This past week the kids went back to school after a week-long break (Monday was a bit tough for everybody, I think). We kind of just pushed through the week. Last night we went to see the Christmas lights at the zoo. I think Abigail had the most fun. This is the first year that I think Joseph didn’t have as much fun as before, but he is ten now. He might be getting too old for it. As for Paul and me, we were both run a little ragged trying to keep up with Abigail, haha. I think it was still a good family outing, though.
Playing with her Little People nativity.I love the view that I have while walking every day!I really liked this view…there’s something kind of cool about the old fence and the prickly pear cactus.I found some really neat balloons for the kids.She was pretty happy when Paul blew it up.I love this sight! You can also see Joseph’s balloon. I blew that one up and just about passed out, haha. It was hard getting the air to go down past each bump.I used my hand-pie maker to make pizza hand-pies. I had some leftover dough after I made one for each of our family members, so I flattened it out, piled a bunch of toppings on, topped it with more cheese, and baked it along with the rest.Look! Fall leaves!A mix of green and fall leaves.This one is completely decked out!I love big, poofy clouds…especially when they block the sun while I’m out walking. 😉It was crazy sweater day for school. I found one for Joseph, but couldn’t find one for Abigail (luckily she was happy with the Minnie Mouse one that had been in her closet, waiting for her to grow into).Sporting her Minnie Mouse sweatshirt.He was so happy I found a video game one!My wood nativity is a music box (you wind up the star) that plays “Silent Night”. Abigail brought her little Baby Jesus from her Little People nativity set over, set him down, and asked me to wind up the music so that her Baby Jesus could hear the music. Hoo-boy. Yes, sweet girl, I will totally do that (and probably ugly-cry a bit while thinking of that sweet baby boy who was the Savior of the world).I was stopped at a stop light and did a double-take when I saw……this guy tied to the truck’s handle.Family selfie at the Zoo Lights!The challenge of trying to take a picture of two kids…at least they’re both facing the camera.On the carousel.I almost cropped this picture, but decided to keep it…it’s real life, haha.There was a Santa at the zoo. Luckily they were fine with us taking a picture with our phones because the “photo package” was $44. Uh, no thanks!In Santa’s sleigh…I love these two!Climbing on the hippos.She kept saying “Cheese!” but also kept looking away from the camera. 😀Still working on continuously looking at the camera, haha.This was in a cool light-up tunnel…that happened to not be lit up right as I snapped the picture, haha. Oh well…at least the kids and the snowman are cute. 😉She really liked this tree.I really liked that they wrapped the live oaks with lights…and the light-up jaguar was cool, too.I spent this morning baking for two reasons: a) we have friends coming over tonight and b) I had pie crust dough, pie filling, and bananas that needed to have something done with them, so I made blueberry hand pies and some mini banana bread loaves.
The kids had all of this last week off from school which was a nice break. Joseph lost yet another tooth (the Tooth Fairy is feeling a bit ragged at this point, haha), we went on walks, and we just relaxed around the house. Thanksgiving was nice because we invited a friend of Paul’s to come (he doesn’t have family close by). Abigail was so excited and asked him so many questions and showed him all of her favorite things. He was very patient with her, which was greatly appreciated. The day after Thanksgiving we put up all of our Christmas decorations. This morning, Abigail woke me up, forlorn, because Santa had not come to fill her stocking. Poor kid! We had a couple of discussions about putting up decorations early so that we could enjoy them, but it wasn’t really sinking in. I just finished making her a countdown chain, so hopefully that visual will help. 😀
Play wrestling. 🙂All ready for church. I love bright colors so much!One of my favorite cozy outfits. I love that it’s cooling down enough to wear them!Taking a break while walking around the neighborhood.This is my new hand pie maker.You can make a full hand pie by putting down a circle of dough down on the white part, using the scoop to put in some filling, putting another circle of dough on top, and then putting the gray part on top of that. When you press it all together, the edges get sealed together. The white part can also be used to cut out the perfect sized circle. If you want a half-moon shape, you put a circle of dough down on the gray part, use the scoop for filling, and then you flip it shut (it hinges) and push to seal. It’s awesome!I made blueberry hand pies. I used store-bought pie filling, but made the crust. Once they were put together, I cut a slits for them to vent and then baked them in the oven.Once they were cooled, I made up a glaze to drizzle across the tops of them. Yum!I also used my hand pie maker to make Abigail a crust-less cheese sandwich. 😀She kept asking me for underdogs…I love her giggle-shriek when she swings back after I let go. 🙂I made pecan pie from scratch for Thanksgiving dessert. I used my food processor to make the crust dough and it turned out so good!All cooled and ready to chill in the fridge.The Tooth Fairy got a little creative because she knew Joseph would get a kick out of a pirate tooth.Our Thanksgiving feast! Paul smoked the turkey and it turned out soooooo good. I made the rolls ad sides (except the cranberry sauce…we got that out of a can, haha.I made fresh whipped cream to go on top of the pie. I’m kind of proud about the fact that I made everything in that bowl, haha.Decorating her tree.Decorating his tree. It’s in his room to keep it safe from sister. 😉Some fun new decorations (the trees, angels, and little truck). I love the black and white gingham!I also got this little plaster tree and these cute little birds.My piano set-up. Some wall decorations. I love my palm frond reindeer!Some other wall decorations. I love my grinch sign!Oh! One last new decoration this year: this light-up lantern.It has a cute winter landscape inside.I love having our tree in the middle of the room. 🙂One of my favorite quotes from The Grinch…The outside lights.Abigail was really excited to see it all lit up. I love the bow on the garage door.Paul tried to get a close up of our toy soldiers (you can kind of see one of them in the previous pictures), but got a bouncy girl instead. 😉One of my favorite sights. 🙂One more shot of my new lantern. I really like it when all the overhead lights are off. It puts off such a warm, pretty light!She was excited to get the Santa hat out again.Our countdown chain. 🙂
We’re one week closer to my favorite time of year! I love the week leading into Thanksgiving (the fact that the kids have the entire week doesn’t hurt, either) and all of the preparation for getting the house all decorated for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving. This last week was rather chill. I think the only note-worthy thing that happened was that Joseph lost another tooth (and is already wiggling yet another loose one rather vigorously). Today, Paul took Joseph to the movies, so Abigail and I popped up some popcorn and were going to watch a movie on our own, but then she opted to watch YouTube videos instead, haha.
This is what happens when the Tooth Fairy has a burst of creative juices and decorates the money envelope. I told him to smile for the picture, but he had just been woken up…and he is definitely my child (in that mornings are not his favorite), so this is what I got. He perked up a bit more when he saw the quarters. 😉Sometimes I feel like I spend most of my day in the car…running errands, ferrying kids back and forth, and the like. It’s just the season of life I’m in, I suppose.When the tortillas you get at the store are still warm from just being baked, tacos for dinner (in this case, breakfast tacos) are a must!Checking out the sunrise on one of our morning walks.I sure love this brown-eyed girl!We sure live in a beautiful world!Yet another awesome thing about my pressure cooker: I baked these potatoes in less than an hour!Baked potato and broccoli for dinner. Yum!By some small miracle, I was the first one awake this morning, so I decided to use up the super-ripe bananas and make mini banana bread loaves.I sprinkled cinnamon sugar on them before I baked them. They were so good!She was super-excited to be able to have popcorn and watch a show. Plus, since it’s a lazy Saturday, she got to stay in pjs, which she also loves.
