Thanksgiving Week

Our Thanksgiving week was a blur of activities...school, basketball, Thanksgiving day, Festival Of Trees, and the Beaux Arts Ball.  We had a blast with everything - but also greatly enjoyed our Sunday rest day!

Ethan's second grade class project this year was to create a dioramma.  He selected the ocean for his theme and did a great job with finding pictures to use, ideas for the layout, and with gluing everything together.  He was very proud of his result.

Ethan is in his second year of basketball on the Sharp Shooters team.  He does a very good job on defense - he loves the 1:1 defense and keeping his opponent from getting a shot.  He also does a great job with rebounds and loose balls.  His only problem is that he when on offense, he is trying so hard to break free from his defender that he forgets to attempt to make shots at the basket!  

Thanksgiving was at our home this year with my parents (Grandma and Grandpa), my sister, brother in law, and nephew, and Joe's mom (Grammy).  We had a great time - and as you can see even Olivia and Ethan got along for the day!

Uncle Tim and Aunt Jen were not able to be in Illinois for Thanksgiving.  But they sent Thanksgiving bubble gum - turkey, cranberry, and pumpkin pie flavors.  This is the kids trying the turkey flavored gum - they instantly spit it out into the trash.  I didn't believe that it was THAT bad so I tried a piece and didn't even chew it once before spitting out my piece!

Thanksgiving Eve brought about 1.5" of snow, so the kids enjoyed playing outside before dinner.

Ethan introducing cousin Nathan to Criss Cross Crash.  It was a huge hit!

Olivia and grandma - almost the same height!

After Thanksgiving dinner, our tradition has been to attend Festival of Trees to welcome the Christmas season.  This is a fantastic event of almost 200 decorated trees, wreaths, and swags, plus gingerbread houses, a craft area, a train, and gingerbread cookies.

Grandma and Grandpa even rode in the caboose with Olivia and Ethan!

The gingerbread houses are always our favorite thing to see.

No matter how full we are, we have to eat a gingerbread cookie!

Olivia and Ethan visiting with the Festival of Trees santa.  Olivia let it be known that this will be her last year taking this picture :(  Hopefully she forgets that she said that.

The Saturday after Thanksgiving was the Springfield Art Association Beaux Arts Ball.  This year Olivia was old enough to be a herald on the court.  She was beyond excited to wear a fancy dress and have her hair done up.  She looked stunning!

Olivia and the other heralds waiting for their formal picture.

One of these two shots is posed and the other is not.  You can decide which is which.

Olivia walking to the stage to be presented to the Ball queen.

The Beaux Arts Ball court - Olivia is in the front, third from the left.

After the court is over, it is time for the fun!  Here is Olivia's style of dance with friend Ashley.

And here is Ethan's style of dance with friend Andrew.  

Hugs from dad!  Notice Olivia's bare feet - her dress shoes instantly came off after the court presentation.

The kids and friends sitting on the queen's bench.