Turkey Day, and More

The theme of the week was thankful, and thankful we are indeed! It has been a fantastic five days. Since I normally work on Thursdays, I had the day off for Thanksgiving...which actually gave me five days off in a row. I was inordinately excited about this extra day off. I only work 2.5 days a week, but I cannot usually claim those 20 hours to be the most joyous of them all. So, the extra 8 hours of The Good Life this week was appreciated and enjoyed.

Vacation kicked off on Monday night with a happy hour with my mom/aunts/cousins. I put in my one full day on Tuesday, and after that, I met up with some cousins who were in town at my Aunt and Uncle's house. Wednesday was awesome...Gavin graduated his level at swim class and got his medal. He was obsessed with it and wore it all day. He even slept with it that night. On Wednesday evening, we met up with some good, old friends at the Railroad Park. The kids went crazy, we drank wine out of to-go coffee cups, and we were grateful to see our dear friend who had recently moved to Chicago.

My sweetest things.

Naked lightsaber fight.

A proud moment for G!

I guess I'm a little too lax about letting G2 climb on the playground structure. A random mom brought him over to me because she was so worried about how high he had climbed. Doh.

Graham loved his train ride with D

Thursday was the big day. We took it easy in the morning, and it was the nicest, happiest morning I could remember in months. We watched the parade and lounged around while making sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie. In the afternoon, we loaded up to go to my parents' house. There were nine cousins...all boys...who had a great time running around the backyard and later playing at the neighborhood park. It was a smaller Thanksgiving by our standards, and it was really nice.

Showing off his muscles, and still wearing the medal.

Graham driving "Mommy's truck" to the park.

Sumer pitching to G.

On Friday morning, we were up and at 'em and ready to decorate for Christmas! The tree was up and the mantle was decorated by 9am. It was the first time that Gavin really took an interest in the process, and it made it so much fun. In the afternoon, we took a trip up the hill for Harper's 5th birthday party in Prescott. This wasn't your ordinary birthday party...bounce house, face painting, a hot chocolate bar, pinatas, a full bar for the adults, incredible party favors, delicious food and an amazing cake. We were happy to catch up with friends, and the boys were entertained for hours. They zonked out as soon as we got in the car to head home and slept the entire two hours. It was a successful trip, and with the unusual heat we've had, we were happy to go where it was a few degrees cooler.

Doing Christmas through the eyes of a child is just the best.

It was so hot outside...who needs clothes to decorate?

Getting his face painted for the first time!

The whole crew

Batman!

Even G2 got a Mickey Mouse on his arm

Cake with cousins!

Soooo sweet.

Candy time!

We made Saturday an early morning to go to a make-up swim class since G will be missing it this week. From there, we played at the park for a bit before heading to the Scottsdale Quarter for the Santa Social. We were unintentionally super early, but it turns out that getting there 45 minutes early is really the only way it is worth it to get your free picture with Santa. I was fourth in line and waited all morning while the boys played at the Quarter. By the time Santa showed up, the line that snaked up and down the splash pad was completely full of people. After we took our photo and warmed up (on the 85-degree day) with a free hot chocolate, the line was overflowing. I don't know why anyone would wait in that line with small children for a free photo. The Santa was great, but the photo quality was poor. People were showing up with little girls in dresses with curled hair and I wanted to tell them to spend the money and go to Fashion Square for a legit Santa photo session. I was glad we did it, but I wouldn't have done it if we hadn't shown up when we did. Lesson learned for next year!

Playing on this new spinning chair at the Scottsdale Quarter

Gavin, a total sugar junkie, goes crazy for hot cocoa.

A very sub-par photo with Santa. Gavin's eyes! Haha. G2 wouldn't sit without crying, so we made it a Party of 5.

Back at home, painting ornaments. 

On Sunday, we met the family bright and early for a bike ride on the Green Belt with all five boys in tow. We brought Gavin's bike, and he gave it a good try, but for the most part, he rode in the bike trailer. The crowded Green Belt was not an easy place for him to ride as a beginner. We hardly get to practice with him because the dirt roads out here aren't optimal for beginner bike riders. Hopefully soon he'll get it down. Dylan had Graham in a seat on the back of his bike and also towed the trailer, which held Gavin and his bike. It was a heavy load, but he did great! Afterward, we had a chaotic and fun family breakfast on the patio at 5 and Diner. The weekend wrapped up with chores around the house. The dog ran away again, for like the 1000th time, except this time we really couldn't find him. I actually got in my car to look for him, which I've never done before. We all but declared him eaten by a coyote when he came prancing up the street and right back into the garage. Stinker. That dog will live forever, I'm pretty sure.

What a bunch!

Daddy the pack mule

These five boys! 

He drew a "Christmas ornament" on his hat at 5 and Diner.

Gavin is really becoming quite the artist, in addition to a master Lego builder.

He was so proud of this treasure map that he drew!

It was a completely fantastic five days, and I wish it didn't have to end. But alas, real life is upon us, and that is okay too. It's the most wonderful time of the year, and I plan to enjoy every bit of it.

Halloween, etc.

Well, the boys started off the week with a bang. They were in the capable hands of my parents on Monday while D and I reported to duty at our respective jobs. Super Nonna took both boys, along with their cousin, to the Railroad Park by herself. Because Super Nonna is afraid of nothing. And of course, they all had a great time!

Papa drawing the train and cattle car for G at home afterward.

G took a ride in the cattle car by himself while Nonna took the little ones. 

Three of the sweetest!

After that, we got on with the business part of the week...but we were sure to squeeze in all the festivities of Halloween! My mom, the real MVP of the week, got to Gavin's school before the parade to help him into his costume. I reported to work for one hour and then zoomed back up north to watch Gavin take a couple laps around the playground before it was back on-duty for the rest of the day. In the afternoon, my mom got the boys from school so we could get a head start on Halloween. I met up with everyone that evening at Jojo's house. It's a tradition we look forward to every year! The boys ate pizza with their cousins, and then it was photos in costumes before trick-or-treating.

Um, his costume may have been a tad on the large side.

He was SO happy to see me during the parade. It made it more than worth it to go see him.

Graham was a bit of a pill in his costume, and he would scream and scowl any time somebody pointed a camera in his direction. He was the cutest little Elmo, but definitely not the most cooperative one. It took a fair amount of work to pull off this day, and all I wanted was a picture with my boys in their costumes. I didn't end up getting a good shot...but it wasn't for lack of trying.

Take one...

Let's try this again...

Not satisfied.

Finally, before we headed home for the night, my mom snapped this one, and I decided to call it good enough.

Gavin had a blast trick-or-treating with his cousins, and he was so proud of himself for filling up his bucket. Once we got out on the street, Graham was happy as can be and kept up with the big kids pretty well!

Cousins pizza party!

Thank goodness Papa was there to do my heavy lifting!

The Elmo to my Cookie Monster was not feeling so photogenic

After about seven or eight houses, this mom was spent. We said farewell to the group and headed back to the car for a curbside bedtime routine. My little lads didn't even fight it. They were spent, too. I was so glad that I had thought to throw toothbrushes and PJs in the car before we left in the morning in an attempt to avoid a bedtime disaster back at home. (I'm sure none of the trick-or-treaters passing by minded the diaper change out of the back of my car.) It was a long day but overall a very good Halloween. I was able to plop Gavin right into his bed, and I never heard another sound out of him for the night.

Graham was still full of P&V the whole way home, but Gavin slumbered peacefully with his candy safely snuggled in his lap.

That was a wrap for Halloween. We pulled it off, but I do hope that (for the next few years, at least) Halloween and a work day for me and a travel day for Dylan don't all fall on the same day again. Solo parenting sometimes takes more than I have to give, even on non-holidays. I was so thankful for the assist from my mom and the meal from Jojo. I couldn't have done it without my team!

After that, we carried on with our merry lives, which included a trip to the park on Wednesday. Thursday was normal, and so was today. Until, of course, I dropped the boys with my parents (again!) some time shortly after 3pm and called the rest of the evening mine. A solo shopping trip and a quiet house to myself for the night...rarer than a snowbird in hell but the absolute best way to spend a Friday, as far as I'm concerned.

He is such an adorable, playful, silly little monkey...but he also has a feisty side to him that cannot be tamed!

A gingerbread turkey and a 4-year-old too cool for photos (in his underwear).

Bubbles and basketball at Nonna and Papa's house this afternoon.

Nonna dug up some Batman PJs...G's fav!

My fuse had run short, and I was not acting the best version of myself by Day 5 of holding down the fort on my own, so I think this was best for everyone. And then my mom texted to tell me that Gavin said, "I love my mom so much, she's my favorite," and the night got even better. Well, the weekend is upon us, and it should be all smiles from here on out.