Thanksgiving weekend

I have a lot to be thankful for.  But on thanksgiving day I was really thankful for my husbands strong stomach.  The morning went off really well. We had Pops over for an early feast. I had put my turkey in the crock pot the night before (got that idea from Jamie at her baby shower) and it worked great.  The kids loved all the food.  They have gotten picky lately but Colin loved the stuffing and sweet potatoes and Joel at tons of "chicken" I was amazed.  After we ate we got in the car and headed to the farm.  Right before we got in the car Joel had told us his ear hurt.  And then fell asleep in the car.  He had a blanket over him and thank goodness because about 20 minutes into the ride he started throwing up.  And it just kept coming. Thankfully the blanket caught most of it.  So we turned around.  Joel sweetly kept asking for a bath and Colin was sobbing.  He was devastated that we werent headed to the farm. Brent and I werer glad we weren't too far into the trip so we could get home and clean Joel up.  I have this picture on Brents phone of Joel looking so pitiful with puke all over him and Colin just so upset in the back.  It does make me laugh.  But we get home.  I get Joel into the bath and Brent cleans out the car. So gross. Sometimes I think our car misses Rod and Debbie. Colin is still crying.  Wants us to get a babysitter for Joel so the rest of us can go to the farm. Joel feels better once he has a bath and falls asleep for the rest of the afternoon on the couch.  Colin calms down and plans out how he will get to the farm if Joel is still sick the next day.   

Everyone goes to bed.  Trip to the farm take 2.  We had to pull over close to Richmond because Joel is claiming he is going to throw up.  This time Colin is all smiles because he has figured out we are closer to the farm than home so even if little bro gets sick we should go to the farm to clean him up :)  But Joel was just car sick.  We moved him to the back of the car and he perked up right away. 

 But we get to the farm and no one is sick. Norah fell in LOVE with Lenny, Mary's dog. She thought this dog was so funny and would screech and laugh when he came near. She also would crawl after him. Lenny is such a good dog and was so sweet to her. Just would lick her every so often.  I really like Lenny.

On Friday most of the family came to pay tribute to a wonderful man and to bury the rest of him. (My grandpa was cremated and wanted to be buried at the farm as well) 

It was strange being there without him.  I've only spent one other thanksgiving away from family (even after we got married Brent's parents and now dad usually join us) So I missed grandpa a lot this weekend. Its a new "normal "that isn't very fun to get used to. 

But I do have to say that my family knows how to have fun. And it was good to see my grandma laugh and have fun. 

Uncle David tried to talk the boys into cheering for Richmond.  He might be able to talk Joel into liking the Spiders. Especially since he is facinated with Spiderman right now. 

After numerous trips to the creek and just following Lenny track scents in the hay fields, the kids were tired. 

But somehow Brent had planned a trip to Christmas Town at Busch Gardens with our friends Pete and Ashleigh, and Dan and Kathy and all their kids.  They were all vacationing in Williamsburg. So on our way home we stopped there.  And it was a really fun night.  At first I wasn't sure since we didn't have the stroller and Joel wanted to be carried all the time, and Colin is 1 inch shorter than being able to go on all the rides (he could go on most) but it was really fun and now we are definitely in the Christmas spirit. And a great night with some really great friends makes it all worth it.  I wish I had gotten a picture with Dan, Pete and Brent and all their kids.  They were close friends in college and have remained close.  Makes me wonder if this is what they thought life would be like almost 15 years later :)