Thanksgiving Day 2010

We celebrated Thanksgiving at Doug's parent's house this year. Doug's brother Greg was home from Seattle for only a few days and we wanted to see him as much as we could while he was here. We started out the day at the movie Tangled with Alden & Samantha for late morning movie. Doug's Grandma Holman babysat Clair while we were at the movie. The movie was great and was a good movie to see before we leave for Disney World in a few days! After the movie, we picked up Clair and headed out to Doug's parent's house for a late lunch/early supper. Dinner was delicious! Doug's mom is such a wonderful cook!

Samantha's Preschool Thanksgiving Feast

Samantha's preschool had a Thanksgiving feast during her preschool class last Monday. The parents brought food and then we joined them for the feast. The kids had fun getting to pick out their own food and carry their own plates! The girls decorated bonnets and the boys made pilgrim hats. Alden and Clair joined Doug & I in the feast. There was everything from jello jigglers to turkey to stuffing muffins! Samantha really loves her class this year!

The start of our Christmas season...

We had family Christmas pictures taken on Sunday, November 21st at Oakview Mall in Omaha. They went absolutely horrible! And Clair hit her head on one of the stools in the studio. Her bump swelled up pretty big and we called it quits. After pictures were done visited Santa. Alden & Samantha did well, but Clair wanted nothing to do with that big scary, hairy old man. :)

That evening, we put up our Christmas tree (a little early because of our upcoming Disney trip). The kids helped me put the ribbon on this year and did a great job! We each put on our favorite ornaments - including our new ones from this year: Samantha - Jessie from Toy Story; Alden - Animal from The Muppets (playing the drums); and Clair - Mickey Mouse Choo Choo Express. The kids really enjoyed hearing about why we have certain ornaments and it was fun explaining it to them! Clair was a lot of trouble while putting up the tree. She always had to be in on what we were doing. She loved to lay on Doug's lap under the tree while he tried top pug all the lights in together. She also tried to climb the step stools we were using! She also wanted nothing to do with a picture at the end of the night!

Samantha's Friend Party

We celebrated Samantha's birthday one final time on Sunday, November 14th with her friends. We had 11 of her closest friends over to Doug's parent's house for a Jessie Cowgirl Party!

Samantha wore her new Jessie tutu made by my friend Lori Field (www.lanielouwho.com) and her Jessie cowgirl hat! We played ring toss, stick horse races, pin the cowgirl hat on Jessie, pass the cowgirl boot (similar to hot potato), and some balloon relay races! Doug even held the pinata since it was pretty chilly outside and we decided to stay indoors. (At times he was scared for his life! Some of those kids know how to whack a pinata!) We had cupcakes (made by Cupcake Island in Omaha) that looked like a Holstein cow and Samantha opened her presents! She had a blast and so did the other kids did, too. I think their favorite part was just getting to play with all the toys at the end of the party!

Nebraska Basketball

Doug took Samantha & Alden to a Nebraska Basketball game on Friday, November 12th. It was raining out when they got to the game, and snowing out by the time they left the game! The kids had fun at the game. They sat by our friends Joel & Beth and had lots of popcorn! They didn't get to meet Herbie or Little Red, so that was disappointing. But, they had fun watching the students play a game at half time similar to musical chairs. (When asked what their favorite part of the game was, they will tell you when they dribbled in circles - meaning the students @ halftime!) It was really slick out when they left after halftime and took them 2 hours (double the time) to get home to Plattsmouth!

Girl's Night Out

Samantha wanted to go out with just the girls on her actual birthday - Tuesday November 9th. Doug & Jim had a dental meeting in Omaha and my dad watched Alden. We went to Red Robin in Papillion and had a great time! Grandma Nancy, Grandma Sandy, Great-Grandma McKnight, Auntie Debra, Janelle, Jamie, Aunt Jodi, Aunt Janet, Katie, Clair, & I all joined her. She even got an ice cream sundae and a special birthday song sung by the Red Robin staff!

Samantha's Family Birthday Party

We celebrated Samantha's 5th Birthday with a family party on Sunday, November 7th house @ Grandma & Grandpa McKnight's house. She had a "Jessie" party (from Toy Story). Basically, a cowgirl party. Grandma McKnight made a cowgirl hat just like Jessie's! It looked amazing (and tasted just as good, too)! Guests included: Grandma & Grandpa McKnight, Grandma Nancy, Nebraska City Papa, Uncle Chris, Auntie Debra, Mike, Aunt Jodi, Alden, Clair, Doug, & myself. She had fun opening gifts. She got a Jessie doll from Doug & I; Dress Up Jessie outfit from Alden; Toy Story 3 from Clair; Aqua Sand from Jodi; Money for Disney World, Tinkerbell 3 Movie, Rupunzel Market Set, & Princess sticker book from Grandma Nancy & uncle Chris; Money for college, Puzzle, Quilting Kit, & Sequence Kids game, from Grandma & Grandpa McKnight; and 2 books and money for travel fund from Auntie Debra & Uncle Greg. Grandma McKnight also made some tasty soup for soup that evening too!

Beer & Bagel Run

Myself & Doug before the race started.

My friend Beth & I before the race.

My workout buddies from the PCC.

Doug & I ran the 2010 Beer & Bagel Run @ Quarry Oaks Golf Course on Sunday, November 7th. It was a nice morning for a run and wasn't all that cold out (once you started moving around)! It was about 3.8 miles of fun! There were HUGE hills to go both up & down, there was a creek crossing where you had to use a rope to go down an the creek embankment and then claw your way back up the other side, and there was sand, gravel, and really think grass to run through. At the end there was beer & chilli waiting for us (I was told the bagels were the "pre-race" snack - which I missed). It felt good when we were done, however the pain during it was horrible! In the end, we will probably sign up for it again next year! :)

Halloween

Clair's silly, scary pumpkin that Doug carved.

Donald Duck (Alden's pumpkin) caved in a little before we snapped a picture of it)

& Minnie Mouse (Samantha's pumpkin)

Because Halloween was on a Sunday this year, we did A LOT of trick-0r-treating this year! We started on Friday morning at the Plattsmouth Community Center. After I got done teaching my Body Combat class, the kids paraded through the Community Center and Senior Center in their costumes. That afternoon was the annual Halloween Parade and trick-or-treating on main street in Plattsmouth. There were a lot more kids this year because of the beautiful weather! It was in one word - CRAZY! People everywhere, hard to move - CRAZY! The kids got lots of candy and I got my socializing in for the weekend! The kids even got in the Plattsmouth Journal in their costumes!

On Sunday, Halloween, the kids had to sing at church and then we threw there costumes on and went to lunch at Fazoli's on 78th & Cass in Omaha. After lunch, we went to Lowe's to visit Grandma Nancy @ work. She gave the kids some silly bands and each an activity book (instead of candy -which they didn't need more of). After Lowe's we went to Grandma & Grandpa McKnight's house and they got their special Halloween cookies made by Grandma. Next, was Great-Grandma & Great-Grandpa McKnight's house and then finally Great-Grandma & Great-Grandpa Holman's house. We headed home to regroup before Doug set off with Samantha & Alden for a few more stops at friends' houses around town. Clair & I stayed at home to make sure all the trick-or-treater's that rang our doorbell got a piece of candy and a toothbrush!