Thanksgiving 2014 & A Wedding Shower

This year, we decided to stay home instead of traveling for Turkey Day.

We have not done this since 2010 I think.. So it was a nice break.

Every year we always go to Ohio, and to be honest, the last trip was a little hard on us. Plus Samantha came down with the worst bug ever ... and then brought it home for 3 more days.. 

We ate at my Aunt's house, everything was so delicious and beautiful

including the classic crescents that my family does NOT go without.
One year, someone hand made them, and there was a big protest... the next year it was back to the trusty ole blue can of amazing rolls ... 

The kids had so much fun playing with their many many cousins and toys of course.

It was a really wonderful Thanksgiving indeed.

Black Friday came and went... I dont get into that  at all, I think I did one year, and that was before I was married and had kids.. ha! 

Saturday we had a lovely wedding shower for my cousin Michael's fiance Ally.

It was at Pearl Street Brewery downtown, and it was such a fun day.

This cake was pretty fun too.

Raspberry Marble Cheesecake... mmmm

Lots of rustic details and mason jars, my kind of place

Sassy was such a little lady, ... well most of the time.. ha!

She enjoyed being a big girl, brought her little purse stuffed with girly things, and ate way to much sugar.. !

The rest of the weekend I got up this year's advent calendar. 

Its just a piece of wood that I painted grey with acrylic paint.

Then I wrote 1-24 in chalk and pinned the white bags tied with jute over the numbers.

Sass was back to school Monday, and Andrew and I hit the big mall for some Christmas shopping. 

We walked around Pottery Barn kids, and he stood here and played with this parking garage for 20 minutes. Santa may have this under the tree for him... for sure. 

We went to playgroup after not being there for a while, and he was so so tired he took a nap for sure that day. Oh yea, he's given up naps in his crib. Totally. He will only sleep at night in there. Otherwise he naps on the couch in the afternoon. I thought I would about die without him napping upstairs, but he's so well behaved most days, that anything I need to get done, dinner, laundry, crafting, etc...even blogging! - he lets me do, he either plays independently or almost always snuggles on the couch and falls asleep for 1.5 - 3 hours on average. So its not so bad.

Reading books with Sissy.

They are getting so much more closer the older Andrew gets. They hang out so much more together.. and fight of course, but they really enjoy playing .. and Samantha takes such good care of him and puts her "little mama" hat on and is so so proud to be a big sis

Decorating is very merry and bright this year. We have our small tree up, and about 1/4 of the ornaments.. Most of the bottom of the tree has Andrew's airplanes posing as ornaments.. and this year I really havent felt like going all out with decorations. Samantha has her tree in her room, and Andrew's was too bright.. so we took his out, (anything to keep that child sleeping!!!)... 

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I am more focused on getting my gifts made and bought and wrapped I guess this year.

I started making little christmas soaps... I colored & scented them peppermint and mistletoe.

Thank you to those who already ordered!! Im making more and shipping out the first of the orders tomorrow! 

Any q's about these just email me joellemalenic@gmail.com

Wheew... Thats a lot of catching up.

Im working on a couple more posts... so hopefully it wont be too long between breaks again.. 

Turkey Day

Turkey Day 2013

We hit the road on Wed around 2pm...

They forecasted a big big snowstorm, so I think that scared everyone

The roads were quite empty once we got going into our drive

We were all packed up & ready for whatever kind of road trip this was going to be..

Naps happened... thank goodness..

Sister too..

They both sailed through NY and Pennsylvania and a little of Ohio in dreamland.

We arrived safe and sound, without any stops, no pee breaks and tantrum FREE!!

It was a quick 3.5 hours.. record time too.

The kids were so happy to see Baka and Papa.

 

They had a little more snow than we did

I traveled out in my pj pants ... yes how classy..

but we needed some butt cream for the big guy.

 

These kids love being outside at my in-laws.. no matter what the weather.

Nothing will keep this girl out of the swing.. NOTHING....

 

Turkey Day

Samantha and Grace

Post Dinner Dance Party in the basement with their cool homemade stage.

Andrew didnt have any real turkey.. except this faux rice krispie turkey leg I made for dessert

He had fun playing and dancing with the girl cousins

This is all we got as far as a family pic.

I believe Samantha was having some sort of tantrum about something... she has a tough time at this age sharing herself with BOTH cousins.. she prefers the 7 year old ... naturally... but there were one too many crying outbursts.. ugh.. she needed a nap...

A little Croatian dance party....

It was a super fun turkey day...

 

 

The next day....she crashed and FINALLY took a nap...

She was much much better after she woke up.

While we were at Papa's ..Andrew got his first official haircut.. or scalping... as it looks

He'd never been to a real haircut place...I just always trimmed him since he has soooo much thick blonde hair.. So snip snip... and he was a new man

We loved our visit.

Both Mathew and I got to get out and see friends ... and do a little shopping,

And we'll be back in three short weeks for Christmas too!

The ride home was smooth sailing... we left on the Monday after turkey day... so again, hardly anyone traveling... It went by so quick and the kids were very very good yet again.

Thanksgiving Weekend 2012

Forever... thats how long I feel its been since I sat down and blogged!

I have a ton of posts half done.. hopefully the kids will allow this one to happen though..

 

We left for Ohio on Wed afternoon before thanksgiving day.

Before we left I downloaded a ton of apps for Samantha on the ipad and on my iphone.

Oh yea.. I made sure I was armed for what could be a very very long ride.

She loved playing all the new games... I bought a few.. like Charlie Brown Christmas and Disney Princess, but I found a Wizard of Oz app.. that was FREE.. she was in heaven...

Mister Mister fell asleep before the NY border.. and slept right through Pennsylvania, and woke up shortly after entering Ohio. It was looking like a pretty good drive..

Until we entered the east suburbs of Cleveland... We were in stand still - crawling - stopped traffic for miles.. and about 45 straight minutes.. Needless to say.. that kind of ruined our "pretty good ride".



We finally got there.. and relaxed and played outside a little.. it was pretty warm.. i'd say around 50

Thanksgiving Day

It was about 60 degrees and sunny.. perfect.

Samantha playing in the front yard..

I was watching through the bedroom window.. because..

 

Sleeping beauty needed his rest.

He was super cranky the whole time we were visiting.. and Baka had the shingles.. so she couldnt even get near him. So he was pretty much glued to my side.. I finally got him to sleep here in the pic, and he was on the bed though.. so I couldnt really leave him in case he woke up. I just watched Samantha play outside, and organized our clothes, and straightened out room, made lists, did a little Pinterest.. it was nice I guess.. If I have to be stuck in a room with a sleepy baby.



 

After naptime was over, we headed to Aunt Meghan and Uncle Mark's

 

Since it was such a nice day.. the girls took the car for a spin..

 

 Andrew was nearing his boiling point just as everyone was about to sit down to dinner..

But the girls played so nice together.

 

And while everyone was gobbling up turkey...

 

He finally passed out...

So Andrew and I took a walk while everyone ate.

 

Im pretty sure he was cutting his 6th tooth that day.. and the days leading up to it, because after that... he was so much happier the whole trip!



 

Samantha and Teta Nina with their "sleep animals"

She had so much fun playing with Teta.. They colored and did legos..

Friday we headed to the mall just to get out and walk around.

I did my black friday shopping online.. and only got a few things

We left the mall with only some sparkly tights, hair clips and new purple sparkly shoes.. 

As if we dont have enough sparkly shoes around here...

 

 

 

Andrew discovered drinking through a straw this weekend too.. it was so much fun to watch him as he figured it out

We had such a nice visit...always too short.

Not sure if we're headed back for Christmas though

The ride home was very .. uhm, awful....

It was nothing like the way there..

And to top it off.. we were greeted home to this!

I guess winter has arrived...