Saturday, December 21, 2013

Thanksgiving has come and gone

Thanksgiving has come and gone.  I now have time to recap the hectic fun that we had with nine people visiting us.  First on the list was Brenda’s sister and family who came to visit for Thanksgiving.  The arrived on Monday and we had a great time hanging out with them right before Thanksgiving.  My parents then arrived on Wednesday during the day and the Brenda’s parents Wednesday night.  Brenda’s parents did not know Paula and Family were going to be here so we had a great time surprising them.  I wish I could have got a picture of the look on their faces when Brenda answered the door holding Colin and not Matthew.  They had a heck of time figuring out what was going on, but lots of laughs were had all around and everyone had a great time.
 
Matthew with his thumb in his mouth 90% of the time.  It is so easy to tell when he is tired and kind of exciting when you see the telltale signs of thumb sucking, blank stares and ear/eye rubbing.
That train has provided lots of fun and entertainment
Colin is younger than Matthew, but quite  a bit bigger.  the "My First Thanksgiving" shirts are 2T....now figure that one out.
So many people were here for Thanksgiving I had to bring in a folding table so everyone can eat in the same place. We had a traditional thanksgiving dinner with a 22lb bird. The turkey was the best turkey I have made or ever had to date. Not sure what I did different this time, but it was so juicy and good I even loved the white meat.

Lots of skin and cuteness.
Colin is a  seriously big kid.
Kevin and Landon came too, but did not make it in this picture I guess
Sooo happy to see the cousins.
 
The cousins had a great time playing downstairs and they really missed each other when it was all over.  Every night during nighly prayers James now makes sure we pray for Colin and he seems to think every picture of a baby is either Colin or Matthew.
Lindsey with the Thankfulness tree where you write what you are thankful for on the leaves of it.
 
To accommodate all of the people in the house and everyone have a bed,  it required that Brenda and I sleep on the floor in Matthews room.  It was actually not that bad and we slept well because we were so tired, but it was nice to get our own bed.
 
James got a new Pillowcase from my parents and loves the cat in the hat animals on it.
 
I like getting breakfast out and eating with James.  He loves to read the back of the box and then drink him milk like daddy.
 
It also was time for the annual Griswold family tradition of going into the woods and finding a tree.  We went with friends again and 5 kiddos 4 and under with a high of the day of 10F made for a less than awesome trip.  We still had fun, but just not as much as we had hoped.
Matthew wearing a hat that a co-worker gave me a long time ago for James.  At one point I had Matthew in the backpack, and was holding James, a saw, and a tree walking through the foot of snow on a very steep slope.
 
Here is the tree once we got it decorated
Couple of pictures in front of it.
I assure you I did not let him eat the ornament, but he did break it.
 
We also have been down at Brenda's parents house a lot in the past month.  It is always nice to be on the road and be able to see your wife and kids at the end of the day.  This is normally how James hugs his brother for pictures...Notice Matthew gasping for air.
 
We are stoked for Christmas and the celebration of Christ's birth.  The Christmas season is very different now that we have kids.  We have even a better appreciate for the gift of a Savior as well as a responsibility to teach our children about the free gift of grace.