Thanksgiving, Black Friday and The Polar Express!

The conductor. He was GREAT! Cole and nat were AMAZED when he punched their tickets!

Happy Cole & Daddy! haha!

Cole and Santa! Not too scared!

Looking at the North Pole outside! They were ADORABLE!

Ready to ride the Polar Express!

Cole at Ms. Angie's Thanksgiving Feast! How cute!

SCARY pic of Justin & I at Target Black Friday morning (circa 3:45am!) we were going on about 3.5 hours of sleep! yay us!

This Thanksgiving was really a whirlwind! This year was our year in Vernon...but somehow Justin got the weekend off! (I know...he's the boss...but it just worked out that way!) We started Thursday off in Vernon for lunch. Linda made a GREAT feast! She hasn't coooked for Thanksgiving in a few years...so I was REALLY looking forward to it! We had turkey, homemade dressing, GIBLET gravy, cheesy green bean casserole, homemade German Noodles (one day i WILL learn how to make them!), rolls, yuuuummmy deviled eggs and all the sweets you can imagine! (including my homemade Chocolate Cream Merigne Pie...which is FABULOUS!) We stayed there until about 5 and then headed to Lubbock for latenight after thanksgiving sales!

Justin and I dropped the kids off at my parents and headed to Toys R Us at 9pm. We waited in line until 10:30 and it was CRAZY! We were search for one special toy for Cole, Buzz Light year with a remote...about $50 cheaper than original cost! I spotted one all by itself and leaned over 2 displays to get it. Immediately we were swamped with people asking where we'd found it (it was by the registers...like someone decided they didn't want it). Apparently we got the last one! (I did find one more damaged one...) It was CRAZY! We filled our basket and got back to the farm by 11:30pm.

Friday morning we woke up at 3am...to be at Target at 3:30am because they opened at 4am. There we were searching for Stinky the Garbage Truck (yes...it was the ONE toy he HAD to have) and Disney princesses. Sadly...we wouldn't have had to be there at 4am...but it was nice to get ALL their shopping DONE!!!! We got other stuff including a Blue-ray player ($100 cheaper...we had a walmart ad to match the price!). It was fun to do that with justin (was not fun on Sunday shopping for a Christmas tree with my wishy washy no decision making husband! He is sooooo picky!)

Saturday night we went to church in Slaton for Grandpa's death anniversary mass (miss you big guy!) and THEN...we went and rode the Polar Express! It was FREEZING cold outside...but totally worth the wait! The kids loved it. People danced to the song "Hot Chocolate" and brought us cookies & hot chocolate AND elves visited us AND we saw the North Pole AND...Santa came on board! Cole was so good and got his picture taken with Santa...Natalie didn't cry...but scooted to the window. haha! He gave them...sleigh bells! Very cute! The only downer was that the Engine didn't look like the Polar Express and my little train connoseiur KNEW that. He knew it wasn't real...sheesh! He had a good time though! They were so cute on there with their Christmas "jamas" as they call them (pajamas).

Sunday we headed home! We found our back gate open and couldn't find Maverick (we knew he had gotten out...got a text from a neighbor). Strangely he was back in his house waiting for us. He has gotten out about 10 times in the last month. Just the other night he chewed through our gate and dug his way out...at 11pm and we found him trying to get back in at 4:30am. At least he wants to come home...

That was our crazy Thanksgiving! Today Justin and I are headed to Plano to stay with Jessica and Matt (WHO ARE ENGAGED!!!!!!!! He proposed Wednesday before Thanksgiving! YAY!!) and then we are going to the Big 12 National Championship Football game at Cowboy Stadium tomorrow! We also get to stay at the Hilton Anatole! Thanks to my husband who is really doing a good job at work!!!!!