A Most Happy Thanksgiving!

If one can judge the success of a Thanksgiving weekend by the quantity of butter consumed, this weekend would surely be deemed a SUCCESS!  Allow me to lead you on a pictoral and culinary tour of our weekend.

The true Thanksgiving prep began weeks before with the creation of "The Thanksgiving File", an Excel document complete with guest list, menu, shopping list, and timeline (will be so handy in 2 years when I host Thanksgiving again).  Wednesday morning I started my turkey in its brine.  FACT:  after 5 years Ziplock Big Bags deteriorate.  But despite the holes, ripped seams and brined kitchen floor, it still yielded a great turkey. 
We had 20 for Thanksgiving dinner!  After some creative table arranging we all fit!  Dinner was delicious!

Nick looking cute in his Thanksgiving garb

Dad tries to explain to Diego the meaning of Thanksgiving, "you see there were these pilgrims..."

Jason discovers the reason they invented turkey lifters...a hot turkey is well...hot.

CJ wonders where all the food and other kids are at the children's table.

Reagan

Yum!

Need some new recipes?

Best turkey recipe ever : Martha Stewart's Perfect Roast Turkey
Mashed Potatoes - these are the best because you can make them the day before
Tarragon Green Beans
Sweet Potatoes
Cranberries

I don't know why I didn't take pictures of our glorious desserts but they were...
Pecan Pie
Apple Pie
Chocolate Pie (chocolate flavored butter)

And you need lots of wine!

Emily and Mark

Nick succumbs to the power of the turkey

Rich plays Sommelier

Looks like Mark's in trouble, CJ has him in handcuffs and Rylee has a gun.

Mom and Emily

Black Friday ads were devoured

Lists were made

Then CJ convinced me to let him take control of the camera! He got some great pictures!

Nice picture of Charlie, cheesy picture of me

Grandma Pattie and Nicholas

Papa Chuck

Rylee and Sophia

I think Sara needs more wine

Papa Craig

Reagan

Rylee

Jason

Rich

Diego

 

Charlie sets up a Facebook account for his mom...everyone befriend Pattie LeFebvre!

Wow, I'm impressed at CJs photos!

Friday morning we were up for our tradition of Black Friday shopping!  No photos were taken, but many a deal was scored!

Friday afternoon the guys went to the Wild game with Uncle Don.  Great-Grandma Dora and Aunt Phyllis came to visit - not sure where the camera was!

Friday evenings dinner consisted of:
Chicken in Potato Baskets (yum!) and a salad
They were supposed to be Turkey, but oops, no leftover turkey.  So, after the biggest poultry consumption day of the year, I'm at Target buying rotisserie chickens!

Saturday morning we were up and making Cinnamon Rolls and Breakfast Pizza.
Yum...the best cinnamon rolls ever!

Saturday afternoon the Bains headed out (with CJ in tow) and the remainder of us headed to the Hollidazzle Parade.

Emily, Mark & Brooke

Look at the crowd!  Good thing we got there early to claim our spots!

Nick and Brooke all bundled up waiting for the parade to start!

Look at Nick in his cute cold weather outfit

Nick LOVED the parade, I think the trains were his favorite...he would say "choo choo" and "more!"

Whew...I'm tired!  A great weekend!  And that butter tally, 7 1/2 pounds!  Time to hit the gym.

More family photo fun!

Got Sleep?

Nick is in that fun annoying stage of transitioning from taking a nap to no nap, although I think before the age of 2 is a bit too early in my book. 

Yesterday we were outside while Clark Charlie was hanging Christmas lights on the house.  Nick apparently didn't agree when it was time to go inside to get ready for dinner.  He had a full blown kick-my-legs, throw-my-head melt down on the stairs.  Things went quiet and this is what I found... (and yes he's alive)

Guess he's maybe not so ready to give up that nap afterall, just try convincing him of that!

Things to do in life...Meet Pioneer Woman...Check!

What a day! When I heard Ree (Pioneer Woman) was coming to the MOA for a book signing, I knew I HAD to be there. Of course (as do most great events) it was on a day I had to work. There was great stress into the decision on when to arrive for the signing. She was to sign between 1 and 3, Mall opens at 10:00 (but earlier for walkers), didn't want to miss it...yada yada yada. We (Emily and I) came to the decision that 9:00am would be about right. And boy were we spot on! #2 in line (well actually #3, #1 had went to buy her book). According to the story Trish Van Pilsum did for Channel 9 there were 550 people there for the signing! As usual, all best summed up in pictures.

We met some new friends along the way!

The suspense of waiting at the end about killed us, what side would she enter from, what was she going to wear, was she as nervous as we were!

Isn't she beautiful!

Emily and Mark's PW photo turned out great...mine not so much. I guess that is what you get for handing your camera over to someone else to drive!

Here is a pic of the two of us...I think she was saying "Watch it lady, or I'll stick my pen in your eye." Not really, she was FAR too kind for that!

Isn't this a great "signing" shot!

Great experience, I'd love to do it all over again!

A few of my Owen favorites...so far!

I wanted to take this little guy home. So cute! And I think they need some captions...

Hey Ladies!

Watch out big city, here I come!

I'm sure I'll be posting more, I've just started processing these!

Wow, what a difference!

I've been getting used to photographing the toddler age, what a difference to photograph older cooperative children!  I love that the girls were naturals at posing for pictures!

Happy Halloween!

In case you need some help, CJ was a transformer and Nick was an Ewok. And little Addie is just too cute in her HOMEMADE! poodle costume.

Sweet Brooke!

Think the last one means she's done?