Our Thanksgiving Weekend 2016

We started off our Thanksgiving Day with flag football. Tyson played and the girls and I played at the park near by. I always think it's a great idea to get out in the morning (after the Turkey is in the oven!) and enjoy some fresh air before the feast. 

These guys played for hours and had a lot of fun. Thankfully, no one was hurt!

Back at home, the table was set and it wasn't until days later that I realized I forgot my little white pumpkins in my table scape :( But I still loved how it turned out. 

The girls couldn't wait for our guests to leave because they wanted to have the job of blowing out the candles. They kept asking if it was time for our friends to leave :/

2016: The first year we hosted Thanksgiving. 

2015: Thanksgiving with the Haley's and new friends

2014: Thanksgiving with my sister- Brittany & Seth Melling in Virginia

2013: "Friendsgiving" in D.C. with SAIS Alumni

2012: Our first "Friendsgiving" in Williamsburg with the Dansie's 

2011: SAIS Johns Hopkins Thanksgiving in Italy Part 1 and Part 2

2010: Thanksgiving with the Smith family in Arizona

2009: Thanksgiving with the Booth family in Arizona

It's crazy to go through these photos from past years and see how much we've all changed!

Taryn was a great little helper. The day before Thanksgiving, I started prepping lots of the food, including this crunchy apple pie. Taryn was quick to say, "I want to help!" So I put her to work, peeling the apples. 

The beautiful pie dough. 

Seriously, I love how it looks and tastes!

I had a lot of prepping to do so I needed to find ways to keep the girls occupied for more than a minute. This painting activity was a great fit and I love this little scene. 

 We also found out that Taryn is allergic to Juniper Berries... or at least that's what we think she is. While I was cooking my brine to dissolve the salts and Taryn walked into the kitchen and said she couldn't bend her fingers. When I saw her hands, they were all puffy and swollen and so were her feet. So I drained the brine (the house smelled of Juniper berries- that's why we thought it was the brine's fault. ) Then we got out of the house after opening all the windows. As soon as we got to a store nearby, Taryn's swelling had gone down. So crazy!!! Thankfully Juniper berries aren't used much in anything.

A few days before Thanksgiving, we had a Family Home Evening about being thankful. I had cut out leaves from construction paper and everyone went around writing (or drawing in Haddie's case) what they were thankful for. We heard things like Health, kitty cats, friends, chocolate, car & jobs etc... Taryn and Haddie really loved helping put up the leaves on our wall tree. 

The day after Thanksgiving, we headed to Luray Caverns. We were happy to find out our friends the Bratts were going there as well so we met up with them and enjoyed our days with friends. 

This is what the kids do on a 2.5 hour drive :)

These caverns were amazing. The girls loved it and Taryn always amazes me with her ability to remember facts. She was pulling out information the tour guide has told us and asking very great questions the whole time. 

This reflection picture makes it look like you are seeing something like the grand canyon. But in reality, it's just a few feet of water- clear as day- reflecting the stalactites from above. 

Because we were all the way out by Shenandoah Mountains, we decided to do the famous Skyline Drive. It was beautiful, even though all the fall leaves were gone. Taryn was a trooper and stayed awake despite our busy day, jumping out at look out stops with us along the way to see the view. 

She grabbed her crayons and paper to draw what she saw. Love that girl!

And while we took in the beautiful views, Haddie crashed in the car and caught up on some much needed zzzZZZzzz's.

One of my favorite pictures of Taryn. 

And these as well. They always make me smile. I feel like they perfectly display Taryn's personality :)

" Follow the yellow brick road"

On Saturday, we went to Oz. I love Thanksgiving weekend. It just keeps giving! We were able to have so much time together as a family and we explored all around us. 

This park was amazing. 

They really took this Wizard of Oz theme and ran with it. Our girls loved it and played until they were starving for lunch. 

They seriously thought about everything!

We had a fun filled day, again, meeting up with friends and laughing together. 

We came home that night and crashed. Finishing Gilmore Girls- the reboot, was the perfect "chill" we needed. 

Thanksgiving was wonderful and I felt blessed to be surrounded by friends and family. I really enjoy cooking and baking, and sharing a great time with those you love. 

7 years together

In early November, Tyson and I celebrated our 7th wedding Anniversary. Tyson planned for us to go to National Harbor where we would ride the Capital Wheel- a giant Ferris Wheel over the Potomac River. I had forgotten how bad my fear of heights was. I kept telling Tyson he wasn't allowed to move when we reached the top. I was terrified that we would break our little pod and come crashing down. Seriously- I have a problem! After about the 4-5 time around, I started to ease up and move around a bit, but not much. It was really a great experience though. I'm glad we did it so we could check it off our To Do list, and never do it again. Until we go to London and do the famous London Eye. I don't remember having a fear of being up in the London Eye. So I can't wait to take Tyson for his first time. I'm hoping my fears stay at bay for that experience. 

We had dinner at one of the best Mexican food restaurants we have tried out here. We walked around for a few hours and really just enjoyed our time together. I love date nights and we've been doing a really great job at making it a regular habit lately. I love our babysitter!!!! and spending extra time with Tyson - just us- more often. 

Now onto making more married memories :)

Those amazing Fall leaves we get to see in VA

 

Heading out for our morning walk to school, these two were chatting away, matching with their hands in their pockets.  

:)

I love these little moments in time. 

I've learned many new things about living through the seasons in Virginia. One of them is that in mid November after more leaves have fallen on the ground than I have seen in my whole life, everyone rakes the leaves to the street and they are sucked up by a giant vacuum attached to a truck. So on our walk to school, we jumped in the piles! I always cringe a bit thinking about bugs in those piles but the girls always love it. 

This picture of Haddie was one of the last warm Fall days we had. Now we are in winter coats and I have to try and convince the girls to wear long sleeved shirts, pants, shoes and socks every day. 

It's not easy! And for those who say, "Just let them outside without a coat...they will change their minds in seconds..." that worked with Taryn, but not Haddie. She is SOOOOOO strong willed. That kid would freeze before putting on a jacket. I've tested this out many times. Oh man. So we had to establish family rules for Winter. So far, they are working most of the time. We'll see how the rest of Winter goes!

As part of my "homework" while making cakes and rolling out this business on my own, I stopped by my favorite bakery, "Bakeshop" to pick up some yummy treats. I love that place so much! Haddie was happy to help to test out the treats. 

The last day of soccer practice was so beautiful. It was still light outside at 5pm and the trees surrounding the park were colorful and gorgeous. 

Look at those fall colors! And that cutie being a goofball! 

Lately Haddie has been having lots of playdates while Taryn is away at school. If it's a time we don't host, I always realized how much I miss Haddie and having a buddy during the day. I've had a cute little girl by side for the past 5 1/2 years! I'm getting a glimpse of what my life will be like at home in just a few years when Haddie goes off to school. So I'm focusing on cakes and getting ready to fill my "free" time by baking delicious treats for others. 

Our visit to the National Gallery of Art

The girls and I went to the National Gallery of Art two weeks ago and had such a great time. We met our friends Logan, Lynne, Carson and their grandma. The kids had the day off school so getting together was a must! 

I admit that it can be dating when thinking about taking your kids to an Art museum where there isn't a whole lot of "hands on" activities like the museums surrounding this one. But I love it. I love watching my girls learning about art, listening to what their favorite part of a particular painting is, and watching them take in the art in their own way. 

This time, Taryn had her arms folded for a majority of the time she was in front of an art piece with a pensive look on her face. That was the best for me. I felt like she was taking the time to look at the paintings and enjoying her time. 

The kind docent pointed out to us that no matter where you are in this room, the ice skater's foot would point towards you. The kids were blown away. The picture above shows Logan pacing back and forth (with the cutest astonished look on his face) watching the skater's shoe. 

Lynne and her two boys. She's such good mom. 

This is my favorite Haddie pose of the day. She had her arm behind her back and studied the army men and the big horse sculpted into this art work. My kids are understanding it- piece by piece- that art is beauty and up to many different interpretations. 

We tend to walk rather quickly through the museums, and although I wish I could spend hours at an Art museum, that's just not may phase of life right now. Tyson and I talk about how lovely it would be to go on a date to an Art Museum. We just have to find an art museum that stays open late enough for us to enjoy after work, or coordinate and day time babysitter for a little mid day date. 

This instillation has been one of my favorites for the past 4 years. As you stand on moving sidewalks (one going each direction) the lights above walk way change shape, turn off and on and move along with you. The kids always love this one and make their way up and down it several times. 

After about an hour of taking in art (and having a snack break) we let the kids run around on The National Mall together, crunching in the Fall leaves before I had to scram and try to pick up an NES system for Tyson (his Christmas present. ) Little did we know it was going to be impossible to get one. Oh well! 

We love our friends and the great times we have with them. Slowly but surely we are turning our kids into little cultured humans :)