Thanksgiving week! 2010

So, we had a lot of fun the week of Thanksgiving.  We took pictures BEFORE and AFTER the big Turkey Day, but unfortunately none ON the big day.  Lame.  So, if I find pictures from other friends' blogs then I'll post them (hint hint).  Otherwise, take my word for it:  It was great and we had fun.

I took these pictures of the kids outside the day before Thanksgiving.  They love any excuse to come outside. And now it's perfect long sleeve shirt weather for them.  Awesome.  Gotta love Texas.  Here are a few shots of them hanging out.

Tillie was minding her own business until she heard a "Vroom Vroom" down the street.  This was her face as she was checking it out.  She said, "Mom, who's THAT guy?"  A favorite Tillie phrase these days.

 

 

 

** I was feeling bad that I haven't taken very many pictures of Calvin lately, so we pulled out the camera when Tillie was still sleeping.  He wanted to show me his new push up trick.  Amazing.

I move the ottoman over to make a little blockade so he doesn't crawl into Tillie's room to wake her up.  Here he was playing peek-a-boo. Sorry about the blurry photo.  It's either a little blurry or really stark using the flash as shown in the next few pictures.
Whatever.  I'm no professional.  You can deal.   

 

I finally caught his irritated face.  HAAA!

 

I sure do love that snot-nosed kid.  He's had a runny nose for the last month and a half! First teething, then a cold, then teething, then double ear infection.  Poor kiddo.  He's finally getting used to me doing the dreaded nose-wipe with the tissue!

 

**Later that night (wednesday) Aaron and I made food preparations for the big feast the next day.  One contribution we made was Aaron's favorite DIXIE SALAD which requires pomegranates.  They are such BEAUTIFUL fruits!  And peeling them is so cool.  They are like tiny little jewels in hidden caves.  Aaron and I had a good time... until Aaron thought it'd be cool to peel them in front of the computer on the carpet.  I threatened him that if ONE drop got on the carpet or my computer he was a DEAD MAN.  He's like, "I got this, I got this."  Well, the first cut in it sprayed EVERYWHERE.  Mostly on our cream carpet.  Lucky for him we have a Costco sized box of OxyClean.  That stuff is magic.  You know my passion for it.  Anyway, he was a lucky man that night.
The rest of the evening was lovely. 

**Insert great photos of Thanksgiving day with our fun friends.  We got to spend the entire day with our friends hanging out, eating amazing food, funny games, and the kids even got to play on a bounce house!  Fun was had by all.

**A week or two prior to the big holiday, Aaron voted that we should go back down to Dallas or Houston and check out the city.  I thought that sounded fun, but I really wanted to do Thanksgiving with our friends too. So, we compromised and enjoyed the best of both worlds.  We found a great price for a hotel in downtown San Antonio (half hour from our house) and stayed there Friday night.  It was perfect timing, b/c that night the big Christmas Riverwalk Parade happened.  The hotel we found was on the Riverwalk and served free dinner (hot dogs, popcorn, potato bar, and chili---not my faves, but hey, can't beat free.) but we were able to eat and then watch the parade from the lobby.  It was great.  Tillie was in heaven. 

she was LOVING the chips and salsa.  This is probably the happiest picture we have of Tillie.  Look at those chipmunk cheeks!! 

I was there too.  Not enjoying the food, but having a good time.

we ventured outside for a little bit.  Tillie was enthralled (as you can see by her face).

These nice ladies let Tillie come up and hang out in front of their viewing area.  They were darling with her and Tillie enjoyed chatting about Santa, the boats, the lights, and who knows what else!

After the parade was over, Aaron and Tillie hit up the pool on the roof.  Tillie loves to swim and Aaron promised her they'd go.  So, even though it was about 10:00 p.m., they went up to the roof.  Since it was FREEZING outside and so late, they had the place to themselves.  Too funny.

What did Cal and I do?  I was dying from starvation (I'm a drama queen sometimes, especially when it comes to food intake.) so I ordered a TO-GO salad and brownie delight from a restaurant next to our hotel.  They swam.  I put Cal to bed in a crib we put in the bathroom (it was spacious), and I enjoyed this.  Don't worry, I didn't polish it all off.  Aaron and Tillie had their fair share when they finally came in to join me.  

** After a lazy morning, we decided to head to the Children's Museum.  It was awesome.  We HIGHLY recommend it to anyone who wants a fun outing.  We had a buy one get one free coupon and Tillie and Cal were free, so it wasn't too expensive.

This first part was probably one of the coolest things Aaron has ever done.  See for your self.  Do you recognize that guy?

whoop! there it is!

 

Oh yeah.  Tillie liked it too.

Calvin was probably thinking, "Wow.  Looks like my dad is having too much fun with this thing."

 

 

 

yeah, I think Calvin was right.

There was a little Eric Carle creation station.  They had pieces of paper for you to make into your own collages.  I wasn't about to introduce my 2.5 yr. old to scissors, so I cut them out and put glue on the pieces (didn't want her to get sticky) and then had Tillie help me lay the glued pieces on.  It turned out lovely.  When I told Aaron to "see what Tillie did." He said, "hmmm... did Matilda make that or did Melissa make that?"  Guilty.  I was that mom.  Sorry Tillie.  Better luck next time. 
 

Messing around with other fun stuff...

 

 

 

he's a poser.  that's right.

 

 

 

 

 

They had this great mini grocery store in the basement.  Tillie was in HEAVEN down here.  Such a cool idea.

 

We ate at Rainforest Cafe.  I'd never been there but heard it was fun.  And, hey! we had another coupon!  Why not!?  The kids thought it was cool.  We did too.

Walking around on the River Walk.  I'm loving Tillie's new hat I found for her in Boston.  Which reminds me, gotta post about that trip.  One day, one day...

 

 

don't ask me what I'm doing with my half pose and Tillie and Cal look THRILLED to be here... oh well.  One day we'll get it right.

does it freak anyone else out that there are no GUARD RAILS down here?  I mean, I about have a heart attack every time we go when it's crowded.  Why there aren't more people that are accidentally pushed in the river, I don't know. 

 

 

 

 

All in all it was a Grrrrreat week.  Good times in San Antone.  We like this place.  Crazy we've lived here for 4.5 years.  Wow.
Welp, as our neighbors say, "Adios, muchachos!"
The end.  or is it El Fin?