalton is willing to get to Sippy when he's the one in charge!
It's not just Sippy, it's any puppet. At AussieROO there are several puppets and the teacher likes to put them on and tickle the kids and such, Dalton is never big on that idea. It's just as funny as that video from yesterday.
Anyway, before long it was time for lunch, naps and quiet time which brings us to now.
I hope that you all enjoy the holiday tomorrow...I don't think I have any non-American readers, so Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
C'Mon and Safari with Me...
So, yesterday after quiet time and nap was over we did our safari as planned with our homemade TP roll binoculars:
Really only Eastie was all that into it. But he was super cute...he'd spy an animal hiding and then he'd always put his binoculars to his face for a closer look:
Then he'd snag the animal:
Dalton was more like this:
Till he broke his binocs a few minutes in:
And went to play somewhere else:
Before throwing the pieces down the stairs:
Stinker.
Easton had fun though.
He did it a few times then he gave me a turn...he did great at hiding things for me and great at taking a picture of me hunting them on my safari:
While Dalton watched an episode of Dora on the bed...
...Easton and I played a few rounds of "What's missing?"
Then we all came downstairs to start on our chocolate chip pie.
Dalton is holding the beer bread mix that I made later to go with dinner.
While the pie baked, my mom and Jessica showed up. The boys had fun playing and showing off for them. Easton cracked us up wearing Jess's shoes around:
We had dinner and then Lauren called that she was off work and we invited her up to join us. We gave the boys a bath so that when Lauren arrived they could see her for a few minutes before heading to bed so they came back down in their jammies:
Then it was off to bed for them and the rest of us played Scene It. They left and J and I watched the Dancing with the Stars finale and I went to bed.
