Our Thanksgiving

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving as we shared the day with my in-laws. This was my first time making the meal and I really enjoyed serving my family in this way. We are so blessed and it was a great day to remember those blessings while creating memories to cherish.

Our menu:
Spinach-and-Cranberry Salad with Warm Chutney Dressing
Green Bean Casserole
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Mashed Potatoes (my playgroup insisted they had to be on the table)
Cornbread Stuffing
Sugar-and-Spice Cured Turkey
Yeast Rolls
Pumpkin Cheesecake


Since I spent more time in the kitchen than behind the camera, I don't have many pictures to share. I did manage to snap this one of my table. I love to set the table, yet I rarely have the opportunity to bring out the china and crystal. It was so much fun to really go all out!

Our D.C. Trip and White House Tour

On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving we headed to D.C. (yes, on the busiest travel day of the year) for a tour of the White House. My in laws went to high school with the father of a man who works in the situation room of the White House and he arranged for a private tour. It was awesome! We had a wonderful time and were just amazed that we were there--walking where our past presidents had walked and standing at the door of the Oval Office. My mom-in-law and I even used the bathroom...not the same one the President uses...but, quite possibly the same one as Condoleezza Rice! It will definitely be a time I will never forget. Ella on the otherhand...just see the pictures!

Before the White House...at the Merry Go Round at a D.C. area mall. We love the new outfit from Mimi and Papa.

Enjoying time with Mimi.

We were early to the White House so we stopped to have some coffee and there was a great fireplace for the backdrop for some pictures.

Daddy, Mommy and Ella

In the Press Room, which is the only place inside we could take pictures.

The family outside under the seal. You can see what Ella thought about the experience. She fell asleep about halfway through the tour on Daddy's shoulder. The tour started at 8pm and her bedtime is typically 7pm, so she was tuckered out!

We wanted a picture of the three of us for our Christmas card, but this one will not be making the cut!

Our Injured Family

Chris and DoubleStuff have matching boo boos! Chris cut his finger while drying a glass and Dubs has a really bad ear infection that led to an ear that had to be drained. Both are healing quickly!!!

Ella Turns Two

Not three, and most definitely not five. When we ask Ella how old she is it takes her three tries for her to say that she is two. We are amazed that two years has passed since we were in the hospital waiting for her arrival.

We had a wonderful time celebrating our little girl with family and friends! Mimi and Papa came from Michigan and Nana and Poppy were here from Roanoke. The Philips Family and the Ferguson Family also joined us! And our special friend Carrie came from Richmond, too! Here are some highlights...

Ella's cake!

Enjoying cake and ice cream.

And mom thought I would be cleaner this year...little did she

know that chocoate cake is great for your skin.

Reading a birthday card.

Ella and Ethan playing with Ella's new shopping cart and food.

Ella on her new sofa from Uncle Tom, Aunt Emily, Cousin Kurynn and Cousin Marek.

The perfect place to read!

Enjoying Fall

We are enjoying the cooler temps, although I can't say we are a big fan of the end of daylight savings time. It is not even 6pm and I don't know what to do with Ella. It seems like she should be going to bed, yet we have another hour of fun to be had. I'm sure we will adjust to the change.

Below are some pictures from Halloween. Ella was a lamb (mommy's creation). She was a cutie and enjoyed visiting neighbors. At first she wasn't very happy about putting the costume on and I thought she would just be wearing a cute Talbots t-shirt with cats dressed up but she got used to it. You can tell from the first picture that she was not impressed by the 500 pom poms that I glued onto a onesie. By the end of the evening she was saying "baah" and laughing.

Mom, are you sure about this?

Maybe I will like it, if I get some sugar in me...

This is fun, bring on my friends.

With neighbors...they were a bit scary for Ella.

Ella with Ethan and Emelia.