santa

Notice how Dennis stayed in the lines on Santa's hat! He did the same on his eyebrows though its hard to tell in the picture. What an awesome kid-artistic for sure.

helpful imagination

Dennis was being helpful last monday when I wasn't feeling very well. He brought me a bowl in case I spilled my beans. Luckily, that didn't happen.
Dennis has had quite the imagination lately. Ryan built him a little ramp for his cars. So Dennis continued the road with the railroad track with bridges and tunnels included. So fun to watch him become imaginative.
Here he set up three chairs so that he and his friends could call Nonnie and Papa on the computer... but they weren't home.

thanksgiving

Our beautiful table that seated 31! The biggest yet. Our happy family.
Dennis was in need of a hair cut. Thanks Grandma!

good traveler

Good thing Dennis is such an awesome traveler. No crying from him... just occasional bluffing about being poopy and so much spit that it drenched his clothes.

cheaper than ice cream therapy

Thought we were staying in St. Louis for Thanksgiving? You were right... that is until Wednesday night at 6:00pm. I had been feeling sad for a couple of weeks and couldn't put my finger on why until Wednesday morning when I went to visit my dear friend Katie. I just thought it would be nice to see her and visit. She asked if I was ok and said that I seemed sad.

She noticed? I'm really sad? Then the tears came... poor Katie... I didn't mean to come over and cry. We talked about a lot of things... and I realized that I needed my family- especially on the holidays.

Some people can't wait to start their own traditions as a new family unit... not me. Maybe its because I am the youngest and want to be the youngest forever. What? ME in charge of thanksgiving? Maybe its because I love to be with my family. Maybe its because I was going to be the only one Not there on our holiday. Whatever the reason... it was eating away at me... making me depressed.

I cried at Katie's house. I cried on my way home. I cried watching dancing with the stars. I almost cried in the grocery store. I cried on the phone with my mom. I cried when Ryan came home.

That's when Ryan decided that it was cheaper to go to Minnesota for Thanksgiving than to buy all the ice cream that it would take until I felt better. And cheaper than a therapist. So we decided at 6:00pm that we were going to MN. We were on the road by 9:00pm and made it to my mom's house just in time to take a shower before the Thanksgiving party.

The best Thanksgiving ever.

I am thankful for...

my husband

my family -every member

our traditions

good friends

our car

the parkway

my dogs

my mom

Thanks.

pseudo thanksgiving

My parents came to visit again last week. Since we are not going to Minnesota this year for thanksgiving, my mom made us a thanksgiving dinner a week early. We were so happy!yummy.

So excited to eat.

Thank you for coming! We love you.

monkey and me