Just Thankful...

We had such a lovely Thanksgiving this year! Perfect weather (Hello 70 degrees in Colorado in November!) yummy food and a laid back time with the family!

I am so thankful for my people!

Especially these little turkeys!

My favorite picture of the day! Like little miss Cara was just done with him... I was dying!

They were ready for some yummy turkey!

Callie's sweet little star cherry pie! It came out so pretty!

Can I get a good picture please?

They had a blast at the park!

Per our tradition of putting up the tree on Thanksgiving night! It almost didn't happen. This year Brien wanted to get a real tree, but NO STORES were open on Thanksgiving morning to buy a tree and stand. So it was back to our big white wonder. I think it might be on it's last leg. You were a good tree, but you will be retired after this Christmas season. The little nuggets dragged everything up from the basement and put everything together. They did a pretty good job!

The most magical part of getting ready for Christmas, relaxing under the tree!

So much to be thankful for! Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving

This year's Thanksgiving was SO needed and SO nice! And hey, just 3 more weeks and it's Christmas break! I will take it!

I just love my people! I know that sometimes the holidays are rough for some people, but I truly love hanging out with my family and spending time with them!

On Wednesday my children actually slept in! I made my assigned good old pumpkin pies, we went to the library to stock up on books for the next few weeks and then we had lunch date with my precious grandma!
It was a red letter day...

This boy has been so sweet this week! I am really missing summer break and spending all day with my loves!

On Thursday, Turkey day, Callie and Kellen actually watched the parade in their jammies. I think my feedback from last year was well received. There were far less interviews and watching marching bands take drum breaks. Good for you Macy's!

My family always has Thanksgiving for lunch which is nice, because A) Everyone is starving.

B) You can eat and still have the evening to decorate for Christmas. C) Thanksgiving dinner is dumb.

Family pictures went splendidly. Usually it is torture fest, but we got it done in one shot and everyone was happy!

Smiling happy children and hubby=smiling happy mama!

Then they agreed to even more pictures, say what?!? Who are these little people?

After we feasted, we had the most lovely stroll in the park and the kids played outside...It was the best!

After dessert, we hung out for a bit and then headed to my grandma's to help her get her decorations out and by that, I mean my kids went through every box and destroyed her house. She is sweet to put up with us! It was super fun to see all the decorations that have been around as long as I can remember. I have the BEST memories of Christmas as a child!

Then we went back home and got out all of our Christmas stuff! It's happening! Yay for Christmas. I can finally listen to Christmas music guilt free and enjoy my super tacky,white tree... I am ready!

It was such a lovely day and now we are all ready for Christmas! Happy Thanksgiving!

What I Wore Wednesday

Where did November go? Seriously! It seems like Halloween was a minute ago and now people are getting out the Christmas stuff. I love Christmas, looovvvee it, but come on people, let Thanksgiving have it's day!

This has been a strangely warm fall and I am NOT complaining about that, but last week it snowed and I am already over winter. I woke up and I totally forgot how to dress for winter, that first snow always gets me!

I love this dress!!! I got it last year and there is just something about it! The fit, the pattern, I could wear this everyday!

Dress: Old Navy

Cardigan: Old Navy

Boots: Target

I think it's time for a new leopard cardigan, but I can't find one anywhere!

Cardigan: Old Navy

Tank: Target

Pants: Thrifted, Loft

Heels: Target

We had an awesome Veteran's day tribute last week. Since we are so close the Air Force base we had so many military families come to be honored. After the service they came by our classrooms to talk to the kids. Thank you Veterans!

Top: Old Navy

Scarf: Target

Jeans: Target

Flats: Wal-mart

I wore this last Sunday in the nursery at church. Brien was on call so it was just Callie and I and a few helpers from the 5th grade class. I thought I was going to lose my mind! Oh my goodness, there were SO many babies and I am talking tiny babies who can't walk so I literally had my hands full!

Top: TJ Maxx

Necklace: 11th Ave.

Pants: thrifted, Gap

Flats: JCrew

I wore this on the day of the first snow. What was I thinking, ankle boots?? Brrrrr!

Plaid top: Thrifted

Pants: Target

Booties: Kohl's

Necklace: Wal-Mart

These fringy boots, though! I got them last year on clearance and I had not worn them yet this year, they were so cute and comfy!

Dress: Old Navy

Leggings: Nordstroms

Boots: Target

That's all for this week! Happy almost Thanksgiving!

Ready for Turkey?? Me too!

I am beyond ready to "Gather" with my people this week and EAT!

What a strange week it has been! Monday was smoooooth at school! I got like 20 kids assessed in math, we worked on Thanksgiving crafts and then on Tuesday it got all weird!! 

We started the day with a strange storm, it was only raining when we got into the car and drove to school, by the time we started walking into the building my umbrella had been flipped inside out and it was a blizzard!

The morning went fairly well, the kiddos were excited about the snow, but it was pretty uneventful and then 11 am hit! Right at the beginning of specials/plan time I was all checking my email and trying to get ready for the afternoon when, dun dun da dun! The fire alarm started going off!! Um, what?!? 

Everyone was SO confused, middle school was on their way to switching classes, 1st and 4th grade were just getting to lunch, and it was a blizzard outside! (I am actually exaggerating, but it was really cold!)

So there we all were 600 children and teachers all freezing, no coats waiting for the fire department to come and clear the building. So we huddled together like penguins to warm the children for 30 minutes in the cold. I get it, we were trying to keep everyone safe, but wowza, that was a long 30 minutes!!

Turns out bathroom spray, if sprayed near a fire alarm, will in fact, make it go off and force an evacuation!

The rest of the day was a fog, no plan, 15 minutes for lunch and then a long afternoon of kids who did NOT want to do math!

Then I got a call from my mister saying he was having a wisdom tooth pulled?!? This day could not have been more strange! Turns out, his toothache this weekend, was really a cracked wisdom tooth! He is tough, I tell you. He had the sucker pulled and was back to work by 3. Crazy I tell you!

Then, as if the day was not crazy enough we had staff bowling tournament in our hallway with, that's right frozen turkeys... 

While my team, the Cool Whip Mamas, did not win, we were surprisingly good at whipping a frozen turkey down a hallway! 

After all the weird, I am THANKFUL to be home in my warm house, on Thanksgiving break. Bring on the Turkey!

Thankful

This year and well, every year, really, we have so much to be thankful for! I don't know why I never thought to do this, but this year. I erased everything off my kitchen chalkboard and each night at dinner we have been writing down things we are thankful for...

Somethings that made list are silly and trivial, some tell a story and some are big, but I hope that my kiddos see how great they have it!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Thanksgiving!

It has been a week! Oh my... I was worried we would just be lying around the house in turkey coma for days, but hence, we managed to fill the WHOLE weekend!
After a lousy start to our loonngg weekend, I was so sick, Thanksgiving went off without a hitch!

Kellen allowed us to sleep in until 8, I know right?! We watched the Macy's parade. it was not great this year. I am disappointed that every time I stopped to watch it was Broadway people, just dancing. Even Callie who is an avid parade groupie, gave up on it and went to roller skate in the basement. Try harder next year Macy's, you are losing the Wood family viewership.

We headed over to my parents house and started the festivities early!
We had such a blast hanging out with the family and gorging ourselves with delicious treats and it was like 60 degrees, it doesn't get much better than that!

I like to start off the day by torturing my family with a barrage of pictures! They actually came out pretty well! If only we could get that boy to smile.

My pies were a hit! I was pleasantly surprised that they came out. I even got compliments from my grandpa, who is the spouse of the pie queen!

After food fest 2015, we went home to put up the Christmas tree and decorations. Well, that was another adventure with a 1 year old. I forgot how they like to destroy things...So on Friday we had a special Pinterest craft just for Kellen, more on that later.

We spent the rest of the night getting out all of our Christmas treasures, including our tacky white tree, more on all the decorating shenanigans later as well.

"Helping" with the tree

Kellen loved the lights on the tree, but was blinded by the flash, another crazy face picture.

This girl loves hanging up the ornaments, she did a wonderful job!

aannndd, we were finished and it was time to wrestle with daddy!

So the decorating is pretty much done, but now I just have to get started on my shopping, oy!