Thanksgiving Tree

For the month of November we did a Thanksgiving tree. Basically you write what you are thankful for on a leaf then stick in on the tree. Chase loved it and asked to do it almost every meal time. Jacob even got into it and liked putting his leaf on the tree. 

Rest of Turkey Weekend

A few more pictures from the rest of our Thanksgiving weekend. 

Tiana was a great helper with Jacob and Gavin!

The kids took advantage of the Tumble Gym open play.

The weather was beautiful!

Tiana is a great UNO player and taught Chase. He still needs a little help but picked it up pretty quick.

Lots of football watching took place!

Gavin was not feeling well and just wanted to be held. Poor baby!

We didn't have too many leftovers with our turkey so we decided to fry another up on Saturday night.

Turkey Day

We had a great thanksgiving day with family and friends. We really do have so much to be  thankful for. I am especially grateful to be cancer free and not having to do chemo! Our pastor John preached a great message on Sunday from Colossians 2. While it is good to partake in our cultural practices of thanksgiving that as a Christian our life should be characterized by thanksgiving to God (Col 2:6 ...abounding in thanksiving).

Playing outside before eating. It was a beautiful day!

We loved frying a turkey last year so we bought a fryer. It was so good!

Last minute preparations.

The adult table

And kid table (I think several kids were asleep when we started eating) The Redskins game was coming on so we had to eat fast!

My 5 month old

Gavin is 5 months. He is rolling everywhere now and enjoys sitting up. He can't sit on his own yet but we are working on it. He was wearing an outfit that remember Chase wearing as baby so I can got a picture to compare. I think they look like brothers! We are gearing up for Thanksgiving here and are excited to have family and friends come over. 

Gavin's First Foods

Gavin is almost 5 months so we decided to start giving him cereal. We start off slow - giving it to him once every couple days when we have time (or feel like it). He did pretty well eating - but didn't sleep any better. 

Fall Happenings

It's easy to post about an event if there are several pictures and it seems interesting enough. With three little ones I feel like "blog worthy" events are getting fewer and fewer. So here are some random of some of our fall happenings. 

We got invited to a costume party after Halloween. I went pathetic and just added cat ears and whiskers. Ashlei went all out!

Brad went all out too.

Having fun at a fall festival at a local church.

Jacob with his buddies, Caleb and Meredith.

Fly on the wall. 

Another playdate with his buddy Jonathan.

Chase and I both had dentist appointments. He was so pathetic as first but then he got braver. He even let me go to my appointment about halfway through his.

In an effort to eat healthier, my friend Shayna came over and we played chef making some yummy food.  Jacob is enjoying the coconut ice cream.

We had a picnic on a warm veterans day at our favorite train park in Raleigh.

We intended to do some shopping (after our picnic) but the boys fell asleep on the way home. So we each took turns running into the store. We got a few more christmas gifts purchased. Ah, shopping with kids!

Jacob loves riding the bike with daddy!

Brad posted this on facebook but I don't think I put it on here. We couldn't find Jacob for a few minutes. Here's where he was hiding.

Popcorn and movie night!

Gameday! How about K-State being #1 in the BCS!! 

Bath time.

Costumes and Candy

It seems like not too long ago that we were trying to decide what we believe on this holiday and what we allow our kids to do. It is just everywhere this time of year. Everyone asking Chase what he is going to be for Halloween, candy at all the stores, decorations in neighbors yards, etc. We did have fun going to daddy's work again to go on a candy hunt. It is so hard to get pictures! Brad was holding Gavin and I was chasing Jacob. No one left to take pictures. For their first Halloween all the boys have been a lion. Its fun looking back on the years and comparing pictures.

Jacob was our little Heisman Winner aka Collin Klein. He didn't get the concept of candy at all. He just ran around the squadron.

Again all I could get Chase to wear was his flight suit. Chase really doesn't care too much about candy. When we got home we looked through it and each had one piece. I told him he could have another piece after his rest and he didn't ask for it then and hasn't asked for it since. Unfortunately that means a lot of left over candy for mom and dad.

That night before AWANA's we went over to a neighbors for halloweenies (hot dogs) and went to a few houses around us. Chase didn't want to put his flight suit back on so I convinced him to go as a K-Stater. We had fun hanging out with friends. The simple act of wearing a costume and getting candy is fun...I just wish there wasn't such a dark history of the day.

I stole this from my friend's facebook. I love it how only a few kids are looking!