Thanksgiving Long Weekend

I love long weekends. I wish they happened every weekend.

Thanksgiving weekend was actually a pretty quiet one. After the family parties on Wednesday & Thursday (and back-to-back late nights), we welcomed a low-key Friday. I got out at nap time to finally see the latest Twilight: Breaking Dawn with my new Movie-BFF, Nichole. ;-) I know. I know. You're probably scrunching your eyebrows at me right now. But the preview looked appealing, and so I did a "quick" catch-up via library loans on the first three movies that I'd missed and then I was all psyched for the new one. It's one of those things where you realize as you're watching that the whole thing is so ridiculous and pathetic (and so perfectly targeted to teenage emotions!) and yet you're intrigued and want to keep finding our what happens next. Kind of how I imagine Jersey Shore to be, only I've never succumbed to that waste of life. Haha!

Then later Friday evening, we had plans to go to the zoo to see the Lights Before Christmas. Always a fun time, right?

Well, we packed up and drove out there only to be completely turned off by the mile long lines of traffic coming from both directions on the Trail just trying to get into the zoo parking lot. We drove around to the Broadway entrance, saw the "lot full" signs and the block-long lines of people and decided to come back another time. The kids were totally bummed (as were we) but we kinda figured this might happen given it was the Friday after Thanksgiving and nearly 60 degrees outside.

Plan B was to head to Bass Pro where Craig and I wanted to check some Black Friday deals on boots and slippers respectively, and the kids always enjoy all there is to see at that mammoth store.

I've really been dialing back the focus on "Santa" this year and my thought was that we could just view him from a distance before we shopped... but there was NO line whatsoever (really??) and it seemed almost ridiculous not to take advantage of that opportunity. So we just walked right up and got a picture of the kids on Santa's lap. Neither one could think of a single thing they wanted to ask Santa for Christmas, but they gladly claimed their candy cane rewards and marched off happy and soon-to-be sticky while we checked out the huge fish tank and taxidermy animals. Lovely. ;-)

Ha - you can see the uncertainty in Sophie's face and clenched fists, but she sat patiently for a few pictures and didn't make a fuss.

On Saturday we joined my in-laws for lunch and some Buckeye-Wolverine rivalry at Craig's sister's house and then the kids and I headed home early for a nap while Craig stayed back to watch the rest of the game. That was about all Saturday consisted of.

On Sunday, Sophie and I attended my cousin Brittany's baby shower and excitedly heard the news that the Wittman's are expecting a baby GIRL this coming February!!! The brunch food was delicious and my aunt and cousin did a wonderful job organizing a very cute party. The little girls table was such a great idea with coloring books, animal crackers and stickers! Can't wait to meet Baby Wittman!

In the evening on Sunday, we set up Will's tent in the living room and that provided several DAYS of entertainment. ;-) I had wanted to put up our tree that weekend, but Craig vetoed that idea "until at least December 1st". So I thought we might take advantage of the wide open floor space we'd only have for a short time longer to have a couple tent days before the tree went up.

{Pretending to sleep.}

Lots of reading went on in the tent. Will reads constantly these days.

And finally, just a few cute pictures of Craig's... err... sweatshirts.