Thanksgiving 2008

We kicked off our holiday week with a weekend visit from Grandpa and Grandma Studer. As usual, we snapped the majority of the pictures with Grandma's new camera, so our camera ended up with only three shots of their visit. Here are two -- the third was only identifiable as the back of Grandpa's head, so we opted not to post that one. We had lots of fun playing with kids, walking to Lewis (how could we not?), and eating good food.

My cousin Sarah drove from LaCrescent, MN to spend the holiday weekend with us, and we were so glad she came! She has spent the last two years teaching in Japan, so this was her first extended visit with the babies since they arrived.

No visit would be complete without the requisite minimum of 10 hours of playing Barbies, princesses, or even better -- princess Barbies! But thank goodness Papa is a good sport, and he gladly shouldered this duty while we prepped for the big meal.




The boys watched in amazement from behind their makeshift prison/baby gate as our kitchen saw more activity in one day than it has in the entire 10 months they've been alive!

Ellie and I broke out our inner domestic goddesses and created turkey placecards for everyone on Wednesday, and Grammie brought along the supplies for the little Oreo turkeys. Let me tell you, it was one festive table. Martha Stewart, eat your heart out!

Here we are, just before eating. We were lucky enough to time it out so the boys were sleeping during the start of the meal. Hurray for eating food at the correct temperature!

Alex and Maguire joined the festivities midway through the meal, and LOVED the mashed potatoes, turkey, and even a little stuffing.

Ellie and Papa, taking their snooze before we even ate!

I think Maguire accurately portrays the feelings we had toward shopping on Black Friday. We did (of course) venture out to Lewis to see if they had any good deals. Sadly, we were disappointed...but certainly not disappointed enough to go anywhere else.

It was off to the Parade of Lights on Friday night. Sarah, Ellie, and I hit the town for our yearly tradition. There were plenty of lights, carolers, and even a float featuring the baby Jesus and two motorcycles! Because nothing says the coming of the Christ child like a Harley Davidson, right? Sadly, I did not capture a picture of that float.

Grammie and Papa volunteered to stay at home with the boys, where things like this......

and this.......

...were going on. Don't worry, Alex actually got quite a kick out of dangling over the edge of the couch. Giggles and everything -- and if you've met Alex, you know it's hard to squeeze a laugh out of that kid!

We also squeezed in some Christmas baking on Friday, too!

All kidding aside, we are so thankful for our family and friends this year. You have all been an amazing support to us -- we love you!

****Side Note**** For those of you who may have noticed Chris's absence from most of the pictures, he was gone from Friday to Sunday night, doing some freelance shooting for a snowcross tournament up in Duluth, MN. So I was especially thankful for all the extra helping hands that visited us for Thanksgiving!