Thanksgiving

We spent Thanksgiving here, all alone.  It was kind of awesome!  I have never made a Thanksgiving meal before, I was kind of excited but obviously scared because I wussed out and didn't make a turkey.  My friend and I (Marisa) food swaped.  She made Turkey, rolls, and gravy and gave it to me and I made mashed potatoes, yams, and stuffing and gave it to her.  I also *thought* I was swapping pies with my friend Charity but we miscommunicated and the night before thanksgiving found I we weren't.  So I made all 4 pies by myself.

Jason was really cute and insisted I take these pictures of my food.  I made a pumpkin pie (which got eaten Thanksgiving morning ;), a chocolate cream, apple, and lemon meringue pies.

I was teasing with my neighbor because she was having people over for Thanksgiving and she was stressed to be cooking for 8 people - I said, "well... I cook for 8 people every single day."  Kinda crazy.  I wouldn't have it any other way. (well... Eve isn't eating yet... so I guess I am not quite there yet)

 

Noah's plays

Noah has really come to love theater and is very good at it as well.  He missed out on several plays last spring and summer due to Covid.  He had been looking forward to being in middle school so he could do the school plays.  Well... as the story goes... covid changes everything.  We knew the school wouldn't to a "real" play so we found a little theater company that said they would do a real play.  The production was "10 ways to survive a Zombie Apocalypse".  Noah was stocked and LOVED it.  It was the best play experience we have had so far.   First of all it was twice a week for 4 months!  He loved going and he said he felt really happy when he was there and didn't want it to ever be over.  He got a great relationship with the rest of the cast and felt connected to them.  The play was supposed to be performed on December 4th - but the week before Thanksgiving they said that the county was going to shut them down due to rising COVID numbers and that they would just record the play that week - whether they were ready or not.  They made a recording schedule and sent it out.  Noah's play was supposed to shoot that Sunday.  We don't usually participate in sports or go to birthday parties on Sunday - but hadn't really faced something like this.  I felt sick about it.  I felt like given the circumstances we should let him do it.  Jason felt like we should just ask him.  As soon as we told Noah that they were shooting on Sunday and that it was his choice he said, "well, that's not even a choice, I would never do that on Sunday."  Oh - ok, end of conversation.  I emailed the director and told them Noah's decision - they said that they would film it that night just for Noah.  He was thrilled.

The school did a virtual play.  All the kids were just at home shooting their part.  It was "10 ways to survive Covid".  I thought Noah wouldn't want to do it because a virtual play sounds... lame.  But he did it and loved it.  Since both plays were recorded and we watched them at home we told him he is more like a movie star now and we watch his premier rather than go to his play.  haha

 

Da babies

PICUTRE OVERLOAD!  But I don't care.  We LOVE OUR BABIES over here.  Everyone loves to play and cuddle and just hang out with.  They all say how happy it makes them feel to be with or play with Dane or Eve.  These pictures are from October to December.

The girls want Eve to sleep in their room so bad.  Madison was "showing me" how Eve could sleep in her bed with her.  haha - don't worry I watched Madison do this, took the picture and then get her out and explained why Eve can't sleep like that.

But who doesn't LOVE sleeping with a baby?  This was in the AM and they were both awake when I jumped in the shower and found them both asleep by the time I got out.

There actually isn't a lot of this going on around here...

Sadly, I rarely have alone time with both babies.  Between Jason working from home and remote school I always have helpers - and they are on opposite nap schedules.  So it is RARELY the three of us.  But I actually love it when it does happen (obviously it wasn't even happening here... someone is taking the picture).

I loved this picture of Brock.  He is watching a football game one Saturday with the babies.  He wasn't babysitting or anything.  From the kitchen I heard him say, "just take your binkey, you'll be happier if you don't spit out your binkey".  haha.  He has often said to me "I think I am going to be a good dad."  Yes he is!

Dane's favorite activity is still reading.

Eve loves playing under her play arch.

I mean...

Between 4 kids and a preschool I have way too many toys for a toddler.  So I bring up a "new toy" from the basement (Dane doesn't go in the basement) every few weeks and then take a toy back down.  This week we had the barn and animals up and he was so cute with them.  Madison also loved playing with him with the barn. (other toys I rotate: giant blocks, wood blocks, marble run, train tracks, roads, - I have more, those are all I have done so far)

My mom and Ashley are always asking me to text them pictures of Eve.  I do it on the days I actually dress her and put a bow in her hair (about once every 2 weeks) other wise she is in a onesie or jammies all day.

She LOVES her toes

Above is Eve and below is Madison - in the same outfit.

Dane thinks that shoveling is what men do.  If it snows he MUST go out and shovel it.

Me and Eve watching Dane shovel

Any mother of a toddler will appreciate this picture.  "up, up"

Dane sure liked the pie he got!

She sits!!  About mid December.

One day before church.

Eve and Dane are just starting to interact with each other.  I love it.  By both adore each other.

Because of Corvid there is NOTHING you can go do with a toddler when it is cold or snowy outside - no McDonald play place, no library stuff, no chuck e cheese, no aquarium or children's museum.  So Dane and I just wander the neighborhood.

She has started eating.  I purposefully put it off as loooong as possible.  I just didn't see how I could fit it into my day.  The making of the food and the feeding of the food.  I still don't see how, but I did it with a leap of faith!

Since Dane isn't in nursery and there are no library story times to go to he doesn't know toddler stuff.  So we do a "Dane" family home evening where we ALL PARTICIAPTE (I capitalize that because I have to remind ALL of them every week that we ALL DO IT, for Dane's sake).  We sing songs like head shoulders knees and toes, and once their was a snow man and play games like duck duck goose.  They all actually love it and seeing Dane loves it makes it even better!