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We saw Santa!!!

Mrs. Claus was a big hit with Lindsey & Charlie - Cody was hiding on the other side of the velvet rope...At that point, a picture of all 3 Soet kids and Santa seemed doubtful!




Our expectations were blown away! Last year, Charlie cried on Santa's lap, but we made him take a picture since it was his first Christmas. Cody & Lindsey ran shrieking and hiding whenever Santa was near at every mall and Christmas brunch we went to. So we were thrilled (& a little shocked!) to get a cute picture of all 3kids with Santa - no tears, no tacky clothes, or Mom/Dad in the picture!

This Santa was so sweet! He talked to the kids for quite a while warming them up before it was time to smile. So Grand Rapids friends - go see the Woodland Mall Santa!



Now let's hope the big 2 took Santa's words to heart & focus being good this month!

Gobble, gobble

A year with so much to be thankful for and a busy weekend to celebrate!



The kids loved modeling their Pilgrim and Indian projects from school - they were wearing their goods while they watched and cheered during the Macy's Parade! They loved watching the parade and trying to spot Unlce Mike and Cody's friend from school in the crowds of NYC



We BAKED! We made several batches of turkey sugar cookies, 2 apple pies, 1 pumpkin pie, 1 pumpkin crumble pie, & a big brownie frosted with a turkey especially for Aunt Terri! Cody & Lindsey were great helpers this year!




We celebrated Thanksgiving with the Johnsons - my mom's family- the kids ran wild, brought over all of the baked goods we made for the big day, and never touched any traditional Thanksgiving Day foods...on our way to Terri's we managed to find the one McDonalds open on the holiday! Oh well, they were thankful for chicken nuggets!



Steve spent the majority of the long weekend working on the house! We are finally getting projects rolling and making it feel like home! He ripped out the wood in the foyer, layed slate tile, painted, and put up walls and a french doors in the dining room turned play room. It looks great - Can't wait to get the next project started!!!

little Indians....

Holiday feast time at preschool!!! I love helping out with this party - it is too cute!



loved that Lindsey is sporting the camera in this shot---- Where did she pick that up???





So very much to be thankful for - and so happy to be so blessed and thankful! Have a safe holiday to you all - - - Enjoy!

alli's birthday

We have had the privilege to reconnect with a family friend - or maybe the family of a close family friend - and find a new sitter to help me mange a particularly stressful season! Alli has been great! (I mentioned her and her sweet husband in my last post) Not only is she great with the kids - she is crafty - I know, I know - she's perfect! She has helped me get caught up around this house - I was beginning to think that wouldn't happen until Charlie was in real school at the soonest!

Anyway, it was her birthday last weekend & the kids and I were set on making Alli a special cake to celebrate. A turkey cake in her favorite colors got the winning vote & it couldn't have turned out cuter - the cake or a trip bringing it over to her!

"It's good birth control"

So yes, it has been forever since my last post - lots of crazy and strange events have kept me from sitting down and posting in the past week or so. I had hives that sent me to the ER twice last weekened, the Junior League's Beneath the Wreath had me busy working and shopping, the kids, a close firend is going through the begining of a divorce and DeVries family drama crept back into my days....

Tonight, the blog seal was broken when we came home and our new found sitter(savior) and her husband told us how fun and loud our kids were! "They're great birth control!"

AMEN!

Thanks be to Alli and "her boy" Trevor! We connected at just the right time!

Happy Halloween!!!