Thanksgiving

As I sit here typing one-handed while nursing the thought crosses my mind - "Just link to your sister's blogs for all the Thanksgiving photos and stories". But I refuse. This is OUR blog. This is a blog for my kids to look back on and know that I cherished moments with them. For them to know that I took the time to write and photograph their lives. So here, kids. I am getting over my laziness just. for. you.

So when Grandma originally started begging Roger and I to go to Tracy's for Christmas I was not very excited. Two kids. Snow. Potty training. Nursing. No thanks. So I talked everyone into Thanksgiving.
"Everyone?" you ask. Yes. Everyone. Grandma. Grandpa. Gram (great-grandma). Gramps (great-grandpa). Aunt Tracy. Uncle John.The baby in Tracy's tummy. Tracker (their German Shepard). Lucy (their pit bull). Napoleon (their stupid cat). Cheyenne (their other stupid cat). Aunt Shannon. Uncle Ryan. Evan. King (their boxer). Mommy. Brinley. Titus.                 ....yea-- and we all stayed under ONE ROOF (minus Gram and Gramps due to allergies). But I'm getting ahead of myself- Grandpa came.

I intended on having pictures of us as we were driving and all the fussiness and fits along the way but I never took a picture while we drove. Not because it was aweful but because it was actually so calm that I forgot. Wow. Who'd have thought? (ps- a big "shout out" to the in-car DVD player and the fact that my daughter had only seen one movie in her life to this point). So we got to Tracy's house (about 10 hours later) on Tuesday shortly after Shannon, Ryan, Evan, and Wakeem (that's what I call their boxer). (another HUGE "shout out" to them for driving over 13 hours with a five-month old and a boxer that thinks he's still a puppy!)
We all took turns holding babies and hugging one another. It was SO GREAT to have all of us girls under one roof again!

Grandpa and his grand kids

The boys had their man time:

Cousins

That night the sleeping arrangements were as follows: Grandpa upstairs, Shannon Ryan Evan Wakeem Brinley Titus Mommy in the one-room basement. Oh yea. This could be fun- one wakes up crying and so do the rest of them.... eek! I was SO nervous about waking up Evan but everything seemed to work out nicely (except when Brinley woke up at 2a talking to herself... that was strange!). That night Titus came down with a sniffley nose and a little bit of a cough. The cough sounded pretty "croupy" so I decided to wait until the next morning and decide what to do.
Wednesday morning was met with an early trip to the doctor's office to ensure we weren't going to spread whooping cough or croup to great-grandparents and cousins. It was just a common cold according to the doctors. That morning was also met with GRANDMA! She arrived via plane- Brinley helped "pick her up for the airport". Oh- and GRAM AND GRAMPS showed up! They arrived via van (they made a vacation out of it by stopping all sorts of cool places along the way).

Gram made her grandbabies the most
FABULOUS stockings!

Here's our trip to the park:

Wakeem took the slide like a champ

Tracker enjoyed the park

Brinley's snail ride

We also ruined supper (according to the heavily hormoned pregnant sister). Here she is yelling at us for messing up the whole supper by boiling the potatoes-

Oh yea, folks. It was pretty ugly at times. We'll just blame the hormoes, right Trace? :-D

Next was Thursday, Thanksgiving. Tracy made (not just saying this because she can read it) the BEST Thanksgiving supper I have ever had. FABULOUS. FAB.U.LOUS. Maple roasted turkey with sage butter sauce, mashed potatoes, onion celery stuffing, maple-y sweet potatoes and the BEST BEST BEST cranberry sauce EVER. ever. Kudos, Tracy. Kudos.

The next day we were psycho. Totally psycho. We planned the zoo and the St Louis City Museum all in one day. All or nothing, baby. All or nothing.
Here's all I got from the zoo:

She was terrified. Gram was persistent

Evan's first carousel, too!

Here's some from the city museum- that place is INSANE!!!!:

I feel the need to mention the fact that my beautiful daughter is the best. Here's how Friday went:
10-12: Zoo
12-2: Five Guys and Galleria Mall
2-5: Snack at Tracy's house
5-10: City Museum
(fell asleep on the drive for about ten minutes)
10-11: Ted Drewes
11-12: Eating Ted Drewes at Tracy's house
12-----BED
And she was fabulous the whole time. Terrible two's? Where? (just kidding- thank you Lord for a good day!)


Saturday was spent lazying around and taking baths together:

"Move Tracker!"

Cousin bath photo!

Overall we had a WONDERFUL visit and enjoyed family (but we were certainly ready to get home to our own beds, our own rooms, and our DADDY!!!!!!!) Thank you to Tracy and John for opening their home to this circus act we call a family.

-The Bakers

There, kids. Happy now? The house is still trashed with company coming in ten minutes but it was worth it. It was worth writing down your memories. Soak 'em up!

and just for Mommy's sake-- here's links to Tracy and Shannon (part one part two)'s Thanksgiving blogs with more photos!