Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was wonderful this year!  Leading up to it, we read lots of books and talked about what our Thanksgiving meal would be like.  Serena loved talking about how she was going to have apple pie!  We drove down to Iowa on Wednesday night, and arrived around 7 or so.  Jordan's mom had some supper for us, but Serena turned it down, saying she was saving room for Thanksgiving Day.  (It is very uncharacteristic of Serena to turn down food, haha!)  Serena was so chatty, showing every thing she'd packed in her backpack (it had been packed for at least 3 weeks!), and explaining its purpose in great detail.  She spent a long time talking about Tottie Lottie (her little plastic turtle) and how he was real, and on and on.  Of course, there was also lots and lots of talk about her being Ma and her life on the prairie and that we'd crossed the Mississippi on the way and that's on the way to the prairie and Daddy said that maybe someday she could really go to the prairie...you get the idea!  ;)

Thanksgiving morning, the kids woke up energized with anticipation!  Serena literally skipped and danced everywhere she went!  The moments dragged until their cousins finally arrived!

Kari made these adorable Indian headbands for the kids!  And of course, Bret managed to talk some uncles into playing catch with him!

Bret's always looking to make someone laugh

Such joy must be expressed through spontaneous dancing about

Hard at work creating...something

Little beggars gathering around Grandpa as he cut the ham

Cody signing "eat"

So, after all the talk about having apple pie on Thanksgiving, Serena changed her mind (about 3 times) at the last minute and ended up with pumpkin pie!  Grandpa may or may not have influenced that (those?) decision(s)!  ;)

Bret's pie-eating style

Sweet cousin smiles

The kids & I went to my Mom's house on Saturday.  She had her Christmas tree up and ready, but had saved all the ornaments for Serena & Bret.  They had gotten to decorate it last year too, and they really enjoyed this!

Cody playing on an old rocking horse of Jason's and climbing on a rocking chair that used to belong to my Grandma when my dad and his brothers were babies.  We even have pictures of my dad on that rocker!

Mom had to work in the afternoon, but I stayed at her house so I could put the kids down for naps before heading back to Jordan's parents'.  During naps, Serena went back to work on the tree...getting every last ornament out of the big bin and arranging them (as well as the ones they'd already put on the tree) just right on the tree.  She told me that some had been too close together, so she'd moved them.  She actually did a really nice job and she was so proud of herself afterwards!

Before we left Iowa, Serena made the decision to leave her precious turtle, Tottie Lottie, in the fish tank at Grandma & Grandpa's house with their turtle (which she absolutely adores and named after herself).  She's certain that Tottie Lottie and Grandma's turtle are already great friends, and she'd hate to separate them now!