More of Grandma Lizzy's Visit

We were so glad Grandma Lizzy could come visit us for Thanksgiving week.

We went to the Please Touch Museum - an absolute FAVORITE with the boys!

She enjoyed storytime with them too.

She treated us to dinner.

And - they enjoyed round 2 of carousels! 

This time it was one outside downtown.

 This is a famous piece of art outside Jacob's office.

A few months ago, Liz was teaching her art students about it and they asked her where it was and she didn't know. We all hada good laugh when she found out it was right in front of her son's building!

We got and decorated our tree! The soonest we've ever gotten one up! Yeah!

(Luke would NOT take off the football jersey even though he had to put on his pj bottoms. Ah, well. Pick your battles, right?

Then we enjoyed some RIVALS WEEKEND FOOTBALL!

Ohio State vs. Michigan (woo hoo! great victory!)

and our annual marital battle . . .

BYU vs. Univ. of Utah

Sadly, this did not end well for me. Sniff.

(please excuse  jake's semi-scary face. he was a little excited - and that is not really a smile from me. it's a pleasant cringe . . . if there is such a thing.)

Oh well. Next year!

Thanksgiving & the Monster Turkey & Sticky Potatoes

As we watched a little of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

 (a family tradition since I can remember) 

the first snow of the season began to fall! 

Since we've lived in Georgia for the past four years, this was a very pleasant surprise!

The boys decided to go play in the ward "Turkey Bowl" anyway!

Miles was not so sure about the cold and snow once he was actually out in it!

Just like last year, Luke acted like one of the big guys right from the get-go!

 Church sports - the only fights that begin and end with a prayer! Ha!

 The boys were not ready to stop playing in the snow once the game ended. 

Here is the first snowball of MANY to come, I'm sure.

 . . . and a very tiny, tiny snowman!

Luke decided to help me cook.

Have I mentioned his love of marshmallows?

Making the family sweet potatoes for the first time ever.

 Miles enjoyed having daddy (aka - his personal horsey) home for the day.

The hit of our feast? Cornbread stuffing from Williams-Sonoma. Amazing. 

(and I don't usually like stuffing!)

The sweet potatoes tasted super yummy. 

Okay - and the main event. 

Miles comes up to the bird on the platter and starts GROWLING! I have NO idea why (this is not a common noise for him to make). However, apparently Luke understood his meaning, because he very emphatically said to him: 

"IT'S NOT A MONSTER MILES! IT'S A TURKEY!"

Now this was my first-ever turkey, but I don't think my cooking was that scary!

The turkey was not bad, but somehow, SOME way 

our mashed potatoes turned out to be a literal disaster!

Seriously gross.

You've heard of sticky rice. Well, we had sticky potes!

My mother-in-law thinks she added a little too much milk. Neither of us are sure, but we were sure of one thing - NO ONE ate those potatoes. 

NYC Anniversary Trip

Our 6th anniversary was Nov. 19 and we spent it on a 36 hour getaway from the boys in NYC! 

It was fantastic! (and only the 2nd time EVER leaving them overnight!)

Again, my father-in-law hooked us up with an amazing hotel deal - 

which definitely made it even sweeter!

This was the view from our room in Soho.

Of course there were little pleasures of vacation: like Jacob knowing that I wouldn't freak out that his shoes were on the comforter - like I would most assuredly do at home! :)

Since my kids weren't there, I actually got to enjoy my camera a little more artistically (something I NEVER do when they are with me! Because, honestly, what mom doesn't want to snap those cute pics of their kiddos? And - if you're like me - that's about all I have time for!)

This was a really cool shop in Soho. We loved the AMAZING clothes inside too. (Too bad the prices were out of this world insane. . . ) I got a little carried away with their decor though . . . 

These real, old school sewing machines reminded me of my grandma.

Spools! Who doesn't love a great spool? Ha!

Eating at Lombardi's! 

The first (and arguably the most famous) Pizzeria in the U.S! 

Fantastico!

(Have I mentioned my obsession with all things Italy and that I WILL be bi-lingual in Italian before I die? :)

We also saw Mariah Carey singing in Rockefeller Center for free, ate the BEST Chinese food of my life at Szechwan Gourmet in the Garment District, shopped Canal Street and TRIED to get banana pudding at Magnolia Bakery, but since they were sold out had to settle for a red velvet cupcake, listened to Live AMAZING Jazz music at midnight and went to a Musical Theater open mic at 1am. Oh yeah, you KNOW I sang! So funny!

Saying goodbye to the city once again. Till next time . . . 

Luke's Preschool Thanksgiving Feast

Luke loves Preschool so much and we were so glad that our whole family was able to attend his feast!

Here he is with his little friend, Gigi and her daddy. They are in Sunbeams together too!

Luke is into the squinty eyes! (And that's not sweat on Jacob - it's water! :)

Here he is with Clark singing their Turkey song! So funny!

There was lots of yummy food and fun crafts for us to make together.

"On a Midnight Train to Georgia . . . "

Okay, so it wasn't exactly midnight - more like 9am, but the boys and I hopped on the local train that took us to the airport to take us to Georgia. Either way, we were THRILLED to be going home!
(This trip was actually mid-October. You can see how behind I am!) 

The Neilson family flew us down to watch these guys while their parents were on vacation.

Then we got to stay an extra week after that. Yipee!

We did lots of FUN things! Here is the Reader's Digest version:

Apple Picking with the Mildenhall's

Miles and Luke each ate about 4 apples as we picked! They couldn't get enough!

We went to my mom's school's Fall Festival

Visited our old neighbors who we miss SO much!

The boys REALLY enjoyed mom and dad's nice big yard!

Mom came with us to the Atlanta Children's Museum

My boys with "The Brothers" after some sports at the park

We went to the Ward Tailgating Party. We didn't know about it, so we wore the only color we had.

On the back of our shirts I put signs that said: 

"This red is for OHIO STATE! NOT Utah!" Ha!

We went with mom to see Toy Story 3.

(This is Luke's interpretation of Buzz Lightyear - NOT Hitler!)

The boys got a huge kick out of rolling golf balls all over my parent's kitchen

and helping clean up the driveway

and painting with water colors

and eating ice cream bars

and surfing on Lola's blanket around the house

and celebrating Miles' birthday a little early.

Other fun moments: 

Miles JUMPED into Sierra's arms the minute we got there. 

Luke, Miles and Papa had an afternoon at the park together.

Kami got to have a Girls Night Out at Meechie's Frozen Yogurt.

As Miles was falling asleep, he would sweetly ask for Papa ("Papa? Papa?") - and pretty much everything else he did he wanted to tell or show Papa every time.

Luke had playdates with most of his best buddies.

We ate at Chow Baby! Awesome!

We went to Ballard's Backroom.

It was a GREAT trip! 12 days went by so fast. 

Till Christmas . . .