Breakfast with Buddy the Elf

I had started putting away November things and putting Christmas things out, but our holiday season doesn't begin until Buddy shows up. 

We read The Elf on the Shelf book on Saturday night. 

Presley left a note for Buddy:

Hi Buddy,  We are in a new house as you see.  The address is 842 Autumn Crest Dr. My room is upstairs with the blue stripes. 

Logan shared with us tonight that he knows Buddy isn't real. 

We have always told the kids that Buddy can't be touched or he will lose his magic dust that gets him to the North Pole and back in our home each night. 

Logan shared with us that last year he sneakily rubbed his hands all over Buddy to see if he wouldn't move the next day.

And Buddy had still moved the next day.

  So he was convinced that we move Buddy each night. 

We didn't admit to anything, but he did offer to be in charge of moving Buddy each night.

On Sunday morning the kids woke up and found a letter ornament, bath wash, Christmas socks, and a  pop up Christmas tree for their room. 

And doughnut holes from Buddy. 

It's officially beginning to look a lot like Christmas!!

Thanksgiving: November 26, 2015

We hosted Thanksgiving this year at our new house. 

There were 9 of us here:  our family plus grandma and papa Nelson and Dave's co-worker Phil.

I woke up early and ran to the grocery store because I forgot a few things.  

I came home to find the 3 of the 5 people I'm most thankful for.

Dave got up and moving and got the turkey stuffed and ready for cooking. 

That is one job that I would not do today. 

The kids went outside to skate on the retention pond which is frozen over (it's only a few inches deep) and sled.  I took the sledding pictures from Harper's bedroom windows. 

A neighbor boy joined them down there. 

Rylan, Presley, and Harper

The kids came in and got ready and Dave's parents and Phil showed up. 

I can't believe I didn't get a picture of the kids with Grandma and Papa. 

I think I was busy making sure everything was ready to be put out. 

Dave sliced the turkey. 

Our table looked so pretty. 

I meant to take a picture of my pies before we dived in. 

Both the chocolate cream and the pumpkin pies were delicious. 

We watched some football and then everyone left. 

We read our Thankful Notes. 

Harper handed them to Logan to read. 

These were a few of them. 

Logan:  "I'm thankful for mom's dinner, it's yummy" (read in a  very sarcastic voice)

Presley:  "I'm thankful for Stage Kids because it gives me confidence."

She wrote the most notes this year.  

Rylan:  "I'm thankful for the holidays"  And then he laughed because he also signed this note Bob.

Harper:  "I can jump" and "I like the playground"

The rest are in our 2015 box. 

Tricia texted me some pictures. 

Lincoln's First Thanksgiving

Papa Berries, Link, and Miryn

Logan's snap chat of Dave pretty much summed us all up!!

When I climbed into bed, Dave had put two Hershey kisses on my pillow for me. 

Thankful for a sweet surprise at the end of a long and busy day. 

Lea's Day-Lea's, Week 47 (2015)

Day 323, Thursday, November 19th

Presley performed with Stage Kids in the Wenatchee Holiday Spice show. 

Day 324, Friday, November 20th

Off on our fall shopping trip to Portland. 

Day 325, Saturday, November 21st

The back of my suburban after our final stop at Trader Joe's. 

Day 326, Sunday, November 22nd

Polar Plunge Day.

Dave is swimming and Logan is getting out. 

Day 327, Monday, November 23rd

Before school scooter races. 

Day 328, Tuesday, November 24th

Our first snow of the year. 

Day 329, Wednesday, November 25th

Logan and Presley's friends Joey and Hayley came to Wenatchee from California for Thanksgiving. 

We had an afternoon playdate with them.  

November Decorations

I'm hosting Thanksgiving here this year, 

otherwise, I'm not sure the house would look this clean.  

I don't think much changed since October. 

Maybe I just re-arranged a few pumpkins and added a couple turkeys. 

Dining Room

Family Room:

Breakfast Nook/Kitchen

Half Bath

Downstairs Family Room:

As soon as everyone leaves tomorrow,  I'm pulling out the Christmas boxes. 

(I already put our Christmas sheets on today). 

Polar Plunge: November 22nd

Dave had been talking about jumping into the pool once the water ledge was completely finished. 

It was completed earlier this week. 

I made them wait until I got home from my Portland shopping weekend. 

So on Sunday at about 4 they got in their swimsuits and were ready to take the plunge. 

On their way to the end of the pool. 

I told them to jump off the ledge into the shallow end but they wanted to swim the length of the pool. 

Lined up:

Logan, Harper, Rylan, Triston (Logan's friend) and Dave. 

Triston was officially the first person in our pool. 

Then Logan:

Then Dave:

He's swimming, Logan's getting out. 

Harper was next:

She jumped into the deep end but it was so cold she climbed out and ran to the shallow end. 

Then Rylan jumped from the ledge:

Presley jumped last from the ledge too:

They all told me it was so cold their legs went numb. 

I think Dave was telling these 3 about some shrinkage problems he was having. 

But they did it!!

We're ready to skip ahead to spring!!