Thanksgiving 2014

Please forgive the delay in getting this post out.  I feel like I am finally coming up from air and ready to rest and peacefully enjoy this season!  Hurry up and wait, huh?

We started our Thanksgiving holiday off with a wonderful play by Landon's 2nd grade at school.  He had a lead role as Squanto, the Indian.  He practiced and practiced his lines and really did great!  I was so very proud of him!

Here are some other of his classmates as the pilgrims.

And others as a little pumpkin patch. :)

And more of Landon in action as Squanto.  The last one pictured is of the 4 boys carrying a stuffed beaver as a food offering to the pilgrims.  I think it was supposed to be a deer, but it was definitely the boys' favorite part of the play!  I don't know, something about boys and "manly" acts, such as carrying a pretend dead animal to present to the family back home.

Later that same day, I caught this sweet moment.  Lindsay Jane had her little hand around Connor as they watched a video about trains on my phone.  Too cute.

Next stop...Massenutten!  Between that last picture and the ones to follow was a whole lot of packing and organizing for a week away with my side of the family.

We arrived and the first night, Pop had plans for the kids to make their own pizzas!  They definitely enjoyed this, both making and eating while making...never pity the cook, right Connor?

Mommom got right into her elements and started reading to her grandchildren. :)

My boys started to teach Zaiya "cup stacking."  As you can see, he was very focused on this task!

More reading!

Movie night with popcorn!  This night it was "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang."

The next day, John, Tamara and Geneva arrived.  We went straight to the playground and had a blast!

Kids always love the slide, especially this little girl!

Mommom had some relay races with the kids.  This was Lindsay Jane trying to get in on the action.

We attempted to get a cousin picture on the slide.  These were the three waiting patiently...

And....fail.

But this little girl was still all smiles at the pretend drive up window...offering my coffee.  Smart girl. ;)

The boys had to race back to the condo, of course.

While Mommom and Lindsay Jane enjoyed a sweet stroll.

Legos spanning the ages!

Landon stopping to cheese at mom.

Lindsay Jane helping Mommom make her cherry cheese cake!

All five Frey grandbabies...

Up a little closer, so wish Lindsay Jane was looking!

Three excited little boys waiting to go in and see all of the animals.

Zaiya was in love with the bunny rabbits from the beginning.

Connor loved feeding the sheep.

So did GiGi.

Zaiya feeding an Alpaca.

But, the bunnies stole the show...

GiGi thought placing a few bits of food on the bunnies back was a fine idea!

I loved watching this little love bug pet and feed the bunnies.  But, alas, I had rabbits as a kid and will. never. have. them. here. for. pets....yuck!

He kids, will you smile for a picture for mom?

Well, 2 out of 3 ain't bad.

Watching the tractor. :)

My sweet Landon and Lindsay Jane.  He is so so good with his little sister.

And, next stop was the Water Park!  Do you think these three little boys were excited or what?

Mommom had these two while I took Landon on the huge water slides about 100 times.  Mommom and I did a pretty good job of keeping up with three little boys until relief arrived in Uncle John!

Then, I got to spend a little one on one time with Lindsay Jane.

She loved the lazy river!

Such a happy face the whole time we floated around!

She also loved the little water pool and drug me around a bit...clearly.

But, she sure was happy!

And so were the boys...all of them!

Had to then warm up in a jacuzzi bath!

Then top it off with hot chocolate, marshmallows and another movie.  :)

Uncle John led a little coloring activity the next morning.

And, on to painting...

Note the baby...

And such concentration from little Geneva.

Stan and dad worked hard on the Skylander puzzles...

And, then, it snowed buckets!

And we enjoyed a white Thanksgiving!  It was so beautiful.  The kids loved being able to go out and play in the snow.  And I was one proud mama to have remembered snow boots for all parties!

Lindsay Jane and Pop.  Pop got decorated with all kinds of princess stickers. Such a good girl grandpa!

The boys needed to warm up again!

And a little Christmas show to finish the snow day off right...

Gigi thought it was a better idea to do splits.  :)

And, more stories from Mommom and Pop!

And, on Thanksgiving Day, John did the turkey!  He was getting tips from Pop, but this little brother of mine is a chip off the old block when cooking in concerned.

Mommom did her famous yeast rolls!  Yum!  (and she did all the desserts, and I have to give special props to the pecan pie...right John?)

I helped as much as a could.  With a sick husband and lots of little ones, it was a little less than I had hoped, but I did make my sweet potato dish out of the sweet potatoes we gleaned. :)

We had a bunch of happy customers.

Then, it was birthday time!  This little one turned 2 on December 3rd, so we went ahead and celebrated while we were away!

I think she liked her cupcakes...

And so did her cousin, Lindsay Jane...

Best photo ever!!!!  Love this face!  We had a great time celebrating sweet Gigi turning 2.  It is so hard to believe!!

The next day was for packing...to get home so we would be able to see Santa in time...  Mommom took every sweet opportunity to cuddles her grandbabies.  Not one of them minded a bit.

True my mom style, she also had them make crafts out of recyclables.  Now, where do you all think I  got all of my crafting skills from?

Lots of other fun things went on that weren't photographed...mom and I had almost a whole day to ourselves.  We went out to get pedicures with mimosas, went to a nice leisurely lunch and out shopping.  We hit the local "Finders Keepers," a great discount warehouse that we always try to pop over to while in Harrisonburg.  We really had the opportunity to catch up and connect.  It is such treasured time when we actually get to be by ourselves.  I loved every minute. John, Tamara, Stan and I got to play a board game, called Suburbia.  It was really challenging at first, but also so much fun.  We have not gotten to have good adult time with John and Tamara in a while and it was so much fun to connect with them.  I got to have lots of one on one time with my sweet little nephew, Zaiya.  He was my little buddy for a long time at the water park and was such a trooper going up and down the big slides with me, just like his cousin, Landon.  Connor wouldn't touch those big slides with a 10 foot pole.  I had a nice time talking and cooking with my dad, always a highlight of any trip we have with my parents.  Cooking with my dad is not only nostalgic, but it brings me such peace and joy.

So, from the springboard of being thankful for the wonderful blessings Thanksgiving brought, we dive into December and try to slow it down to enjoy Advent and really find meaning in the preparation and waiting for celebrating Christ's birth.