Thanksgiving Festivities

Thanksgiving was a month ago, but I am finally blogging about it. Better late than never!

We have a tradition of doing our Christmas decorating and tree buying on Black Friday. A few years ago, my sister and I would go shopping on Black Friday, but now it's a full blown family day. With my sister always gone on Thanksgiving, I lost my shopping partner and this tradition evolved... and I do love it!

We went to one Christmas tree farm for a few years, but we haven't been since 2010 because it closed down. So last year we visited a new one about 40 minutes out of town, and we loved it. So we went again this year.

When you first pull up you see a big red barn. Inside the barn they have free treats, a few goods the sell, and a craft area for the kiddos all set up. My kids really enjoy making the pinecone angels!

They can also make a picture frame out of colored tongue depressors, and then they color the picture--like Boushka is doing here.

Here is daddy with his hot cider and a baby boy all bundled up. He is such a good daddy--always willing to do baby duty so I can capture the memories.

Here's the kiddos at the craft table.

Once the crafting is complete, we hop on a hay-rack ride and venture out to the trees.

I have a thing for Douglas Firs--which are imported to this particular farm--so that is what we get each year. I know they can be conveinent, but I just can't imagine skipping the real tree experience and sticking with a fake.

Here are all the kids with mama.

Both years that we've visited this farm, it has been really cold and windy. Thank goodness they have a warming hut with a stove and coffee. This hut also offers some great picture spots.

Once we warmed up, I had the kids squish onto a bench outside the hut. They're too cute.

Once we had the tree all tied down, we snapped one quick picture outside the big barn. Can you tell it was extremely sunny that day?

Saturday we had Thanksgiving at my mom's house. There was quite the spread. I kept forgetting to take pictures at the actual family gatherings like I normally do. In fact, I think this would've been the only picture at my mom's if it hadn't been for the fact that my Uncle and Aunt surprised us with a visit. So of course, then it occured to me to take picutres.

My mom's brother, Uncle Lysle, holding Hunk for the first time. Quite the pair. Hunk was close to being born on his great uncle's birthday, but missed it by a week.

Here's all the kidlets with their great uncle.

My Aunt Carolyn and Hunk.

And here's my aunt, uncle and mom.

After they left, I guess my camera stayed out because I did get some pictures of the girls opening their Christmas pj's.

They were tickled to get them.

This one is holding a new dress as well. Each girl got a new Christmas dress and boots (to boot)!

We celebrated with Matt's family on Thanksgiving this year, but I didn't get a single picture. It seems that one holiday per year, I forget to capture one celebration. Though I don't think it's "forget" as much as "don't have time because I'm chasing 5 kids and nursing one." At least that's what it was this year. His grandma had a bunch of us over for a great lunch. It was a nice day, so the kids got to run around outside a lot this year. Of course, Uncle Mike and Aunt Amy chased them--and the girls loved every minute of it!