Thanksgiving Break

Ahh... Thanksgiving break.

So welcomed. So needed. Usually not long enough in terms of Teacher Time, but sometimes too long in terms of having all the kids home all the time together. haha.  But all in all, I love it. I love having the girls there and watching what kinds of creative craziness they can get into.

Even when I don't have to get up for work, I still get up around 5:00 usually...before the kids do.  And Usually Brooklynn is the first one up.

Look at this kid. Her hair. Haha. It makes me laugh every. morning.  She has some serious crazy hair.

Waiting for breakfast...she just makes me smile.

And then the other kids get up, and it's all "game" in the house. Right now, they're doing a Shopkins egg hunt. Those Shopkins. Uggggg. They are ALL. OVER. the place.

Case in point. And yes, that is Caroline eating a dog bone. haha. She was carrying around a bone and Pete came and took it from her. She was like "Hey! You're supposed to eat these??" So she kept giving him bone, after bone, after bone. Then finally, I guess she decided...."If you like them, then maybe I will." hahaha. It was too funny not to get a picture...and THEN take it away.

Then it was time to ride bikes around the pool. All this before 8am. haha. 

That night was Awanas and my parents took all 3 kids this time (they usually leave the baby since it's WAY pass her bedtime when they get home) and Ron and I went on a date to see Hunger Games!

Then I came home and had to make 3 pans of Stuffing for Ron to take to work for Thanksgiving since he was working on Thanksgiving.

Every Thanksgiving and Christmas I make Chipped Beef Gravy for breakfast. My Nana made it for me when I was growing up, so I just feel like it's something we need to have. :)

But you better believe I put on my Thanksgiving Eating Outfit. Leggings and a Jersey Knit Dress. haha

And we headed off to the movies. One of my girlfriend's husband works the holidays most of the time since he's the head chef, so we usually go see a movie in the morning. I missed last year since it was like 3 days after Caroline was born, but we made it this year.

Then it was off to my parents' house.

In Florida, we catch butterflies in the winter. :)

My parents and the girls made the place cards one day when they had them over. They turned out super cute!

 I love that my grandparents still love to play with the kids. My girls love them so much.

Black Friday I woke up and put on my Christmas shirt and poured my coffee in my Christmas Tervis and we headed out! We were only looking for 2 things - new fridge and new mattress...which we decided NOT to get and jut to focus on the flooring.

But since we were on that side of town, the girls begged to go to Chipotle, because they love it there.

And then I came home and made my "Dessert".... brie cheese and cranberry salsa. YUMMMMMY!

Saturday was Christmas tree shopping day!

Ron is THE pickiest tree buyer, so I just let him do his thing and take pictures of the girls acting a muck. haha

FINALLY, he found the tree.... and Brooklynn found a Poinsetta. haha

I just love my little ham.

And then there was that cute little {Photoshoot} we did, randomly.

 All food will now be served on our Christmas plates. (you saw the Thanksgiving one up in the top of the post). These are from Pottery Barn Kids too. And of course the sandwich cutter has been changed out too.

 Tree decorating time!    Decorating with girls... doesn't really go the way I want it to. haha

But it turns out okay ;-)

And it was time to write letters to Santa. Autumn wanted one to write for Caroline too. She's so sweet....sometimes. haha.

And of course, when I headed to Walmart at like 7am this morning, I found the cutest Disney Christmas shirt for the girls to wear to Disney when we go!

And to end our little break... a nice swim in the pool...just because we can.

And now I'm laying out my clothes for my early morning workout...wondering if I"m really going to be able to get up that early after "lounging" around in the mornings for the last "week." We'll see!

A Whirlwind of a "Week" with the Kids

Lately, my Mommy hat has been on full-force. I mean, not like it isn't always on, but you know what I mean. ;-)  

Last week was Brooklynn's class Thanksgiving party. Luckily, it was right during my planning time, so I was able sneak across the street and go watch.

She was so cute - and she was the prayer leader for that week, and I was pretty amazed that she would even talk out loud for everyone to hear her. The first few months of school, she wouldn't even say a word to the teacher, so I'm glad she's growing.

Then it was "feast time" where Caroline chowed down... of course.

and begged for Brooklynn's food too. haha

Loved being there! Love that I work right across the street, so it's pretty easy for me to sneak away.

Then, Friday, Caroline turned One! Here's her last day as a "baby."

And POOF! She's one now!  This is her favorite blanket. She drags it around everywhere... it's huge (for her), but she loves it.

Happy birthday sweet girl!!

If you want to see pictures of her Sunshine party, check them out {HERE}.

And the birthday photoshoot is {HERE}

Game night, but Caroline wanted to join too!

and here was movie night....It was the Jim Henson's Turkey Hollow movie. Pretty, cute, actually.

Caroline had other plans. 

Gosh I love them!

Probably one of my favorite pictures!

then... Monday... I gave MY classroom Thanksgiving Performance. It was pretty good! I hope the parents loved it as much as I did!  

But, JUST as I sat down for lunch, I got a call from the babysitter.  Brooklynn was throwing up nonstop. Great. So, luckily, it was pretty much a "done" day and I work with some great people...so I was able to leave. She, of course, threw up in the car, and then kept throwing up until about 5:00... she fell asleep for a little bit in the afternoon, but woke herself up when she had to throw up. She was pretty good about making it into her little bucket there, so it wasn't too bad.

But THEN, Caroline got it :( She was in her crib and when I went to get her out, she was covered in it. Poor thing. That has to be so horrible!  She threw up a few more times, and she was finished around 10/10:30. Thankfully. That is hard when you're home alone with sick kiddos....especially if more than one is sick at a time!

But, in between B's sickness, she wrote a little bit in her "book."

Thankfully, everyone slept all night and woke up feeling better.

And thankfully, Autumn didn't get the sickness....because that day was HER Thanksgiving performance. She was so cute.

I got to bring down my class to watch her perform.

I love the little baby in her backpack.

Love having her at my school so I can come see these things. My mom went that morning to her classroom to help out a little bit. I know she loved having her there for that too.

Then, right after school, it was time to take Caroline to her well visit. I was trying to get a picture of her....and she was being so silly...playing peekaboo with the camera. haha

She's such a stinker!! I just love her!

This little butterball turkey is 19 pounds and 29 inches long. 

Sometimes I look at everything I do at home, with the kids, for the house, for myself...and then everything I do for my classroom kids... I am constantly amazed that I am not asleep by 6:00 every night. haha. I feel like I should be utterly exhausted. Or maybe I am and just don't realize it because that's how I spend every minute of my life feeling?! haha. I don't remember life before it was a whirlwind. Honestly. I don't. 

But that's ok, because I have these silly girls as the reason why.