If you give a kid a pile of dirt…

He will climb to the top of the pile and try to dig a hole big enough to jump into.  Where does he move the dirt away to, you ask?

Using his super strong, super big muscles, he fills his wheelbarrow and moves the dirt an astounding 3 feet away…just to start making another, newer dirt pile.

Oh, but wait!  He’s not done with dirt pile #1, just yet.  Uncle Zach to the rescue with a clever idea!  SCIENCE PROJECT!

Equal parts baking soda + vinegar…well, maybe a little more vinegar for good measure =

a homemade volcano, my friends.

See that grin on his little lips?

Before the bubbles have had time to fizzle out, he’s already thinking of making either 1) another volcano, or 2) burying the bubbles and mixing in as much dirt into them as possible to make some fresh mud.

A mud pile…a dirt pile.  It’s all the same big pile of endless fun for this kiddo.

Making Thanksgiving calories count.  That’s what matters when it comes to Thanksgiving food.  Eating full-on Thanksgiving dinners twice; once with Chans and then with Woods.  This takes 2 full days dedicated to each family to get this kind of no-holds barred eating done.

No low-fat substitutions, no dieting; cheese alone and on everything.

Fried turkeys (x2) and hunky husbands.

Mini chile rellenos and green chile: unconventional, I know.  But super-delish.

Fried turkey #1: prepared by Papa and Phanny, carved by Joel.  Aiden was concerned that the turkey was just a “really big chicken”…oh no, son, this bird is surely a T-Day turkey.  Turkey monitoring ensures a deliciously fried bird.

Traditional stuffing, corn casserole (see the cheese?), and fried turkey #1.

These kids can’t wait to eat.

These Aunties, Uncles and this little cousin were desperately missed from T-Day festivities.

Pumpkin chucking and wheelbarrow races to burn some calories after dinner @ Woods’.

Stick a fork in them @ Chans’; we’ve out done ourselves once again.

So thankful to have spent the time prepping food, visiting, laughing and gobbling it all up with the family.

My heart is happy.

With deep fried turkey love,

~pw

I am thankful for so many wonderful blessings that fill my life with so much happiness.

I am overjoyed by the innocent, fearless, pure love and kindness that my boys show me each and every day.  And so proud of them for exhibiting those same emotions towards every person they interact with.  Other than the occasional temper tantrum, typical of kids these ages, there are no mean bones in their little bodies.

These grins, these chubby cheeks, the baby fat, the lights in their eyes, the halo…oh, you don’t see it?  Look closer, it’s there.  They just beg to be snuggled.

I am thankful for my wonderful husband, who spends every minute of the day doing something that is for the good of our family.

He tucks Aiden into bed every night, and doesn’t kick him out of our bed when he tiptoes into our room saying he’s “having trouble sleeping” in his own bed, or he’s sure he heard a coyote.

He watches Drew with an eagle eye when Drew, my little tiger, tries to bite off more chicken nugget than he can chew.

…and he loves me and lets me be crazy me.

I am thankful for Nana & Papa, who are truly my inspiration, my biggest fans and my heroes.  They are survivors, they are superheroes, and they are my mom & dad.  They challenge me to be my best, they are here for me and the boys whenever I need them and yet simultaneously also there for each of my siblings, always.

Home, to me, is wherever mom & dad are.

I am thankful for my siblings.  Thankful for the relationships I have with each of them.  Thankful for their opinions (good or bad), their successes and their support.  They are also there whenever I need them to be, by phone, email, text or in person.  Dad always said (something like, roughly translated), “you only get each other, once”.  So true.

Thankful our flip-flopped toes didn’t freeze off in the chilly Seattle mountain air.

I am thankful for my babies, my man, my family.  My job, my house, my messes, my health.  My loves, my life.

My cup runneth over.

Aiden says the funniest things.  His latest is a custom interpretation of the nursery rhyme, “Ba Ba Black Sheep”:

Ba Ba Black Sheep

Any had-e more?

Yes, Sir, yes! And three bags full

One for the Mister

One for the Day

And one for the old kid who lives in the rain

Ba Ba Black Sheep

Any had-e more?

Yes, Sir, yes! And three bags full!

We can’t bring ourselves to correct him because it’s so stinking cute!  But honestly, I had to Google the words because I didn’t actually know what he was singing at first.  ♥