Thanksgiving Week - Part 1

Thanksgiving week started out for us the Saturday before when Grammy, Auntie Ally, and Auntie Hailey arrived after their long drive from Florida. We were SO thankful for a week to just enjoy each other with no real plans. Of course there are lots of pictures so i'll let them do most of the talking...

 

Grammy brought Ryder some of Uncle Ryan's old flannel sheets to use during this freezing cold weather!! They are a great addition to his bed right now :)

 The aunties are here... Mommy is on vacation!!

There isn't too much to do around here in the winter so we headed to Chocolate World to ride the ride and just get out of the house.

 

Mom and I on the first of many rides to learn how chocolate is made

While walking around we just happened to bump into the one and only Santa Claus!!

It was completely unplanned and Ryder pretty much freaked out when he saw the big guy. He ran onto his lap!!

 

I wasn't entirely sure how Landon would handle the situtation, but surprisingly warmed right up to him and got right onto his lap. We decided to skip purchasing the official picture because we were caught off guard and not dressed appropriately :)

 

My "official" instagram picture haha

Monday morning was Grammy's big day... Ryder's class likes to have a special reader every week to come read a special book to the kids in the class. I made sure to sign Grammy up for the week they were in town! She did such a great job reading a book about the night before Thanksgiving :)

 

Later in the day we headed back for a little Thanksgiving party at Ryder's school...

How cute is my little pilgrim?! :)

 singing some songs

 Ryder and Jackson enjoying the feast

Tuesday was spent getting some fun pictures of my sisters at Masonic Village which I can't put up until my mom's Christmas cards are sent out, but they will be up later for sure!! That afternoon we got the boys haircuts, got them showers, put on their cute Christmas shirts, headed to Chocolate World for our official Santa photo... only to find out it was closed!! We had some bummed little boys!! We promised Ryder we would take him Wednesday morning when they were open... We got them all dressed up again, went, and Santa wouldn't be there until five!! Missing Santa twice goes over wonderfully with a four year old (insert sarcasm).

 

That afternoon my Aunt Cheri, Uncle Sean, and cousin Adam were driving from Cape Cod to spent the holiday with us, and my dad and brother were flying up from Florida. Of course within minutes of my family from The Cape arriving my mom and I had to head out for a two hour drive to go get the boys from the airport. Landon was refusing a nap, but of course looked like this before we left the neighborhood... luckily he slept the whole way there and didn't make a peep on the way home...

 

 While we were getting them game time was going on back home...

 Once everyone was finally in Hershey we headed to get some pizza because everyone was famished!! Then of course had to rush back to Chocolate World for attempt #4 with Santa... This time was a success.. sort of. Success because he was there... and both boys LOVED him!!!

 

 Not a success because you pay $20 for this picture and they get your son when he's making the weirdest face!! These people make me nuts... of course we bought it anyhow. We still have hope for a perfect picture at Candy Lane this Friday and breakfast with Santa Saturday!

 The boys seriously LOVE him!

 Ryder going in for a hug while Landon is screaming "HUGGGGG"

 Getting ready to go for it

 Score... he loves him!

 Saying our good-byes to Santa

 Landon STILL chasing Santa down... he's obsessed!!

When you ask him what Santa says he gives the cutest "ho ho ho" :)

Thursday it was finally time for the Thanksgiving Day Parade!! 

 Santa's on tv!!!

 After the parade we all headed up to the gorgeous Masonic Village. That is where we had taken the girls pictures a few days before, I did two photo shoots there, and we had a field trip there with Ryder's school. It's a great little area with beautiful parks and buildings.. It was a nice little venture out of our small house that afternoon...

 

The Winter's

 The O'Connell/Davis'

 When we got back Uncle Sean got down to business....

He was such an amazing cook for us on Turkey Day!

 Landon really enjoyed it!

 My mom had us all write on a piece of paper what we were thankful for. We had to wrap it in tin foil and they were put in a bun. It was fun to open the rolls up during our meal and hear what everyone wrote... Of course my brother's answer was classic:

 All the men crashed after our meal

 

We were luckly to get a visit from my Uncle Scott, Aunt Karen, and cousin Mike on their way home from the airport after their trip to Disney Land. It was such a nice day to have so many loved ones in our home.

 

Part 2 coming soon :)