Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was a little bittersweet this year..  Makenna had a bad cold which meant at the last minute our plans to go up to mom & dad's house changed and we decided to divide & conquer.

We decided to make lemons out of lemonade and invited Brad's family over for a Thanksgiving breakfast before Alex and I hit the road to head to my parents.

Cousin love

She loves her some baby Laila!

We had a nice morning with Brad's family and even got to squeeze in some snuggles before mama and Alex hit the road.

Macy's day parade fun

Happy Thanksgiving Kenna girl!

Alex slept on the way.....

And we made a pitstop to visit Cookie Beek!

She love, love, loved seeing this little cutie

Makenna was sure to send us with a sweet card to give to Papa

He was SOOO uncomfortable that day.....he didn't even join us for Thanksgiving dinner at my sister's BUT it was great to be able to spend some time with him and 

Alex loved loving on his Oma

We made sure to facetime these honies, too

A little Dunkin Donuts at Oma's house...... yummy!

And maybe a pit stop at the outlet mall for a little Black Friday shopping:) 

Home sweet home

Alex was very excited to show Sissy our black friday deal - matching Snowflake Jammies!

A good game of hide & seek

And some special one on one time with my Kenna girl on Saturday

Love decorating for Christmas

And on Sunday we headed to the Dells for our annual tax seminar

Crocodile!

So blessed

Woah, look at all those tickets!

Coolest mom EVER when I won her this Elsa doll!

Makenna LOVED riding on all the waterslides this year.  One night just she and I went down to the waterpark after Alex was in bed and we rode the slides until they closed.  She was FEARLESS!

Be still my heart....

We even stopped in Madtown so daddy could show off his old stomping grounds

October.....and November

So apparently I've been a really bad blogger.  Life with two kiddos I guess:)

Here's October and most of November in pictures...

Best birthday party we've ever been to - Bella & Blake's 4th birthday - soooo much fun.  Kiddos had a blast!

And we came home to find Oma and Papa pulling in.  This was SUCH a sweet moment for me.  I wans't sure Dad would make it back to our house and when mom called to say they were on a drive and might make it over for a bit I was SOOO excited.  I pulled in and didn't see their car and was super bummed that he didn't feel up for it.  A few minutes later I heard them walk in downstairs and I was so excited they could come.  They only stayed for about 30 minutes or so but it was SO good to have them at our house again.  

We carved pumpkins

He wasn't a fan of the gooey stuff

So I did the dirty work and daddy did the carving

And a few neighbor kiddos jumped right in to help me with the gooey stuff too

Cute-ey!

And this one just hung out in the sand box the whole time

He just wanted to blow out the candles

And after 4 weeks....... we found out it was 2 more weeks in the brace.  BOOO!!  She took the news suprisingly wel.... especially after I promised DQ for lunch.

We hung out at Sissy's school for the fall festival...

And this little stud got his first "mommy had to pay for it" haircut

Which was of course followed by a trip to the Public Market for some mid week lunch with daddy

We finished the soccer season....Makenna only ever did play in 2 games.  The rest of the games she was sidelined with her shoulder injury, but she insisted that we go to all the games and she cheered her little heart out at every single one. 

We trick or treated with this bunch

Seriously, how cute is this?

The brace worked wonderfully with her witch costume...

After a RAINY and cold Spooky Sussex, we ended up hanging out at our house and I promised all the kids I'd paint their faces since we didn't make it to face painting at the festival.  Amazing how fun a tube of black lipstick can be, right?!  Alex loved and kept asking me to make him a kitty cat for days after that...

Snuggled our new cousin Laila

Celebrated a new client win for Mommy & Daddy

Went on a daddy daughter date

Realized that these 2 look sooooooooo much alike when they sleep

Gave brother a checkup.....

and TOTALLY missed the croup diagnosis.... ha!  He woke up that same night with the croup cough and we had a lovely AND terribly SCARY night in the ER...

And made it home in time to celebrate his Gotcha day.... with tears because his throat hurt too much to eat his cake pop :(

and FINALLY got our brace off!!!!!!!  She literally woke up and just started running back and forth down the hallway she was so excited!!

Got in one last bike ride

Spent some quality time with the neighbors

Realized that this little one is even more stunningly beautiful each day.  Inside and out:) 

Made it to our annual Good Harvest Pajama Day sale

Enjoyed (well, not the sledding part) our first and only snowfall of November (or December)

All day -- I walk in the snow mom, I walk in the snow?

Matching jammies.... and yes, best gifts EVER!

School pic (the retake)

Enjoyed a family night at the Public Market

#that face

Enjoyed some Dunkin Donuts with dear church friends

Practiced our "Oma Mad Face"

Lots of sissy love