Visiting Santa

The day after Thanksgiving, Santa came into Old Town on a firetruck at 2 p.m.  Benjamin and William took off for home (and to pack for Santiago, Chile!) about 1:30 p.m.  Emerson, Saddie, and I took off for Old Town.

 We missed Santa on the firetruck, but the line to see Old St. Nick was short.  Emerson was so excited to talk to Santa.  When we got closer, he was more excited...until...he noticed Santa's hand shaking on the back of the little one who was just ahead of Emerson. 

I could tell he was a little nervous, but he still wanted to talk with Santa. 

 He told Santa about a monster truck he wanted, then promptly started to get off Santa's lap.  I asked him to let me take a picture (or two:)) first, which he did. 

 I'm not sure what Santa whispered to him, but after giving Emerson a candy cane, we started walking away. 

All of a sudden I hear, "Judy Len," and I looked back to see my mom sitting on Santa's lap!

 She told him she wanted a jag...
a dark green jag,
a 1999 jag...

 Santa told her to keep dreaming!

I guess you're never too old to have a wish!

Playing Monopoly

Emerson got Monopoly Junior for Christmas.  Papa is a ruthless player...winning game one by a long shot...and winning game two in the same way...

Emerson is a great game player.  Earlier, he and I played 7 games of Sorry...then his Dad joined us and we played two more... His a Dad winning the first game ... "Beginner's luck"... But Emerson won the last one.

What fun to play games!

Last Thanksgiving post

 Ron is our turkey carver...he likes to be a bit dramatic when he starts to 'carve the bird'.... He always says the same thing, "This is SO foul!" 

 

William was absorbed in the football game while we were getting dinner ready...

 "The bird"

 After dinner, we were trying to decide where to take a group shot.  Outside?  It definitely had the best light.  However, the grass was wet...and Saddie wasn't real keen on the outside location...it would have been a bit of a hassle with all the wet feet...

 There was pretty good light coming in through the windows...so the hearth became the location... My big boys posed for me so I could check out the light...

 Emerson was getting 'all duded up' with his hair slicked back and his cool shirt!

 We started gathering for the picture...

 We probably took about 10 shots before we decided on having the big boys stand behind Lindsey and Donnie... plus, it took about 10 shots for everyone to be looking the right direction...

 

It's so important (to me) to always take a group shot.  You never know how the family will be different the next time we're together.  We're missing a lot of our family...but this is who we had together for Thanksgiving, 2013!

Christmas dinner

 We had a sweet Christmas dinner...just three of us... Ron, Gabe, and myself...

 The menu...spiral cut ham, squash casserole, corn casserole, green bean bundles, and hot rolls...oh yeah, and some vino.

 I made several new recipes today from my newest cookbook!  Earlier, I made blue corn blinis...oh man, were they delicious!!!  They were an appetizer... They were a little yeast patty of blue cornmeal/flour/yeast...etc.  That was topped with an avocado cream, then baby shrimp, then pico de gallo, then more avocado cream.  That recipe is a definite keeper!  The green bean bundles were a new recipe.  The beans were marinated for about 4-5 hours, then wrapped in a half piece of bacon and baked.  YUM!  Another keeper.  The rolls were also a new recipe...they were good, but I like my old standby roll recipe much better. 

 Not a great photo of us...but Gabe had just come in from washing his car and mine...and I had been in the kitchen awhile... but my guy, thankfully, took a photo of us anyway!

It was a quiet, peaceful, relaxing Christmas day...

Tomorrow, Emerson will be here!  Oh boy!!!

5th Thanksgiving post

 This 5th post is a random sampling of photos.  Papa was holding his youngest....Mr. William...

 how sweet is this????

 Emerson, with his monster truck in hand, was listening to ... probably his Papa..... I think Saddie was getting ready to sweeten her coffee...

 William especially loved holding a monster truck since his cousin, Emerson, had monster trucks.  William ADORES Emerson!

 

Saddie and Emerson

 My baby girl was making herself some tea...

 Donnie... reading a book while eating breakfast...

 Saddie with the older boys...

 Hold on...here's William!  He does NOT want to be left out!

Trying to get a picture of these 3 boys at the same time... Impossible!  But it's definitely fun to try!

4th Thanksgiving post

 The boys were really enjoying playing on the iPad and the Kindle Fire.  Each one had different games.

 They were so good at taking turns...

 and absolutely cracking up with laughter at times...

 

Emerson's stance...looks like the way his Mimi stands!

 Of course, William wanted to be included...but I don't think they shared the iPad or the Kindle with him.

 I love the sound of their laughter!

3rd Thanksgiving post

 These Thanksgiving posts are a bit slow in coming.  The reason:  my iPad.  Yep, that's the reason.  I will take out the iPad and check email and facebook and search for whatever I need/want to search for.  It's just so convenient...and so my laptop...with all the pictures...and with the best platform for blogging...isn't being used as much.  THAT's the reason for not posting as often.

That needs to change!

So here we are on the 3rd Thanksgiving post.  It was a day for a project.  My guy had a post break...a post by the wood pile...a post that he stacks the wood against.  Donnie and Benjamin to the rescue!  Donnie is a project man like Joshua...and like my guy.  Benjamin is turning into one, too. 

 Papa bought him some gloves that fit...you know, working gloves! 

 

Benjamin was listening to his daddy's instructions...

 

The new post was put in...and even a second post was added to the repair job...

 Of course, the clean up is important.  Benjamin helped in that department too...carrying the levels back to the garage....

 The gloves came off....the car came out of his pocket...

 

and he decided to see what 'activity' was going on next door....

Your Papa thanks you for your help, Benjamin....and you, Donnie!