A Thanksgiving Week

I really have a good excuse for my lack of blogging... Apparently, blogger gives you a basic amount of storage and once you hit the limit, there is a fee to upload pictures.  So, I have been trying to figure out if it was worth the fee to continue on with hasboys.  And obviously, by the number of pictures that are below, you will see that I decided to just pay.  So I am now financially vested into this blog.  ;)

Sunday/ Monday
Ok, last Sunday, Mantis, the boys, and I drove up to Gastonia and stayed the night with GrandmaDean.  We decided to go to the Schielle Museum in Gastonia on Monday and met up with Anna and her boys.  We basically had the museum conquered in a little over two hours.   The boys seemed to have fun though some of the exhibits were a bit over their heads.  I think they really liked the outdoor stuff and the Cowboys exhibit inside.

Not technically as this was a field trip. :)

In the Cowboy exhibit

Shepherd's turn

Caelum- such a funny one.

Owen saddling up

Mantis and the grandboys at the saloon.

no comment- just a Mantis moment

probably the thing they go the most excited about- the handicap elevator.  We got a key b/c of the strollers and the boys really enjoyed it

Mantis and the boys again

The moms and their boys

GrandmaDean and her great grands.   The oldest child and youngest child were the most well behaved for the pictures...as you can tell

An outdoor settlement... this really did go along perfectly with Hunter and I are doing in history right now.

Inside a wigwam--- another great visual for Hunter

Tuesday
Ashton had his little Thanksgiving program at school.  He did so good and sang loud without screaming. 

The most handsome little Indian

Singing with his class

Wednesday
A family friend of ours from when I was in elementary school offered to take the boys to Chuck E Cheese so that I could "get some rest."  I didnt rest, but I did get a lot of stuff done including my baking for Thursday.
 Though Shep likes going to Chuck E Cheese, he still is afraid when the rat comes out or getting too close to the mechanical rat... plus, it was during naptime so he didnt go.  But, Lisa and her daughter, Hannah came by in a bright red Mustang and took Hunter and Ashton.  They had such a good time with all the tokens and pizza and coke! 
Thanks Lisa and Hannah for the fun afternoon for the boys.

Thursdsay- Thanksgiving Day
We have a pretty nice set up for Thanksgiving Day in that we do lunch with my family then dinner with Chads.  It is so great to be able to celebrate with both families.

The next 8 pictures, Zach got ahold of the camera.... I am not responsible for the images below.

Anna

Queenie

Chad and me

Oh Lord--- Mantis

Nolan and Hunter lovin on Riggs

Ashton and Owen= best buds

The best turkey ever!  Seriously, the turkey this year was amazing

Uncle Nolan played Chutes and Ladders

2nd Annual Mason jar competition.  This year was hysterical in that Zach competed.  From left to right- 2nd place (Hannah with 5 points), 4th place (Zach with 11 points), 1st place (Mantis with 4 points), 3rd place (Nolan with 10 points).

Not a great picture mom, but it shows you just didnt have to stay in the kitchen!

Shepherd in the hammock

Took some pictures of Zach and his family.  Such a pretty/ handsome bunch!

The full family.

Mantis and Queenie with the grandboys

Post Thanksgiving football action- Chad nailed Hunter in the face with the ball... see corner of picture

Friday
I was not one of the crazy people who got up early or stayed up all night shopping.  I did make a trip into Kohls at 7:30 or so and was pleased to see that it was not too crowded.  I got a bit of Christmas shopping done including buying a gift for myself.  :) 
Chad and his dad also went to a football game Friday night, so the boys and I headed back up to my parents to go watch a tree lightning in a little community beside them.  It was ... quaint. 

Saturday
We got up and met Chad's family to head up to NC to cut down on Christmas trees and then eat lunch at one of Hub's favorite spots.  This is the 2nd year we have done this and it seems to be quite the tradition.  We picked out a really cute tree though it is a bit shorter than I thought... ha ha.  I said I wanted a small tree and I got one. 
 Once we got home, Chad and Hunter left to go to the Clemson/ S. Carolina game. Though we didnt like the outcome, I think Hunter had a really good time.  Ashton really wanted to go to, but Chad offered to take him to two Clemson basketball games by himself and he was all for that! So thankful, crisis averted. 

Papa Hub and Grandma and their grand kiddos.

The Blank family

Love this picture of Sandee and her girls.... so sweet!

Our family shot.

Before the stadium filled up (they had to get there super early to get their reserved tickets).  Dad dropped them off and mom picked them up so they didnt have to worry about parking.

Game getting ready to start.

Packed stadium!

Back at Mantis and Queenie's house watching the rest of the game with Riggs.  They just decided to stay the night at moms instead of driving all the way back home and not getting to watch the rest of the game.

Sunday
Mom and Dad picked up Shepherd and took him out to eat and shopping for his birthday.  He chose Mexican and then went to Wal Mart and picked out a power ranger for himself and one for Hunter and Ashton.  Mom and dad also got him a bike but it had to be ordered.
Dad then got up in my attic and got my Christmas stuff down.  I normally do it, but the ladder to the attic is broken plus being pregnant I didnt know how I was going to get the stuff down. I was then told I had no business going up there so I had Chad clean out our storage room to make space to put the extra Christmas stuff until after the baby comes and I can put everything back up.

The tree all lit up!

So, there was our week... pretty packed but a lot of fun.  Bring on December!