Thanksgiving

Guarding the Turkey

Once again we had a lovely Thanksgiving with the DeCock Family in Redmond, WA this year.  With the increased flexibility I have in my new position with U.S. Bank, I was able to take off both Wednesday and Friday of Thanksgiving week, giving us more time to relax and enjoy the beginning of the holiday season.

We headed to Chris' home Tuesday after work and arrived pretty late - after 9:00 p.m.  Maddy, Steve and I shared the basement room as usual, but Chris had upgraded and Steve and I had an amazing queen size air mattress, and Maddy had a full size one too, all to herself.  Luxury!  We were happy to have arrived and ready to enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday.

On Wednesday we headed to the market, walked about, then walked to an arcade where Maddy and Riley had fun playing games for an hour or so.  Maddy hit a "jackpot" and earned over 200 tickets, but even with her "big win" she ended up with a tiny stuffed animal and that was it.  But it was good enough for her, and she had a new "friend" to add to the normal mix.  We then headed back to Chris' neck of the woods and stopped for lunch, including the annual oyster appetizers.  Even I had one this year.  It was decent, but oysters are just not high on my favorites list.

Thanksgiving was a relaxing day, but I did take a lengthy walk with Kim during the mid-morning hours.  Lots of food was prepped and cooked, lefse was buttered, cake was made.   It was a lovely Thanksgiving with so much yummy food and treats.  No one stayed up too late Thanksgiving night.

Friday we went for a walk at a park and Chris flew his drone.  It takes photos and can even follow people (we used Riley as a test subject and it worked until it mistook a light pole for Riley and focused on that)!

Everyone left Saturday morning to head tome - Dave, Jane, Kim and Riley had a very early flight.  Maddy, Steve and I waited to Chris to return from dropping off his family at the airport, then it was our turn to say goodbye - at least until next year.

An all-around wonderful Thanksgiving, once again.

Making Lefse!

Marnie and the Redmond Turkey drink

Maddy meets Sasquatch

 

She loves the Carousel!

Riley sees no reason to act his age

Chris and Riley

Dave and Maddy's annual stair shot

Sensory overload - the Lion King

Game Time with Maddy

Prepping Thanksgiving Dinner

Dinner Time

Riley

Marnie and Maddy

Happy Maddy

Princesses at the Ice Rink - town center

My Maddy Rose

Maddy and Steve at the Gum Wall

Late Autumn in Portland

As usual our family has been keeping busy.  Maddy humored me with a little autumn photo shoot at Laurelhurst Park and we had a couple more sleepovers with Althea and Luella (love those girls!).

We also celebrated little miss Luella's Fourth Birthday Party at G6 Airpark - an indoor trampoline park not far from our house.  Kids and adults had fun jumping, jumping, jumping and playing dodgeball.  We had pizza and cupcakes and fun for everyone!

Luella's Fourth Birthday Party!

Bouncing Birthday Girl!

Dodgeball!

Maddy can do the Monkey Bars!

My Happy Girl

Maddy and Althea

 

 

 

Sleepover with Luella

Sleepover with Althea

Paw Patrol Halloween

Rocky! Zuma! Marshall! Chase! and Skye x 2!

We had so much fun during the Halloween Season this year!  We hosted an afternoon costume party complete with ghoulish appetizers, mask decorating station, bean bag toss and a Halloween Egg Hunt.  The weather cooperated thankfully, so the egg hunt happened in the back yard (the rain stopped just long enough) and it was great for the kids to get outside and run around a bit.  Maddy was so happy to have her friends come over to celebrate!

Many of the adults that came dressed up too, which was great!  Our family and the Gregoriches teamed up as Paw Patrol (cartoon about puppies that solve problems and act as heroes) since our daughters both wanted to be Skye, a very pink Paw Patrol pup.  It was fun and I went all-out on my costume, creating dalmatian spots on my shirt and pants using broccoli stems and a black ink pad.  I also created the special Paw Patrol collars for Melissa, Eric, Steve and me.  Maddy and Althea's costumes came fully loaded, so no extra creativity was required for them.

Halloween night was a Monday this year and as we've done in years past, we used Shana's house as "base camp" for Trick-or-Treating, as she lives in a super-prime Halloween neighborhood.  Lots of friends gathered and then we went out in a big group with the kids all bringing in a haul of candy. Maddy had a blast as did all of us.

Another great Halloween - so much fun!

Added bonus - Halloween/Autumn photos sent by family included below.

Olivia, Karina, Maddy, Althea, Luella, Carson and James in back

Sweany Family

Eric and Steve

Malena, Carson and James

 

Our Paw Patrol Family!

Brian, Natasha and Henrietta

Stephanie and Eloisa

 

Halloween Party Appetizers

Maddy and Karina coloring masks

Maddy, Althea and Carson

Olivia Finding Halloween Eggs

Thurnau Lego Family

Jana and Colin in Costume

Anali

Benjamin, Jon and Gabi

Maddy's Shy Little Kitten Pumpkin

Pumpkin Patch Fun

Wyatt, Althea and Maddy

This October we headed to a pumpkin patch in Hood River and met up with the Eric, Melissa, Althea, Eric, Emily, Daynia, Brett and Wyatt.  We enjoyed hot apple cider, cookies, a hay maze and searching for a pumpkin or two.  Pumpkin patches are a great way to welcome fall!