Thanksgiving 2011

We had an awesome Thanksgiving this year. It was nice and laid back which is always good. About 5 years or so ago Mike and I had decided that we were done with the running around to two different places on the same day and gorging ourselves with food. So we switch off the actual Thanksgiving day with our families. I have to say that when we started doing this it changed everything and we enjoy the holidays a heck of a lot more. I can't imagine running around like this with a 15 month old, it just wouldn't have happened.

Last year we went to Canada to visit some of my MIL's family. I didn't think we could have made it 8 hours in the car with a 3 month old but we did and had a great time. This year was no different.

In the car on the way to Winnipeg, Canada

Wednesday: Mike and I both had to work, but we were lucky to get off early and get home and pack up the car. It was nice because the IL's have the dog (because of our construction), so the packing up was a bit easier. We were able to visit with the framing guys - they were super nice and built us a step for us! We picked up the little miss and headed down to my parents. It was a nice evening visiting with my parents and having dinner. I was a bit worried about Gabby sleeping, but she ended up going down around 7:30 or so and slept until 6am. It was so nice to get so much sleep in a row.

First time playing Playdough

Thursday: We had a lazy day in the morning. My mom wasn't going to cook because we were going to go visit with my grandpa. We all pretty much just chilled out around the house and played with Gabby. We went out and saw the puppies. Gabby absolutely LOVES the puppies. Last weekend when my mom and I took her out to the kennels, she was very upset because the puppies were gone hunting. I have never seen a little one so excited to see dogs of any kind, in magazines, on the TV, in person, she just LOVES them. Around 1:30 we headed up to see my grandpa. We were taking him out to a restaurant that he loves near his nursing home. Gabby was having a bit of a melt down when we got there because she only got about a 30 minute nap on the way to dinner. She also was a little unsure of Grandpa when he first got there, but after awhile she warmed up to him right away and he was sneaking her whipped cream from his pie. Which let me tell you, she wasn't sure what to do with and just spread it around on the table. Gabby is also learning to drink from a cup with a straw, so I got her a kids cup. The straw was so big that she was getting too much water in at once. She started to become a fountain. She would take a big sip of water and then just spit it right out. We tried not to laugh but I have to say it was really hard not to. We ended up having to cut the visit a bit short because I forgot a diaper - how do you forget diapers....so we weren't able to go back to grandpa's place and play cribbage with him but we still all had a great time.

Trying to get a 15 month old to sit for a photo shoot is no easy task...thus by why her hair is all raised up from static.

Coloring - her new favorite activity.

To color or to eat..that is the question

My grandpa - all smiles on Thanksgiving day (He is just excited about the pie)

My mom and Grandpa

My parents

Friday: Mike and my dad took all three dogs hunting at a local management area, while they were gone my mom, Gabby and I had a great time. We made cookies, colored, tried to get the baby down for a nap (epic fail!). I thought I had her down around noon right when the guys got back but after running little Gizmo in the field we came back in and she was up with my mom...so no nap until later in the afternoon. More fun time coloring and some other things, visiting the puppies. We then headed off to Kings bar and grill. For those that haven't had the wonderful opportunity to visit Kings if you are ever in southern MN you NEED to look it up. It's in a town that has 100 or so people and this dive bar and grill makes 50+ burgers. My favorite that I get EVERY time we go is the Fly Ball burger (Swiss Cheese, Canadian Bacon, Pineapple and Marinara sauce + the burger). My dad usually gets the one with the fried egg on top. They even have a burger with peanut butter and Jelly. If you want a hotdog on your burger, this is the place to go, sauerkraut yep you can get that here too :)

Gabby saying hi to Dooley. He doesn't really like little kids, so we are easing him into knowing Gabby.

Grandpa and Gabby walking in from visiting the puppies

Saturday: Gabby slept her best ever Friday night to Saturday. She went down Friday night around 7:30 or so and slept until I woke her up at 7am. I try to keep her on her schedule so I don't let her sleep too much past 7am. We left my parents and headed home. We needed some time to unwind and get a few things done around the house. Gabby had a different idea. She didn't want to nap and only slept about 30 minutes on the ride home from my parents house.


Sunday: We went to the IL's house for dinner with the family. We had a great time as usual. Gabby had so much fun playing with Papa, Nana, her Uncle and her cousin. The girls ran up and down the halls all afternoon and went on the trampoline. Gabby got a little bit cranky towards dinner time, but that's what happens when a little one doesn't take a nap like she is supposed to. She refused the turkey, bun and mashed potatoes, she did try some sweet potatoes. She however LOVED my pumpkin pie and of course had a bite of daddy's french silk.

Gabby and Mac looking outside at a squirrel

Trampoline Fun