thanksgiving week

I'm in love with this picture of my boy.

We went to California this year to spend Thanksgiving with our family.
Before the trip I was counting down the hours and minutes. I was really, really ready for a vacation; the day-to-day grind was getting to me, and I wasn't the wife and mother that I want to be.
This trip was exactly what we needed.  Family, food, and rest.  Something about Kent's Mom and Dad's house is so relaxing-I feel like every time I'm there I just take a weight off my shoulders and get to enjoy being with loving family. It's wonderful. 

What's more fun than "new" bath toys?

Nicholas loved his Grammer from the moment we arrived, and he learned to follow her around asking for hugs.

And it didn't take him long to learn that Papa always had treats for him.  He figured out exactly where the fruit snacks were in the pantry, and he was constantly asking Papa for more. I think he ate 7 or 8 bags of fruit snacks every day we were there.

Nicholas and little Audrey.  He would walk up to her swing and say "hi" in this gentle little voice.  He was actually really good with her.  It was so strange for me to see my "baby" holding a baby. He's growing up!

The cousins.  One of the best parts of the week for me was the fact that Nicholas played so well with Carlee and Preston.  It was nice for him to have someone more exciting than me to play with all day.

The potato-launching competition on Thanksgiving day. 

Nicholas wouldn't attempt the launcher himself, but he was sure into giving applause for everyone who did.

The highlights:

Food:Thanksgiving dinner, candied almonds, bacon lasagna, chocolate chip cookies, roasted marshmallows, homemade pies, fabulous soups, fire-barbecued chicken--it was all way too yummy. Oh, and Taco Truck, of course.

Fun:  Watching "The Little Dorrit" every night, riding fire trucks and seeing light parades, decorating the Christmas tree, snuggling sweet little Audrey, crafting up a storm (and I only burned Heidi twice with the glue gun), making our own soda, Ticket to Ride, going on walks with Grammer and Papa.

Humor: Preston asked me at least five times a day "What's your name again?" after which he'd usually tell me he loved me and then compliment me on my shirt or my pants. 

One of the times, though, when I answered him by saying "Becca" (naturally) he said "Why do you always say that?"

Nicholas's nearly non-stop "wow!"  Every time he saw a chandelier, Christmas lights, or really pretty much anything new he'd pucker his lips and "wow" quite sincerely.

Thank you, Mom and Dad, and Sam and Heidi, for the excellent Thanksgiving break!