Our Thanksgiving

We have had two "Thanksgivings" for the past couple years.  We go over to my Mom's (Nana & Papa's) for actual Thanksgiving and then sometime in the few days after, we usually have one at our home. Especially if some of the kids can't be there.  This year though, it didn't matter.  We just couldn't get the whole family together for either one.

This year we did something fun.  Although, like with anything - I can't seem to *stick with it* ...  we created a THANKFUL tree ... and every day - we put something we were thankful on the tree.  But with 7 people participating, it filled up fast.  This was only 10 days of it - and that's 70 things up there.  (Actually 73 because Shila put three things up) ...  so if we had done it all 30 days like I planned, we would have had 210 up there!

 Thanksgiving at Nana & Papa's ....

We got there early - Mom wanted us to come over for breakfast too ....

So we got there and Jaxson immediately starts to jump all over everyone in excitement...  Kaedyn decided to "hide" somewhere that Jaxson couldn't get him (well he still could but less likely to jump on him) ...  so he went behind the furniture.  LOL

Elly and I hunkered down infront of their GINORMOUS TV and watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.  Her first time!  And with the huge TV she was all amazed...

Nana made a french toast bake and bacon ....

Kaedyn was bored and was blowing bubbles inside.  Ha ha ha (that's Cal in the background)  And yes, yes he DID almost lick the bubble.  ALMOST ...

I just love this little girl.....  3 months old (almost 4 months old)

Nathan and Kaedyn goofing around

Miss Elly's pretty dress ....

Sleeping

Kale and Jaxson

Cal, Jaxson and Noah

FOOD

 I wasn't feeling well so I didn't eat much, but this is my plate....

All five of the boys (and Elly)

DB and I

We got home and played some board games :)

Put up our tree

We had our Thanksgiving on Saturday in hopes that Alana was able to make it, but she wasn't.

That morning I took  picture of all five boys and Elly (And Cal's dog Kinsleigh)

Kaedyn and Nathan rolled a jar trying to make butter

Elly was a bit fussy but I got her to smile :)  Daddy put these PJ's on her ....

Gallifrey was making friends with Cookie (our Elf)

DB making dinner ...

Nummy .....

Something AMAZING happened.  Nathan is not sauce guy, he does not like sauce, doesn't like to dip, he doesn't even eat spaghetti sauce.  Well, he ASKED for gravy.  He TRIED the gravy.  And he said "MMMM, that's GOOD" ....   and continued to EAT THE GRAVY!!!   That may not seem like anything big, but for a little guy who has trouble eating, who has trouble gaining weight, who is Autistic, etc....  it's HUGE!!!

My plate....   more than I ate at my Mom's ...

My view of the table...

I just found this so amusing, Noah eating this HUGE turkey leg!!!  He's getting so big and so old.  I am amazed and thankful every day for him, for Nathan - especially - but for all my kids.  Biological, Adopted, and all my kids that aren't *mine* but I love dearly ...  (they know who they are) ...  <3  I am really thankful.

I am blessed beyond measure.  Thankful every day.  I am thankful for...

1: My Family as a whole
2: DB - the love of my life, honestly.  I cannot picture being with anyone else.
3: My boys.  Calahan - who taught me how to be a mom and gave me the love of Orca's.  Noah - who showed me what fight is and that miracles happen.  Nathan - who is the most amazing little kid - no matter what he is faced with, he conquers it all.  Kaedyn - who is literally the light of my life.  and last but not least, Kale - for proving that no matter what, you always have room in your heart for more.
4: My soon to be Daughters-In-Laws.  I have always wanted daughters, so I'm thankful I'll finally have some.
5: Clairah and Elly.  I love these little girls so much.  Being a Grandparent is so much fun.  You get to shake them up and hand them back.
6: TV ...  I love my shows!!  I am so excited for X-Files and Gilmore Girls coming back! YAY!
7: Movies ...  it's amazing to have an escape into someone else's stories.
8: Books ... again, I love being able to escape into someone else's stories.
9: Writing ...  it's a gift, and  curse.  Always have voices in my head. ...
10:  Photography - this is my one true escape.  Doesn't matter my mood, if I can go take pictures, it always makes me happy.
11: Everyday we aren't in the hospital...  which is most the year.  But those couple times a year, makes that for a definite thankful...
12: For Nathan surviving ... that close call with Nathan in May really scared us.
13: For how super super SMART Kaedyn is turning out to be.  He amazes us!
14: For Noah's new found love of Math!
15: For Nathan WANTING to go back to school and deciding to try it - his choice!  And doing so well!
16:  My Mom - seriously don't know what we'd do without her.
17: Friends.
18: Support from those who support us no matter what.
19: Waking up every day.  Living with all the medical issues I do, have to be thankful for every day.
20: DB walking! He could end up in the wheelchair again, so here is to a year of no wheelchair!
21: Our new HOME.  LOVE IT.  We are all so much happier here. SO MUCH.
22: Our Fur Babies :)
23: Laughter - it is what makes every day amazing
24: Being able to get from point A to point B....
25: Those moments of being a parent where your heart swells over something simple like your child reading YOU a book, or them laughing and playing together, or helping each other out and being kind to each other.
26: Giving Back
27: Food on our table...
28: Family time ...  sometimes it doesn't seem like you have time for it, but it's so important to make time, and we let that go for a long time... but being in our new house, it's a priority again.
29: Facebook - honestly - if it weren't for facebook, I wonder if I would have any adult interaction for weeks other than my family.
30: Blogging - it is my therapy!

New Schools & November....

So I have NOT been able to keep up on NoBloPoMo at ALL.  Made it 1 day.  ONE.  Fail. Epic fail. Beyond Epic Fail.

Also couldn't keep up on my 365 blogging project, clearly.  Although I did make it a lot longer than I ever have before AND I have posted the MOST entries this year than I ever have since I started this blog!  YAY for that!!

I have SO MANY blogs started and just ... not .... finished........ oye.

Seriously - the word draft is pretty popular right now.

Anyway ......  with the move - Kaedyn ended up switching schools.  So we went to his new school to check it out - meet his new teacher and all that.

I loooove this display in the library!

We had Parent Teacher Conferences at Kaedyn's "old" school ...   I have to show off how freaking SMART this kid is.  So the only one that he didn't test above on was the nonsense words -blue circle- (which she said she doesn't expect the kids to even do) ... everything else he EXCELLED at ...  He is doing ABOVE (pink) what is expected.

These are the pictures from the picture day (old school) that I didn't end up getting - didn't know it was picture day or he would have had on a different shirt.  The ones I ordered, well he picked out the shirt that day - not much better, but at least it was what he wanted to wear for his pictures.

First day at the NEW SCHOOL!!!   Nathan we were taking to enroll - and he ended up starting that day too.  Which I totally wasn't prepared for, and I ended up crying on the way home.  Just wasn't prepared.  But we let it all be up to him. It's really important that Nathan is 100% comfortable and on board with all of it.

They go to two different schools.  There was no room at the neighborhood school in the 1st Grade class and there was no room in the 3rd Grade at Kaedyn's school.

 Ready for 2nd Day at School (minus coats and shoes!)

 3rd Day of school, new backpack for Nathan and new shoes for both of them :)

Kaedyn took these selfies of him and Elly - Elly and Kaedyn have a very special relationship ...

My five boys!

We did a weight on all three of the younger boys ...  I didn't believe that Noah was over 100 lbs!  He came back from his physical and I was shocked... so I made him get on the scale at home, and it was the same as it was at the doctors!

Nathan's weight hasn't changed since May really ....

Kaedyn isn't much more than Nathan, but he's been growing in height and not so much in weight.

This was a pretty good book - one of the starter longer books and he read it all by himself :)

Poppy and Elly having some quality time.  Elly loves this show on Baby First called Rainbow Horse and so Poppy had it on one screen and was doing homework on the other.

She is such a highlight in my life, I'm so thankful I get to spend so much time with her :)  And help raise her :)

Calahan and Alana...  kids had DR appt and Alana volunteered to watch Elly while we went to the appointment.   So here is Calahan & Alana with Elly :)   Auntie & Uncle :)

Here are some bonus 3 month old pictures of Elly ....  she has my heart for sure!