Thanksgiving week

A week off of school to sleep in, no homework and time to catch up on things you don't have time to do when life is happening! We had a little friend time, got Taylor contacts for the first time, relaxing time as a family and lot of cousin time (which Taylor said was the favorite part of his week). The least favorite part of the week are the colds running through our house out the door and back again (Ashley is on her 3rd in a row).

We finally used our free Disney passes (they were getting ready to expire) to see Disneyland all Christmasfied.  I love the Haunted House all decked out in nightmare before Christmas...reminded me of all the stores that put out Christmas decorations the day after Halloween...

All you are thinking about is Halloween and then BAM reminders everywhere that you better start thinking about Christmas...SCARY  :)...these guys don't look too scared though.

Small World is my next favorite Christmasfied ride...

the line snaked forever but we took the workers advice and stayed to the right and it moved fast and didn't feel like a long wait at all.

Of Course this is Jacob's favorite ride. Thanks to rider switch passes he got to go on twice back to back!

The park was crowded but not unbearable. It was cold though! We had hot chocolate througout the day and a soup in bread bowl to keep us warm.

It's always fun to experience Disney with the kids. We even took them to captain EO (a tribute to Michael Jackson). They've never seen it because it was before their time. We got a kick out of his high voice (they'd never heard it), the choppy special effects and the leotards the dancers wore on the preview movie. I can't believe we used to wear that kind of stuff..who thought it was a good idea to work out in a bathing suit anyway?

We loved this...strollers galore in the No Stroller Parking section!

Just as it was getting dark we ran into friend in Fantasyland!  Jenna's family and their cousins. (Jenna is Ashley's best friend that moved to Temecula) We ended up hanging out with them the rest of the night.

We shared our special passes with them and helped them bypass a few lines :)  Ashley loved having a buddy to ride with.

Nighttime at Disney is always magical of course we had to stay for the fireworks.

With some more hot chocolate. After the firework crowds died down we went home. I knew it probably would happen and sure enough it did my cold went from bad to worse...by the end of the day I couldn't talk and Ashley wasn't feeling the best.

When I woke up Thanksgiving day I was very glad I wasn't hosting this year (I didn't feel good). Getting up and just doing our food assignments was about all I could do.

Along with rolls we brought a turkey to fry...this is what it looked like after 1/2 hour. We thought for sure it was burnt! Cutting into it we realized we should've left it in for the 15 minutes more there were a couple of pink spots we had to recook. Go figure!

We celebrated at Grandma Nelsons this year.

I felt like I never saw the younger kids other to eat! I guess they were playing hide and seek or in the back room with the dogs!

Here's us singing Happy Birthday to Jolene (her birthday will never get forgotten ;)

Lots of good food for lots of family!

Everything turned out great!

Kenny even came to the rescue of the Pepsi drinkers and did a run to the store for all those who needed them (like Jeff ;)

We were thrilled that Gage and Chase were able to make it up. Taylor was glad to see them and said he really likes them. (Their game playing enthusiasm reminds him so much of Julie!)

We can't have a family gathering with out games! It's the best part. Tonight we played "Signs" and "Mafia"

The party moved to Dale's for more games but we were done for the night. I wasn't feeling good and ready to lay down and we had to get ready for our new addition the next day.

Friday dawned and I ignored all the stores until 10:00. Ashley and I went out to 2 stores to get a few things and then we came home to welcome our new puppy. (Good way to distract us from shopping ;)

Her name is Maddie and the kids are in heaven. We bought her from a guy selling them at the park across the street from our house.

I thinks it's funny not more than 3 hours before I was in the house thinking that I was ready to have another dog (It's been 2 1/2 years since Buddy) and then as we were getting home from Ashley's ortho appointment we saw the guy out there right across from our house.

The person he was supposed to meat never came but of course by then we had fallen in love.

We had him keep her another week and 1/2 and then we took her after Thanksgiving so we would be sure to be home with her.

She is very sweet. My friends who have gotten dogs and crate trained them were my inspiration. We are crate training her and getting her used to hanging out in the backyard and with all the mischief that a puppy can get in to it keeps us all more relaxed. Right now she's only allowed in the kitchen and dining room so housebreaking is contained as well.

All in all it hasn't been the nightmare I thought it would be...it's been fun getting to know her and try and train her...if only for the fact that I feel like I'm ready to take the time energy and patience to raise a dog. Now if I can just get her to stop biting our clothes/shoes/hands/ to greet us.

We've given her chew toys to bite and I tell the kids to not give her attention if she's in that biting mood...but if Jacob or Ashley turns their back on her when she's in it they get a bite on the butt!  Ha ha.

Saturday Ashley and I enjoyed the dog while Taylor and Jacob went with Steve and Dale and the cousins to do baptisms for the dead at the temple. It was Jacob's first time (and Jolene since she turned 12 the day before).

Of course it had to be followed by food. What a great thing to experience with cousins.

That night Jeff and I invited ourselves to Steve and Tahna's outing with friends to Forever Plaid's Christmas show called Plaid tidings. It was great and fun and a perfect way to get us in the mood for Christmas.

While we were gone Steve's kids were over at our house for another cousin get together.

Sunday we had the opportunity to go to Yucaipa and attend church at Jenise and Sean's ward and be a part of blessing their baby. The cousins all got to go to class together...or not go to class together (depending on the cousins :0)

Afterwards was another Thanksgiving dinner at Sean's house as the after church dinner. Yum, thanks Steve and Sean's dad! Unfortunately I forgot the camera!

So as everyone enters this Christmas season we wish you peace in long lines, cold weather, overbooked schedules, and kids changed Christmas lists when you already have the presents for the first list in the closet (Jacob)!

Ready or not Here comes Christmas!