Our Christmas Tree Hunt (Shelton's Tree Farm)

We woke up on Saturday morning to see it snowing outside.

We decided to go get our live Christmas tree. 

We loaded up in Dave's truck and made our way out to Shelton's Tree Farm in Cashmere. 

We walked on one side of the farm and found 2 that I thought might work.

Dave found one he thought might work. 

Rylan was almost immediately cold. 

Logan jumped over baby trees.

And Harper ate a lot of snow.

(Every time I turned around she had snow in her mouth)

Where's Presley?

We walked to the other side of the farm and found "the one".

We paid and drank our hot cocoa while the workers put the tree in the back. 

Ready to head home.  

Thanksgiving Day: November 27th

After the turkey trot this morning we came home and started getting ready.  

The kids joined me in my bed to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. 

Someday I'm sure I'll miss having an audience as I get ready.

We went to Grandma and Papa Nelson's for a late lunch/early dinner. 

Notice the photo bomber in the first one I tried to take. 

With Grandma and Papa Nelson

My only dinner picture...Olive Hands

After dinner I thought Presley had fallen asleep, but she popped right up after this picture was taken. 

But Logan took a little snooze. 

While Ry and Harper ran and jumped off the family room steps. 

Logan snap chatted with friends and included a picture of me and Ry.

(Well, almost ry...the graphic covered his cute face)

Harper and Grandma rocked eachother. 

We drove home about 7, got ready for bed, and read our thankful notes. 

All month long our kitchen chalkboard has had the saying

"Have an Attitude of Gratitude" 

to remind them to write notes. 

These were some of our favorites. 

Deep Thoughts like...

"I'm thankful for signs because they lead you."

"I'm thankful for life because I'm in it"

"I like boobies"

(I kept the rest in our 2014 box)

Then Logan went to his backpack and pulled out a thankful letter, and he read it out loud to all of us.

What a sweet way to end our day of thankfulness!!

Turkey Trot with Presley: November 27th

This is Presley's second year participating in Girls on the Run. 

Every year Girls on the Run ends with a 5K Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning. 

I dreaded it last year and I dreaded it this year. 

Logan and Rylan offered to run with Presley this year, but she told me she was really counting on me to do it with her.  

I am not a runner.

But it's really not about that to her.

She wanted to be with me, to jog with her, and to finish that 5K hand in hand. 

So we did it together this year.  

 I'm always glad for the time with her. 

The girls were really excited to see each other this morning. 

They spray painted their hair and came in tutu's and long knee socks.

They wore headbands they made after school stating what they were thankful for. 

Presley forgot hers but its painted with the word "family".

Last year, she ran way ahead of me and would slow down and wait for me. 

This year she ran side by side with me for most of the race. 

As we were running we would talk and make little goals.

She'd look ahead and say, "let's run to the next mailbox or the next brown pole or the next crosswalk"

But then when we'd make it to our goal, she'd say "I think we can go just a little further mom".

I was impressed as I thought about this is how her life will be, just going a little further than she thinks she can.
Challenging herself. 

 I was trying to telepathically tell her this, because let's face it, I was a little out of breath. 

Mid race she said, "Let's finish this holding hands mom"

And we ran almost the entire 5K, up hills, down long streets, past houses with little girls waving in the window at us, down the hills, as parents and coaches cheered us on from the side, as cars zoomed past us.  

And at the end there was a marker that showed 3 miles and we knew we only had 0.2 to go.
She held my hand and said, "let's sprint to the end".  

So we did, just me and her.

Angela, Presley, and her teacher Mrs. Lammert.

At the end with her Girls on the Run medal.

  

Lea's Day-Lea's, Week 47

Day 323, Wednesday, November 19th

Harper getting hugs from her preschool friends Kimball and Greyson at the end of their preschool day. 

Day 324, Thursday, November 20th

Coming right along.

Day 325, Friday, November 21st

On our way to dinner.  The first snow of the year. 

Day 326, Saturday, November 22nd

Presley took the challenge of making a snow angel on the trampoline in snow. 

Day 327, Sunday, November 23rd

Family picture time 

Day 328, Monday, November 24th

Ry receiving his soccer medal for the fall season and his coach said a few words about each player. 

Coach Jose said,  "we didn't know Ry coming into the season but we know him now.  He always finds a way to make a good pass or dribble around the defender.  We don't know if it's his older brother teaching him these things or what."  Ry is wearing a fake gray moustache in this picture. 

Day 329, Tuesday, November 25th

I pulled out the winter totes (of course the snow has melted now) and these two think they're ready for skiing.