Our "Second" Thanksgiving

We spent Thanksgiving in KS with Ryan's parents and had a great visit.  We went to the zoo one day while we were there and enjoyed the beautiful weather.

 

 We hadn't been to a zoo for a long time, the boys LOVED it.

 I of course made them pose a few times.  Aren't those shirts cute?? :)

 We tried to get the boys up on the gorilla but Jackson wasn't into it.

 Cooper was though!

 Jackson found a statue more his size.

 We got to see the walrus's up close and personal, it was amazing!

 A favorite activity while in KS is playing with Grandpa on the ipad!

 Isn't this adorable?  The boys each got a puzzle from Amanda and Chris asking them to be their ring bearers!  I thought it was so clever and creative!

 Here they are posing with their uncle and future aunt!

 Great-Grandma and Grandpa came up to visit for Thanksgiving and Great-Grandpa actually got down and wrestled with the kids!  The boys loved it and will always rememer that!

 It was such a beautiful day so we went out and played with sidewalk chalk.

 The boys also had to get out the waterguns.  Even in the winter, it's a favorite!

The Gaylord

We had our annual trip to the Gaylord this year.  We had such a wonderful time as usual!

 

First we stopped to have lunch.  I just had to capture this face...this is the face that Jackson gives whenever he is faking being upset, mad, etc..  It's hilarious.

 

Cooper and Elizabeth.  I didn't have a picture of Ben, oops!

We pretty much took a million pictures of the kids in front of all the gorgeous decorations.  I'll just let the pictures speak for themselves! :)

We always get a picture in this sleigh.

I just had to put a few of the ones that weren't quite so cute...for those of you who think my kids always take good pictures :).

I do love this one :)

They love to check out the beautiful fish.

These huge Santa boots were new this year.  Look how grown-up Elizabeth looks!

I always love the real gingerbread house.

Look at this sequence of pictures...

Jackson was pushing his head into the rock apparently.

Now Cooper is getting him back.  This makes me laugh every time.  Jackson apparently didn't mind at all!

Our first holiday tradition that we completed!  Lots more to come I'm sure.

Friends and our First Thanksgiving

Our good friend Allison who very sadly moved to California came back to visit and we had so much fun! Here are the kids who aren't in school posing together.  It's Jackson, Everett, and Emily.  Aren't they cuties??

 This is a very blurry/crazy eyed picture but we went out to dinner that night to celebrate Allison being in town! 

 Oh my, a favorite toy of Jackson's recently has been these rescue bots.  They go with him everywhere!

 Cooper had the opportunity to make a turkey too since he wasn't there when we made them the first time.  Here he's shooting the turkey...nice huh?  :)

 Lucky Jackson got to make a second one!

 We had Thanksgiving the weekend before at my parent's house because we were going up to KS to spend Thanksgiving with Ryan's side.  We had to take a Christmas card picture for my mom. 

 The kids made some sweet rolls for Thanksgiving dinner and they were a huge hit.. they each ate a bunch of them.

 My and my boys... just missing my daughter :(  No news on the adoption front FYI, we're waiting for our LOA and hoping it'll be coming soon.  We'll see!

 The kids always get a few gifts from Grandma and Grandpa on Thanksgiving-here Jackson is showing off his reindeer noses.

 They got this really cool advent calendar, they are constantly asking to open it.

 It was an action-packed day!  The kids then decorated gingerbread sticker houses...

 and then a real one!

 Here's the lovely finished product.

 We ended the night with a big bubble bath. 

We had such a fun and festive first Thanksgiving!