Weekend Wrap-Up

I love long weekends with lots of family time.  We had the best Thanksgiving weekend.

Thursday we spent the day at my mom and dad's. The cousins all got along so well and we were thankful for a beautiful day so we could be outside too! We ate a great meal then the kids all ran around (literally- like around the house and around the block a ton of times) outside.  

We spent part of the afternoon out at a hotel in town so we could see my mom's side of the family for a Christmas get together.  The kids all thought these squishy bananas were hilarious.  And they really enjoyed their time together.

Kase was thrilled with his pop gun set.  Best $10 I think I have ever spent.

Kael also loved his Dude Perfect hat! He's so into those videos right now.

Kael was such a good sport about not being able to swim, and a couple of the older boy cousins were so sweet to sit out with him and play football around the pool so he wasn't the only kid not swimming.

After the hotel we went back to my parents' house and had some fun playing cards while the kids watched a movie.  We had so much fun playing games all day- the kids have learned to play quite a few card games and my mom also put together a hilarious picture caption game with family photos. 

When we got home that night Kylee was anxious to try some things out of the Beauty Box she had received as a gift.

The next day Kylee did a little Black Friday shopping with my parents and later we all met up at the hotel to see family before they left town.  When we came home to watch the Hawkeye game, Kael and I made steak and shrimp- a recipe he had found weeks ago and had been wanting to try!

He's a great chef!

We had a lazy afternoon and I took the kids to a movie so Kent could study. Spent the rest of the evening playing more cards! Pit is a favorite right now.

Saturday morning Kent put up our Christmas lights and the kids were also thrilled that our elf came back! The magic of it all is so fun. We went to the gym, then headed to Collins around 1:00 for Thanksgiving with Kent's side of the family.

We started the afternoon off with a family walk! (Minus Keith who just had knee replacement surgery).

Kellen and King were the best entertainment for my kids.

We say it so often but it really is true- we wish we had more time to spend with them because we always have the best time.  Ate a great meal, played lots of cards. Another great family day.

Sunday the kids had a lazy morning then Kent was studying so my dad met the kids and me out at the gym.  He had fun teaching them how to play racquetball! Came home for lunch then my sisters came over to hang out for a bit and work on some Christmas gifts and plans. Brooklyn came to hang out too and the girls had so much fun together. 

We even had time for a quick ten minute stop at one of the girls' favorite stores before they headed home!

Later I took Kylee and Kael to do some of their Christmas shopping while Kent and Kase went to the gym.  We all met back home for a cozy night in!

Thankful Thursday

I'm thankful that Kent's holiday open house went so well.  It was such a nice event and I was so proud of how well the kids behaved for the whole night.  I was really happy for Kent. 

I'm thankful for my elves who helped me decorate the house for Christmas yesterday morning.

I'm thankful for sweet notes from my kids.  Kael wrote me a thank you e-mail from his literacy class the other day and it was such a nice surprise to have an email from him in the middle of the day.  He had such kind things to say.  Kent and I also had such nice notes from Kylee waiting on our bed last night.  She wrote a really special letter about how thankful she is for us both.

I'm thankful for family, friends, and time spent together. 

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Weekend Wrap-Up

What a great weekend!

Friday afternoon Kent got home early from work so we did some yard work, then he hung our kitchen light above our new table.  The house is SO close to being all the way finished! A few more rugs to arrive and just a few more things to hang on the walls and it will be like the flood never happened!

We finished up working and told the kids to quick hop in the car.  They had no idea where we were going- we picked up a pizza to eat on the way and headed downtown to the ice skating rink! They were having a fun tree lighting event and we made it just in time for the kids to join the countdown and see the tree light up right in front of our eyes.  It was really neat.  

After we had some hot cocoa, we hit the ice! Kael wasn't sure if he would be able to because of his cast (he wasn't sure they would let him) but he did! And Kase has improved SO much since last year.  He was skating all over all by himself this year and was so proud.

Kylee and I had fun too!

Saturday morning Kent had an appointment so the kids and I put the tree up.  It feels so cozy in our front room now! Later we went to see The Grinch which was super cute.  That evening Kase had his first ever friends' sleepover birthday party.  He was so, so excited.

By all accounts it was a successful night for Kase and his buddies! They had dinner out, jumped at Get Air, and then back to his friend's house to sleep.  Kase was so happy to be a part of it. Kylee had a couple friends over to our house, and Kent, Kael and I watched a movie.  It was a great night!

Sunday Kase had another birthday party at Get Air and Kylee rode along so she and Kent could do some errands while Kase was at the party.  They picked out the perfect reading chair for our bedroom!

Meanwhile, Kael and I hit the gym, then came home to bake cupcakes.  I just love spending time with this kid. And his Red Velvet cupcakes were awesome!

Sunday afternoon Keith and Cindy stopped by to see the house and also just to hang out. So good to spend time catching up.  Later Kylee had open gym for volleyball and Kase spent most of the evening just relaxing.  Two birthday parties in 24 hours was more than enough fun for him this weekend!

We are really looking forward to a short, holiday week ahead.  The kids are ready for a few days off school and I am looking forward to family time! Hope your weekend was wonderful too!

Thankful Thursday

I'm thankful Kylee was ok after she got her finger shut in our car door Monday night.  It was pretty traumatic for her but I think she's just fine now.

I'm thankful our house is so, so close to being done! Our new kitchen table comes later today and that's pretty much the last thing we needed done.  Just in time for the holidays!

I'm so thankful for some very special guests at a Veteran's breakfast at Kael's school.  He was so proud to invite them and it sounds like it was a really neat morning for all of them.

I'm thankful that Kent's grandpa stopped by our house first for a little while- the kids loved chatting with him!

I'm thankful for how much my kids adore their family. Kase and Uncle Kyle have a pretty special bond!

I'm thankful for these inspirational and sweet notes I found all over the house last night.  Kylee had fun making them and hiding them! I found this one in my laundry room and I intend to keep in there for a long time.  What a great reminder!

Have a great weekend!

Weekend Wrap-Up

I can't believe it's already almost mid-November.  Time is flying by- our days and weekends are so busy! But always lots of fun!

Friday we went to the State Volleyball Championship! This is one of our favorite things.  There is always a big crowd of friends and neighbors there to support the Jags.  And this year we won in 3 games! The kids love getting to miss school for this (almost) annual event!

A big thanks to my parents who let the boys ride along with them as Kylee had a friend riding along with us in our car!

(Kylee was not impressed that I came to school to take a picture of her on Safety Patrol- but I wanted to remember how much she loves it!)

Saturday was cold! Kael had a friend spend the night Friday so they played video games all morning. I  cleaned while Kent took Kase and Kylee to Kevin's basketball games in Ankeny.  Later Grandma Cindy stopped by to say hi too.

Then Kent and Kylee met up with some friends and headed to Kinnick! It was Kylee's first ever Hawkeye game and they had so much fun even though it was so cold! A big thanks to our dear friends and neighbors for thinking of us first to use the tickets that they couldn't this weekend!

Meanwhile, the boys and I had a great day here.  We played lots of basement basketball and football, ran a few errands (ate nearly alllll the samples at Hy-Vee), made pizza and watched the Hawkeyes and played some board games.  

It was a great day with my boys.

Sunday after church the kids and I had lunch with my parents while Kent studied.  Then Kael stayed at my parents' for a little while, Kylee and I went to a neighbor's for a spa day, and Kent took Kase to SkyZone for a friends' birthday party.

It was such a great weekend!