Thanksgiving 2015

Thanksgiving 2015 was the best one yet!  We made so many memories with the kids it's hard to pick the favorites.  Matt and I had our best times yet at the Pie and Glove 5k.  The kids spent hours in the mildest November weather in recent history out on the trampoline.  They played with baby Violet, they fed her and even took a bath with her. Aunt Emily brought them a garland making kit and we returned home with yard after yard of paper loops.  I fondly remember looping and pasting (yum, paste!) together red and green construction paper as a child.   We filled ourselves to the point of near bursting with Thanksgiving dinner, homemade egg nog, AND, and, and, homemade poutine!  Personally, I could feast solely on the egg nog and the poutine and be far more than content.

 We went to the movies to see The Good Dinosaur, at which, Coco lasted approximately 17 minutes.  Not bad for her first movie.  (I'm secretly happy, albeit jealous, when friends tell me they have young kids who can sit through an entire movie and Coco can't.)  On Friday, we picked out our Christmas tree and brought it home to Rochester.  On Saturday, we visited the Muehe's in Canandaigua for brunch, stopped by to see Santa in his house on Main St, and decorated the tree at home.  Matt and I also had the opportunity to go out with good friends on Saturday night.  As you can see, we had such a busy week but it was all good fun.

We are truly thankful for the chaos and noise that three children and the rest of our family bring to make our holidays so special.

hanging out at home on Sunday after so much fun:

Coco turns 2

Our Mickey Duck has been around the sun twice.  It's been quite the ride.  Even with two doting older siblings and of course, two doting parents shaping her, she's certainly and undeniably her own person.  And she'll make sure you know it.  She's also ridiculously sweet and lovey and radiates happiness.  She's the epitome sugar and spice.  She's currently obsessed with Dora, Mickey Mouse, pistachios, yogurt pouches, books, and her baby cousin, Violet.  She loves to be tickled, chased and flipped upside down.  She is an art lover and likes "paintin'."  Her favorite songs are ABCs, BaBa Black Sheep, Row Row Row your Boat, and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.  She's our petite princess at the 20th-30th percentile for size.  In true third child fashion, she's simply advanced for her two  short years.

In honor of the monumental 2nd birthday, we had a Mickey Mouse themed dinner for her.  We celebrated with MiMi and G-ma and G-pa and she finally figured out the whole presents thing.  She is certainly spoiled by the immediate and extended family who love her and shower her with gifts.  She's a lucky gal to have so many people who  love her and there's nothing like a birthday to remind us of that.  She received such great gifts and for that, we are truly grateful.


Oh, and in case you are wondering why I called her Mickey Duck above, it's because she had Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck confused for a little while and was saying "Mickey Duck."  And because it was just so darn cute, we have nicknamed her Mickey Duck.  


The Cake:

Birthday girl on her actual birthday (day #2 of the cake):

At her party:

Opening an alphabet toy from Aunt Karis, Uncle Tommy, and Violet:

Opening Mickey Mouse figurines from Aunt Emily:

Sporting her new coat from G-ma and G-pa:



























Opening various gifts from Mimi:

Halloween

We had such a beautiful night for Halloween this year - warm, no rain, no sleet, no snow. We'll be paid back with at least 3 consecutive years of traditional Upstate NY weather in the future.

 On Friday, I volunteered in Adrienne's classroom for her Halloween.  Let me tell you, gone are the good ol' days of sugar laden school parties. Adrienne's Kindergarten class had a "Naturally Orange" party.  The "treats" included oranges, sweet potatoes, orange peppers, mangoes, orange juice, and squash - all organic, of course.  I felt bad for them, I really did.

In the afternoon, I took the kidlets to my office's Halloween trick or treating where they easily claimed 5 pounds of candy.  My personal office took a hit and I had to clean it up on Monday when I returned to it.  Sticky notes with scribbles everywhere!  And my swivel chair that I had perfectly positioned the way I like it was all sorts of rearranged.  We had a great time but my little moo cow refused her costume so she went dressed as a toddler who was refusing her Halloween costume.  



















On Saturday, G-ma and G-pa came up to help with the absurd amount of leaves we had in our yard and to see everyone off on their way to trick-or-treat.  We were having a nice dinner until some trick-or-treaters came very early and thus sent our crowd into panic mode. Hurry, get your costume, it's started!  And then the kids moved like I've never seen them move before.  Here's the clan!