November 27th:
Today we started cooking for the big meal. We made rolls and pies. Garrett, Lydia and I made the rolls and then Maggie and I made the pies.
These are all the rolls we made. I think we tripled my dad's recipe. They sure are good!
Maggie was supposed to make something that she's never made before for a requirement for Personal Progress, so she made a delicious apple pie that she found on the Pioneer Woman's website. It was so good!
This was it before she baked it. She did a great job! It's nice to have help in the kitchen.
During baths that night, these two were just giggling like crazy over nothing. It was so funny!
Later that night, we showed the movie "Willow" to Maggie, Lydia and Paige. They didn't quite like it as much as Garrett and I did. Honestly, it wasn't as good as I remembered it, though. It's been many, many years since I had seen it, though, so it was fun to see it again.
November 28:
Thanksgiving
After breakfast, we turned on the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade and watched that as we started cooking food. We always start with the stuffing. My in-laws were cooking the turkey, so we didn't need to have it made to go in the turkey. Growing up, I loved waking up to the smell of onions and celery being sauteed for the stuffing. It's one of my favorite smells.
We spent the day cooking and I think we ate around 3. I didn't have any fun crafts for the kids or anything like that, so they just did their own thing for most of the day.
The table setting
Our newest centerpiece. I found the cornucopia at goodwill, then went to the dollar store to find the fruit. I had the kids help me make it the night before. I thought it turned out cute.
Yummy dinner!
Lydia insisting on having the drumstick. She didn't get very far. It was pretty big!
Everyone hung out--kids played, adults napped (or tried to). Then we watched the movie "Elf" and had pie. We had 5 pies!! Georgia made 2, I made 2 and Maggie made 1. They were so good. We had apple, pumpkin, pecan, banana cream and Tollhouse (chocolate chip cookie) pie. We were stuffed--again.
November 29th:
Nothing very exciting happened today. Garrett was able to go shooting with 2 of his buddies and they were gone most of the day. I stayed home with the kids and spent the day taking down Thanksgiving decorations and the next 2 days putting up Christmas decorations. It may have been the earliest that I've ever been completely decorated--before Dec. 1st. I was pretty proud of myself. I wanted it all up before the people came to start fixing up our house.
November 30th:
In the afternoon, we went to get our Christmas tree. I think we go to a new place every year because we can never remember where we go in years past. We really liked the place we found this year.
Searching for the perfect tree...
Found one we liked. Although we couldn't find one as tall as we usually like.
We had hot chocolate and s'mores after we were done.
After we got home, Garrett started putting up the outside lights. I didn't ever take a picture though. I guess one year I should do that.
This was later in the evening as we were putting up our Nativity scene. I actually made this for a bulletin board that we used in primary years ago when I was the primary secretary. The kids love putting it up.
Garrett and I went to see "Captain Phillips" that night. It was really good and really intense!
December 1:
After church, and after the girls' bell practice, we decorated the tree.
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Before we started
Getting the lights on
Waiting for their turn to help
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Putting up the star
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Maggie had gone to her choir practice, so she didn't get to be in the final picture.
We love our tree!
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