Turkey Day Trek

Well, we did it. We packed 'em up and headed to visit family for the holiday. This was our 1st time traveling for a holiday since the Christmas after we got engaged. I can't decide which makes a more challenging 9+ hour drive-- a snow storm with road closings or 3 kids 4 and under. Kidding- that's an easy one- the kids are actually really great travelers so it makes our long car rides very doable. And the pay off is pretty big. The kids are usually pretty psyched up for all the excitement at our destinations. Wednesday we drove to Illinois and spent the night at my brother Brandon's house. We had the nine kids all spend the night there with us. It was a crazy night but we all made it through and it, as always, was so fun to have the kids get to be together.

May be their last coed bath-- It was cute none the less and I'm sure the boys when they are older will love that this was shared publicly.

Lola, oh my! I seriously debated sneaking this one off with me in my suitcase, but lucky for her momma and dad, I love her too much to do that to her =) She was pretty proud to show off her climbin' skills.

I got a kick out of the "great kid exchange" that was going on while we were there. It seemed like there were kids going and coming in all directions. Lori kept trying to get someone to go stay at her house overnight, and when she left alone Wednesday night, she only returned Thursday morning to stow away the girls with her for a while. I did not even realize she had taken my daughter until she was half way out the driveway and I was running down after her asking if she had my child- if she had shoes and a coat and a seat to ride in, haha! We headed to my grandparents for a while in the morning to spend some time and since we had lost one of ours we took in another- Ryan laughed as we were loading up- of all the kids we ended up with these two- probably the two biggest handfuls haha-- but Dean and Bennett had a great time together- despite what their faces are telling you in the picture =). We all reunited for an amazing lunch at my aunt and uncles house with about 30 people. I really didn't get great pics, we were just too busy and there were just too many people, so this was the extent of it.

Cash 4 Turkey.

Thanksgiving night we made the three hour drive from there to my parents house. We stayed for two days and I only took a few pics on the first day-- which was BRUTALLY cold, of course. The second day of weather was much better but of course my camera sat inside that whole day. 

Mom and dad were busy finishing up work in their new barn so they could get the horses in, but we enjoyed having some time there and of course getting to ride the pony and be there when the horses moved into their new home.

Trying to stay warm!! And lookin' cute while doin' it! OKay I ahd to share this-- I got a kick out of it-- this hat was HG's when she was little- this is Hannah Grace a month older than Sadie in the same hat...

 

Hannah it is coming over her eyes and hanging below her chin, while it barely covers Sadie's forehead and I struggled to velcro the chin strap- no wonder she wanted the thing off..... Haha..

Bennett and Sadie and their big heads.... I just don't know... Bennett;s new hat was a big kids size 7-8 and I could barely fit his over his three year old head!!!

"Nina" had a small Christmas tree out in the barn in her tack room for them to decorate.

This one's lucky we didn't eat her up for Thanksgiving... Little Turkey....

... or ham... whichever your preference....

Freezing their tootsies off but still lovin' it!

Brrrr!!!

Bennett actually wanted to ride this time and actually liked it, woohoo! Go Bennett! But check out his face below.... that is just a reflex from the icy wind blowing in his face, it was that cold when facing the wind.

We popped Sadie Pie up there and she seemed pretty happy with it-- she even cried when we took her down.

"Yeah, I got this"

And one with Nina and Papa.

And here are just a couple shots of the barn/ house. Almost finished and so nice!!!

We all had a great time celebrating how blessed we are and are so excited to carry it on through the Christmas season. We want our kids to always know how much we all have to be thankful for-- could there be a more fitting way to kick of the season of celebrating the birth of Christ?