Video - Max isn't interested in his oatmeal and requests a banana.
The flowers that were planted by the builder had died. I knew my dad was coming and wanted the yard to look nice and thought it would be better to have a little color again. So my little family headed to Home Depot to prep for some gardening. Since we've never had a yard, we had NOTHING. I had to buy a shovel, some gloves, etc.
The pretty flowers waiting to be planted
Max kept my company and played outside, however not for long. I soon realized that it didn't work to have me focused on gardening and him playing on the sidewalk. That put him closer to cars speeding by than to me (I didn't think this street would be so busy when we were looking at the house - hopefully once everything is built it slows down a little). He didn't try to go in the road or anything, it just made me nervous.
Before
\After - looks better, right?
I planted a little on both sides of the sidewalk. It felt good to look at them and know I planted them! It made me feel like I had had productive weekend.
Time to go back to work!
Max grabbed this apple out of my bag for work and started eating it.
Max "talking" into the remote.
Video - I tried to get Max to send a video message to his dad.
We sure enjoyed the rest of our Thanksgiving weekend.
We headed outside to play:
Max worked on throwing the football (we start 'em young here in Texas!)
Peter is always cold since he got skinny and lost his "insulation" so he enjoyed laying in the sun and warming up.
Playing in the dirt
Yuck! My hands are dirty!
Maneuvering down the slope
A little pat-a-cake (he won't do it on his own, we have to help him every time)
Peek a boo!
Cuddling on daddy
Uh oh, it's coming...
"eyes"
He just loves being outside
He pulled out all his toys and then climbed on them to get into the crate.
Silly Max. Playing with an old dropper.
On the Sunday after Thanksgiving we put up the tree and the decorations. This is the earliest we've ever done it. It will be nice to enjoy it the entire season this year. I didn't do as many light or ornaments as usual because I wanted to limit how much I enticed Max to mess with the tree. :) Glass stuff only up beyond Max's reach.
For the first time ever, our stockings have been hung by the chimney with care...
Video - Britt and her family came over to check out the decorations. Here is Max saying goodbye to Landen.
Love my boys.
Proof that Max ate a vegetable.
Remember how around Halloween, we got "Boo'd"? Well, we got "Elf-ed". One of our neighbors left a bag of goodies on our porch. And then we pass it along and leave goodies for someone else. The annoying thing about being elfed is that you are suppossed to "elf" 2 homes, not just one. I was super busy the next couple days after being "elf-ed", that I didn't get a chance to get to it. I was suppossed to put this sign in a window so everyone would know our house and been hit and go elf someone else. But I didn't put the sign up immediately because I wanted to leave it in the kitchen so I'd remember to copy it for the 2 bags I was going to create.
A few days after being elfed, we were elfed again. CRAP! I should have put that stupid sign out. Now I needed to elf 4 people?! I didn't have time to do it to 2 people let alone 4. Well, after the second elfing, I quickly took one of the signs and put it in a window.
The next night I hear Peter opening the front door and then he says "you are not going to believe this"... We had been ELFED again!! Someone clearly didn't see the sign in our window.
I WAS NOT going to go elf 6 houses. This was out of control. I am happy to pass along this "fun" neighborly thing but 6 houses is extreme. It took me like 2 1/2 weeks to ELF someone because I never got a chance to go to the store. I eventually took a little bit from each of our 3 elf bags and combined with some crap I had in our "anytime presents" box and came up with two barely decent elf bag. It was pathetic and most likely not exciting for the houses that I elfed, but at least I did it. The tradition didn't stop at my house (even though clearly it was raging on just fine in the neighborhood with or without my participation). Next time I will quickly get the sign up in my window!
Just another one of those moments when I am reminded what price I pay to be a working mom. Don't get me wrong, I would choose all the benefits I get from working over having the time to put together a cutesy little treat bag for a neighbor. I just get a little annoyed when I think of the little housewives in my neighborhood that stay home raising their kids, spending their husband's money, and perpetuating little neighborhood holiday activities that will require some of my precious time at home. Grrr
We started out the day burning some calories. Peter and I went to run in the Frisco Turkey Trot with our 5k buddies - Jessica and John. This time we both left our babies with family so we could focus on running. It was a GOOD thing because the race was super crowded. It actually was irritating for all of us. There were tons of participants and we started towards the back of the group so we spend most of our run dodging people that were walking and baby strollers.
Despite all the dodging, we each beat our time from the July 4th 5k! Peter REALLY killed it. I ran the first 2 miles without stopping - that's the best I've done yet. I wanted to run the entire thing but the dodging thing really broke my focus and ability to just get in the "zone" so I only made it to 2 miles. It was still my best time ever.
After the race and picking up Max, we went home to prepare for the big meal. We were eating at Brittany's again this year. I made my usual rolls, Peter made Pumpkin Pie (lots of pressure considering what happened last year).
Happy Thanksgiving from our family!
Ready to party!
My cute sister, brother-in-law, and nephews!
The meal - Brittany does an amazing thanksgiving meal. She is so talented at cooking and graciously shares that talent!
Peter crashed after the meal.
It's hard to truly relax when you've got a one year old crawling all over you.
Big kid!
Video - Max busting a move to some Michael Jackson.
He LOVES his Aunt Brittany.
Showing off while enjoy Peter's yummy pumpkin pie.
My pretty rolls.
Yeah! Thanksgiving means it's time for Christmas lights. I wasn't planning on doing lights but the guy who cuts our lawn asked if I was interested in having him hang the lights and he offered to purchase them and everything. So, all I had to do was write a check. EASY! and it was worth it. I love how they look. It's our first time ever doing real Christmas lights outside.
It was a great Thanksgiving. We didn't play games like usual because I wasn't feeling too well and we called it a night early. We figured it was because I wasn't properly hydrated after the run and then didn't eat other Thanksgiving dinner. Once I had some Gatorade and got some electrolytes into my system at home, I felt better.
Wife, Mom, and Career Woman. Trying to succeed at all three. Enjoy cruising, time with friends and family, and sleeping. Busy life doesn't leave time for as much fun as in the past but that's okay, it's still a good life.
