Our Thanksgiving Stay-Cation

The flu hit our family last week... the kind that you REALLY don't want to catch.  Our friends and families really wouldn't have wanted us to join them in celebrating Thanksgiving.  Cancellations were sent out on Wednesday... and a frozen turkey purchased on the way home from work.  A revised plan was quickly created and implemented!

The boys and I were awfully disappointed that we had to cancel our plan of gathering with friends at our annual pre-Thanksgiving celebration.  To compensate I told them we would have a pajama party at our place.  A propped up projector and couple pairs of PJ's later - a party was born.

I was hoping to find Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving on Hulu, but the only kid related turkey day show was Casper the Friendly Ghost.  It guest starred a turkey named "Timothy" whom they were trying to prevent being made into Thanksgiving dinner.  I think we have now created a vegetarian... he asked about Timothy when we were carving up our bird.

Thursday morning Michael was feeling much better.  He whipped up a coffee cake and I gathered our picnic supplies so we could enjoy a (chilly) breakfast at Lapham Peak.  At least the coffee and hot chocolate helped warm us a bit!

After fueling up we were off for a hike.

We have some great little hikers.  Mehandis was on the look out for "clues" and Abera loved his ride in the carrier.  Of course, they both celebrated the chance to run in the wide open spaces whenever they got the chance.  Thinking they are pretty well qualified for both sprints and cross country. 

We stopped a couple of strangers to see if we could catch a Christmas card photo.  This isn't the winner... but we did have success. 

Our little photographer captures the rest of the family, at hikes end.



Happy that the kids are still HEALTHY!  Thankful for a helpful, healthy husband too ;)

Promptly upon returning home I needed to start my first homemade pumpkin pie... cause the turkey needed to get its turn in the oven!  Both turned out to be delicious.  My favorite part of the meal was definitely the pie.  I am thinking that Michael enjoyed the turkey best, or at least he ate 90% of it.  Mehandis LOVED "Grandma's" fruit salad - who wouldn't with marshmallows, pudding and fruit.  Abera rocked out on the cranberry sauce... who would have thought?

A cozy feast for four...

The following 5 photos are Mehandis's view of our family's Thanksgiving fun.  Including his favorite little Packer, the carving of "Timothy", my off-limits soda, some newly hung art, and a recently used up stapler.

Lots of smiles to share :)

And they continued through the next day, especially when Mehandis realized it was finally time start thinking about the next holiday... Christmas! 

 He started the morning in his Santa hat.

Then joined his brother and father in making donuts.  Decorating them with the Christmas themed sprinkles was the icing on the cake, or should I say donut?

Our time together at home turned out to be a pretty awesome Plan B.

Full of variety!