Hello Monday

I hope you guys had a great Thanksgiving Weekend.

We had such a nice quiet (well as quiet as it gets with two five year olds).

For Thanksgiving it was just the four of us. We started the day with the Macy's Day Parade.

We went for a 2 mile hike and came home and I made dinner.

The dinner was a little weird. We had no stuffing, mashed potatoes, or string bean casserole.

As I mentioned here before Ballerina LOVES Giada. Several weeks ago she was watching the Giada Thanksgiving episode and decided that we would have a Giada Feast.

I figured since it was the four of us it would be ok to do.

The Menu:

Turkey Breast with Orange Cranberry Sauce

Roasted Root Vegetable Salad

Pumpkin Risotto with Goat Cheese

The dinner was simple and yummy!!!

Tommy said it was the best!!

On Friday we headed down to Bethlehem, PA for an appointment for Speed Racer and then decided to spend the day down in Bethlehem. We walked around the beautiful Moravian town  We also took the kids to a Japanese Hibachi place for lunch. They had a great time watching the chef cook in front of us. The kids were a little freaked out by the fire.

Ballerina was adventurous and had some sushi. I thought she was very brave.

While in Bethlehem we went to a great book store and so many other great little stores.

While there Ballerina came across a stage that was not being used and music playing in the background. Ballerina being as shy as she is (hahaha) decided she would get up and put on a show. Another little girl decided to join her too.

On Saturday we headed to another little town in PA Jim Thorpe. Such a cute little town with trains and many stores.

The weather has been so wonderful here. I can’t believe that it’s November.

We are really trying to get into the holiday mood.

This week we are saying Hello to:

Getting Speed Racer glasses. It turns out he is farsighted and has an astigmatism.

Taking Ballerina to the eye doctor and the possibility of glasses as well. She is both far and near sighted and also has an astigmatism.

Decorating for the holidays.

Getting ready for our new Hanukkah traditions

Little holiday shopping

Planning gifts

Making gifts

Adopting a local senior citizen for the holidays

Dance class

Gymnastics class

Trip down to South Jersey

and of course whatever else comes our way.

Linking Up with Lisa Leonard-Hello Monday.

Pilgrims and Indians

(I don't know why this didn't post last week but here it is...)

We are getting ready for Thanksgiving.

On Monday the kid's school had a little Thanksgiving feast with some songs.

I was asked to help set up the feast. Which meant I got to stay and watch the songs and feast!! Yippy!!!

The Feast table was set with care.

Each child signed up to bring something in.

Some more goodies.

Speed Racer was an Indian

Ballerina thought she was going to be one of the children. I think she heard wrong because she was a Pilgrim. I hardly recognized her when she walked in.

I was so grateful that the kids were standing next to each other.

Ballerina was a little upset that she wasn't an Indian. Speed Racer and her best friend were Indians.

The little boy standing next to Speed Racer is his best buddy. The little girl standing next to Speed Racer's buddy is Ballerina's best friend.

Almost the whole class. There were a few people missing. The little kids in the back are the three year old just helping out a little.

A little praying before the feast. My kids love to pray.

One of the reasons I had a hard time recognizing Ballerina was because she had just gotten her hair cut earlier in the morning and I'm still not use to it.

My Little Guy enjoying his feast.

I am so Thankful for my kids and hubby.

Stools

Last Monday I had a few minutes till I could get the kids from school, so I decided to stop at the Salvation Army. I saw these stool there and left without buying them. I thought about them for two days and decided that if they were still there on Wednesday I would buy them.

I walked into the Salvation Army and there they were waiting for me. Good thing. I might have been disappointed.

So here are the stools. I was not really loving the color. I decided to give them a little COLOR!!!!

I sprayed painted them a nice Cherry Red. I know I will love the color for the holidays and through Valentine's Day. Good thing I can just spray paint them again!!

Rainbows

 

I can't believe that it's already Thanksgiving.

It has been crazy around here. So much going on!!

We celebrated the kid's 5th Birthday.

We surprised them by taking them to Great Wolf Lodge for their birthday.

I don't have any pictures to share from that, because I didn't want my camera getting wet.

We had a blast and the kids were so excited.

We had a little immediate family party. We were going to just celebrate their birthday by taking them to the Great Wolf Lodge, but they got upset when they found out they would not be celebrating their 5th Birthday with their Grandparents, Uncle, Aunts, and cousins.

So I thought fast on my feet and decided to have a rainbow party. I try to come up with gender neutral themes. Maybe rainbows isn't gender neutral but we all love colors.

 

I blew up about 60 balloons myself. I broke it up between two nights.

The kids wanted a lot of decorations. I tried to meet their expectations. I think I did!!

 

The centerpiece was Skittles. “Taste the Rainbow.”

I thought since we were doing a rainbow theme we could have coloring, painting, and making necklaces out of Fruit Loops.

I made a table skirt out of table clothes that I cut into strips. My Dad helped me out by taping them around the table.

 

My niece M. I made each of the girls a rainbow tutu.

Ballerina and my other niece O. They play together so nicely!!

My niece M decided that my pantry need re-organizing. A girl after my heart!!

Speed Racer requested that I make him something with a rainbow so I made him a bow tie!! He really liked the tie.

 

 

The kids sitting around the table painting.

 

My sweet niece O who just celebrated her second birthday!!

We had a piñata and the kids (Speed Racer and Ballerina) had a blast trying to break it open. Ballerina smacked the piñata open. She has her Daddy’s swing!! The funny thing about piñatas these days is they have string you pull at to open the piñata. I would have never known that unless my Sister N Law told. Thanks Auntie Ammy!!

O modeling her tutu.

O thought to herself she is in the Poconos, she might as well ride a quad like all the red-necks out here.

The Birthday Girl.

My kids had a great time celebrating with their family. They love their family so much!!!