Thanksgiving - Full House!

We did a very poor job taking pictures during the Thanksgiving trip - probably because everyone else took great pictures.  My Dad sent out a link to his picasa site with pics from the entire visit, so if I can get my act together, I'll see if I can steal those and add them to a general Thanksgiving post.  We did lots of stuff.

Thanksgiving Day, Joanna and her roommate came up from Chicago to spend the day with us.  Joanna stayed with us, but Connie left a bit after dinner.  Art and I like to make a practice of having someone non-family with us for Thanksgiving dinner.  We asked a few people (like our Sr. Citizen Ms. Beanie), but everyone already had plans, so it worked out great that Connie could make it.  We played Scattegories a few times and had a thrown together lunch which was all fun.  We worked on the Thanksgivng meal on and off all day.  Dad graciously bought a turkey from Merle's again, Joy provided the pies, Faye wonderfully brought the green beans, the mashed potatoes and the yummy sweet potatoes!  Easy peasy meal!  Art, per his wishes, made the stuffing - his Oma Sweet's recipe.

On Friday we took a trip downtown.  We walked around, saw the bean, visited the German Christmas market, and then saw a movie in the private movie theater room in Joanna's apartment building (which was super super cool, and I want to do it again!).  Plenty of great pics, so I'll have to get them.  But, here are the very few we have from Thanksgiving day.

Ooo wee, I do love seeing men work in the kitchen!!  Creed helped put the top on the apple pie - made a cute GT.

chatting post-lunch

chatting post-lunch

Happy Baby!

Look how happy our little Nick is with having a house full of people who want to hold and kiss him!

Spending a few minutes of "alone time" in his jumpy

Thanksgiving - Food Craft

This year, all the Counts extended family were either very busy with upcoming weddings, or newly married, or very very far away....so my entire "Sklar" clan came to us for Thanksgiving.  Everyone wanted to check out the new place.  It was going to be a full house...until the C family informed us they were leaving for Thanksgiving and would love to have a house sitter, so we sent Staci and Creed to stay at their house (4 houses down the street from ours).  Worked out well for them b/c they were not on a mattress in our office floor, but a real bed in a house where there are no kids that either 1) wake up and cry in the night or 2) wake up and play at 6am!!

Still, a full house.

Aunt Joy came over on Wednesday morning.  Her specialty she does with the boys every visit is a craft - usually a food craft.  Mommy is a bit "challenged" with crafts...unless there are explicit instructions!

This year, Aunt Joy decided to make rice krispy treat pumpkins.  So cute (and good - yes, I ate the lion's share of them - It's my house, back off!)!!

They had a great time with Aunt Joy and always love doing crafts with her.  It was fun having a kitchen big enough for everyone to be in.  The big boys like to sit on the counter and be involved with stuff and look out the window.

Wyatt Swim Class

While we were not super excited about Wyatt in preschool for the Fall, we WERE excited about his swim lessons w/ preschool.  He has made SO much more progress with the Y than he had with us (same as Zachary, and many kids).  With us, he would not jump into the pool w/out holding our hands, and now, jumps in no problem, and even "swims underwater", though that is really putting his face in the water.  We are thrilled.

Wy wearing his shark swimsuit doing a great job kicking!

Wyatt is Baby Bird sleeping in his Nest

Wyatt loves to pretend that he is a baby bird.  Often he needs to make himself a nest.  Today's nest was made of many stuffed animals.  He was very proud of his nest, and when it came time for a nap, he requested he be allowed to sleep in his nest.  In the words of Wyatt, I said "Sure, Why Not?".  So cute!

Wyatt napping for real in his baby bird nest

Futbol

Or Soccer for us Americans.
Zachary decided he would like to play indoor soccer again this year.  Unbeknownst to him, his parents decided he would NOT play AYSO outdoor soccer this year, because they play on Sunday afternoons and right now it is too much to lead a bible study group AND play soccer.  So, we are utilizing the YMCA's indoor soccer again.  Change for this year is that they are allowing 3yr olds to play on the preschool team.  Before, age 4 was the cutoff.  We were so very excited that Wyatt would get to play, since he has wanted nothing more than to play on a real team!  Now our Saturday mornings will consist of getting up, going to Wyatt's soccer game at 9am, Zachary's at 10am, and visiting Ms. Beanie at 11am.  Lunch, then nap.  For the next 10 weeks.  No lazy Saturday mornings where we stay in bed as late as possible and bum around in our jammies and eat pancakes. It's worth it though.  You can't beat the price either!!  $50!

Here are some pictures of their first practices and games (they practice for 30 minutes before each 30 minute game).  Also, there is a set of brothers, each one the same age as Zachary and Wyatt who are also playing soccer this season.  Riley was in Zachary's Pre-K class, and Carter is currently in Wyatt's preschool class.  That should be a fun time for them, especially during the hour each kid has to wait while his brother plays.  Yannick will likely stay downstairs in the drop-in center.

Wyatt on the "blue" team, holding a yellow ball, in the middle, ready for soccer drills

Wyatt playing in the game

Zachary on the "fire" team, working on drills

Zachary practicing drills

Art and I are excited about another season of funny things kids do on the soccer field!  We have to get our $100 worth of entertainment too! :)

Eschewing Beds

Tonight the big boys decided they would much rather sleep together on their beloved floor mattress that in their respective beds!  Looking more and more like this mattress is here to stay!

Laughing Baby!

Seriously...who can resist the laugh of a baby?  We can't get enough of it at home, and the big boys will often compete for who can make Nick laugh.

Makes hard days a little easier!