T-Town Visit

We flew into Tulsa on Thursday evening to spend the weekend with my family.  On Friday, we had lunch with Nanny, Aunt Frances, Aunt Shannon and Allie.  Claire went with Aunt Shannon and Allie to pick Analise up from school.  Analise had no idea that we were even coming.  She was so surprised!

This picture was taken as soon as Analise got in the car.  My girls were so happy to be together again!

Claire spent the night with Uncle, Aunt Shannon, Analise and Allie on Friday night.  On Saturday morning, they had chocolate chip pancakes and sausage for breakfast!

For lunch they went to Braum’s for burgers, fries and milkshakes!

Saturday night, the girls spent the night at MiMi and PopPop’s house.  Steve and I will celebrate our 9th wedding anniversary this week, so we went out on a date Saturday night. We picked up a copy of Monsters University and brought it home to watch.

MiMi, Analise, Claire, PopPop and Cale

Steve and Allie

Sunday morning we went to church, and then MiMi and PopPop made enchiladas for lunch.  Yummy!  We had such a great time!

Analise, Uncle and Claire

Cale, Aunt Shannon and Claire

On the flight home…

Cale gazing at the moon

Cale giving Rawr a drink

Cale riding on the suitcase at the airport.

We had a great weekend!  We’re missing everyone already!

Christmastime Is Here Again!

We hung our outdoor Christmas lights over the weekend.  Saturday was our last day in the 40s.  Our highs this week are in the 20s, dropping to the teens overnight.  The cold weather is definitely helping to put us in the Christmas spirit!

Tonight, Mall of America hosted Santa’s Arrival Ceremony.  It was spectacular!

There were elves passing out Christmas tree glasses with green-tinted lenses and jingle bell bracelets – both red and green.

Cale was particularly smitten with this lovely elf.

Nestle Toll House passed out free milk and cookies to all of the kids.

There were snow princesses.

Doing “The Snow-ky Pokey” with the MOA elves and The Teddy Bear Band

Watching the show

The Sparkettes

The Jolly Ol’ Elf

We were showered with streamers.

In his chair ready to meet good girls and boys

Claire with the Sparkettes

We are now officially in the Christmas spirit!

Halloween 2013

Our kids’ monkey costumes still fit, and they really wanted to wear them again.  So they wore their monkey costumes again this year.

Our first costume party this year was at Claire’s ballet class on Monday.  It was perfect since her monkey is a ballerina.

Then our kids received a surprise in the mail!!

Thank you, Miss Lori and Uncle Clay!  What a wonderful surprise!  We love you!!

About half an hour after we put the kids to bed on Wednesday, Claire came creeping down the stairs and announced, “I’ve been thinking!  We’ve never had Halloween pancakes before.  Wouldn’t that be fun?  Don’t you think we should have Halloween pancakes for breakfast?”  We giggled and promptly sent her back to bed.  The next morning, her daddy got up early and made “Halloween pancakes” before he went to work.

Thank you, Daddy!

After Daddy got home from work, we went to Mall of America for the “World’s Largest Indoor Trick or Treat.”  So much fun!  Our kids got some great stuff, including flashlights, pencils, stickers, toys, hats and candy (the good stuff!!).  We had a lot of fun!

Cale LOVES his monkey costume.  Showing off!

My Monkeys

Loaded up and ready to go!

Trick or Treating

Photo op with the Rainforest Cafe frog (Cale did not like the frog!)

He really wanted a sucker!

My girl with the Peeps Peep

What a fun night!