Thanksgiving Week

We kicked off Thanksgiving week with our annual dinner at the Estada House.

We've been going to it since the year we started dating!

Here we are in the car on the way . . .

Little did I know that the Estrada dinner would be the only Thanksgiving meal for me!

Madi caught the stomach bug Tuesday before Thanksgiving and lucky me got it late Wednesday night.

So I took very few pictures but wanted to document the Holiday. 

 Sissy sure was interested in Maci's snack . . .

 She waited very patiently for her to drop one.  And Maci did.  Many. Times.

 There was lots of resting and football watching for the guys.

 Once we got back home and I started feeling better Madi helped me stuff our Christmas cards/letters.

The blurriness of the picture shows how hard of a worker Madison was for me!

We got them all stuffed and ready in record time. 

Umbrella

Madison has been wanting an umbrella for a while now.

 So when Aunt Shelle bought her one for her birthday she was so excited.

 But then when it didn't rain day after day she forgot about her umbrella. 

Then this past weekend it rained a little on Sunday.

 And Madi couldn't wait to take her umbrella outside in the rain and dance! 

 I wish it rained more for this sweet umbrella-loving little girl!

 But we'll take what we get . . .

and dance in the rain! 

Tucker's 4th Birthday!

 Shelle and I laugh because Tucker planned his party down to the last detail and it was so much fun!

He wanted a Mario Party with a Mario cake, mustaches, a pinata and a bounce house! 

 Tucker's Aunt Jen made the adorable cake!

These 3 didn't want to stop and eat lunch before the party, but thankfully we finally got them to!

 They were too excited watching this bounce house go up outside!

 For party favors (beside pinata candy!) we used molds to make chocolate mustaches! 

 Pin the mustache on Mario!

 I could tell this was a hit when kids kept jumping back to in line to pin another mustache!

Shelle drew the Mario!  Pretty good!

 Pinata time!

 Love Madi's face here.  She wasn't too sure about hitting it!

 Silly Tripp

 Happy Birthday Tuck!

 Present time!

 

This cute rainbow afro came with the Madagascar movie so Maci had to wear it!

 One last Mustache Madison!

Can't believe Tucker is already 4!  Happy Birthday Sweet Tuck! 

Thanksgiving Festival

Sunday evening Maci came over while her family went to the movies.  I guess she's not movie-ready yet!  We had a fun time playing with her.  

Monday

 Tuesday

 Tuesday was Madison's Thanksgiving Festival at school.  I was thankful to have her schedule early enough in the summer to be able to cancel my class that meets on Tuesdays so I could attend. 

 

Mrs. Cude had the class draw a mural while waiting on the festivities to begin. 

 They used the building across the street (which is usually for the youth) to house all the fun!

First up, class pictures in front of the teepee!

They wore the vests and headpieces that they made earlier.

 Mrs. McKee (the director) rang a bell for each group to move through the stations.

First, was a rain maker. 

 Then they made a cute turkey from stickers.

 This was a cute idea.  A teacher read them a story while they sat in the teepee and ate popcorn.

 Next up was making a cross with colored sand.

 Madi's favorite was the necklace making station out of dyed noodles. 

 Turkey and leaf ornaments that you scratch off to reveal the color beneath.  They were pretty neat!

 Then they colored bookmarks.  This station reminded me of the black fuzzy posters my sister and I used to color as kids.

 The last station was the stamping one that I helped with too.  I was thankful for enough mommy volunteers to be able to tag along with Madi every once and a while to take pictures.

 To wrap up the fun, as a large group they sang songs.

 Then each class went into a separate room for their Thanksgiving party.

The food was Madison's favorite . . . ham, turkey and cheese cubes, fruit kabob, and turkey cookie.  They made each student a boat out of a paper bag and ribbon that held chex mix too (unfortunately Madi's not a fan).  They were very creative and cute though!

 The turkey cookies were too cute!

 Wednesday

 Thursday

(For some reason this picture makes Madi look so grown up!)

 Friday

 Friday afternoon, Maci and Tucker came home with us after lunch so Shelle and Cody could clean and get the house ready for Tucker's birthday party on Saturday. 

I think Maci found a new seat in our house that is perfect for her!