Thanksgiving 2015

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

The girls wanted to do it themselves so we just sat back and let them take the reins.  

Okay obviously not, but they enjoyed helping!  I love how Clara is on tip toes to see inside that bowl.

We've adopted a tradition of making fried oysters as an appetizer/lunch on Thanksgiving.  Apparently oysters are traditional fare on this holiday in some parts of the country, and we want to be like them!  They are available already shucked in the grocery store for the holidays.  They are expensive, but what better way to celebrate a food holiday with special and pricey food?  

Look at Grace bravely handling those raw oysters!

Even Clara tried them and said she liked them!

She is super picky these days.  She chooses to get down from the table after only a couple bites quite often.  This meal was no exception, but we were happy that she gave it a couple tries and seemed to enjoy it.  She is exercising her two year old attitude every chance she gets!

Grace loved them again this year and ate a ton!

Yay family time!

The family shot!  We made our usual fare:  Nut loaf, artichoke stuffing, mashed garlic potatoes, mushroom gravy and roasted brussel sprouts.  I adore each and every dish we make and we look forward to eating it all for days and days!  Grace loved helping me choose the table settings and set the table.

We made a beautiful meal, but I should have touched up my make up for the picture.  Looking a little rough there, obviously from slaving away!  Next time I'll factor in some cosmetic prep before the picture.

There was much anticipation for the pie!

We made pumpkin apple pie, which I'm sure sounds weird and gross to you all but it is actually quite wonderful.  Grace helped a lot of course!

I'm going to leave you with a video that pretty much describes life in our house these days.  Enjoy, and I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Traveling to Antartica

Grammy requested more videos!

This is happening right now, first thing in the morning.  They drag me out of bed with their backpacks on, ready to travel in their submarine to Antartica.

Imagination runs rampant over here!  This next one is Grace making rescue planes.

She still loves vehicles, and she loves creating with blocks!

November update

It's time for a random post!

Clara is currently sick.  She has had a cold for a couple weeks now.  She refuses to blow her nose, but of course it is constantly dripping, so she is begging one of us every 30 seconds to wipe her nose for her.  We're trying to get her to do it herself, though Grace loves to run and get a tissue to help her out!  Daylight savings also messed them up for a bit.  They were getting up at 5:30 am ready to go, but Mom and Dad weren't feeling it!  Things seem to be evening out now.  Clara has been generally grumpy because of all this, and also she has been resisting naps.  She does occasionally take one but more often than not she doesn't.  On those days, she has trouble controlling her feelings at the end of the day.  She's two!  Grace is so patient and tries to cheer her up when she is upset.  She is a fantastic big sister!

Clara is super glad that her eyes have a clean bill of health after her surgeries!  She doesn't have to be back here anytime soon.  Grace on the other hand had a dentist appointment and it sounds like we most likely have some serious dental issues to deal with in the next few years.  I wouldn't expect anything less after the nightmare of a mouth I had!

Grace has gotten better at riding her bike!  Daddy and I take turns taking her out to our neighborhood park where it is completely flat and it is enclosed from traffic.  We try and get exercise by running alongside her.  She likes to stop and pick crab apples for her dragons to eat.  She crashes a lot but she gets back on and keeps trying!  I'm so proud of her, especially since I can't do it myself.

Grace is taking swim lessons again and she loves it!  She is in her second session and she is definitely the bravest in her class now.  I bet she will be go on to the next level next session!

We've been exploring other parks lately.  The weather has been so fantastic, we just have to take advantage!

I don't know if this is normal for a city this size, but it sure seems like our town has a lot of parks.  We need to explore them all!

Grace loved helping me make her costume, by the way.  She loves creating just like her mama!  It is awesome for me to have a crafting partner.  I've been trying to take her to as many opportunities as I can, like a class at the art museum and a local kid crafting place.  I feel like this year is precious because next year, kindergarten is from 9 am to 4 pm!  I'm trying to soak up every minute that I get.

I try not to repeat pictures too much between insta and the blog, but this one is so cute.  My moody girl knows how to turn on the charm when a camera is in front of her!  

Halloween 2015

Halloween happened, and it happened big this year!

Grace understood Halloween last year, but this year she was EXCITED, which made us excited!

Clara rocked the dinosaur costume I made for Grace two years ago.

  I die over this cuteness, and she wore it WAY longer than Grace did.  I think she knew it was her vehicle to candy.

Grace requested to be an elephant.  She seemed to really like her costume and I'm so glad because I had no pattern and came up with it on the fly.  It involved a coat hanger and lots of poly-fil.  

How long do we have to stand here before we can go get candy?

We hit the neighbors we know first.

Then we headed over Gini, Eric and Ethan's house.  Ethan was a perfectly adorable Ninja Turtle.  Grace has been telling me that she wants more Halloween decorations.  Gini makes me look REALLY behind!

Gini has a cackling,talking skeleton that has a motion sensor.  It was mesmerizing!  The spooky stuff was not scary for either of them; it was hilarious!

Eric pulled them around in their wagon, which was genius.  Clara especially was exhausted in no time.  She has been resisting naps even though she really could use one.  She is out cold by 7 pm usually, so trick or treating really stretched her limits.

She held out as long as she could.  She is ALL about the sweets in a major way!

The girls passed out in the guest room and we adults watched scary movies and had a wonderful dinner.  I can't imagine a more perfect Halloween!