Thanksgiving visit to Erie, PA

We spent a nice Thanksgiving holiday in Erie with Mike's parents and his sister and her kids. Unfortunately, our brother-in-law, Jeff, had to work, so we weren't able to see him. Tracy brought along lots of fun activities to do with the girls.

Isabella made a beaded necklace and earrings (as a gift) with Tracy's help. Snickers is a 15 year-old dachshund who can't jump or climb stairs, and he rarely barks anymore. Elijah was intrigued by him, but he panicked when Snickers was walking around. Here Elijah bravely petted Snickers while he was on Papa's lap. Elijah spent much of our visit looking for Snickers by peeking around corners and under tables. He didn't like being surprised by Snickers if he appeared out of nowhere.
Check out Elijah's bravery in this video clip!


Tracy and the girls got coordinating snowflake pajamas as an early Christmas present so they could spend lots of time snuggling.
Sydney had comfy jammies, too!
Ellijah liked to peek through the window from the porch to the living room.
Sydney and Sienna

Trevor played his clarinet for us, and Sydney served as the music stand!
Grandma and our kiddos enjoyed listening to Trevor.
Trevor patiently played with Elijah on the porch for almost an hour. He endured lots of nose pinching-one of Elijah's favorite pasttimes!
Tracy bravely let Sienna paint her fingernails.
Tracy's nails were only slightly messy.
There was a gingerbread house decorating contest. Trevor, Grandma and Sienna made up one team.
Sydney, Tracy and Isabella made up the other team.
The winning gingerbread house!
Sienna loved playing with Snickers!
We exchanged some early Christmas presents while we were there. Elijah LOVED his new dumptruck that Uncle Jeff picked out especially for him!!!
Sienna was happy to get a Candy Ring Maker. As Tracy said, it's the kind of gift that only an aunt would buy! You can say that again!!
Trevor wondered if my note would work as an actual gift card at Abercrobie and Fitch.
Mike and his favorite niece and nephew. How big are they getting?!?!? Sydney will be 15 in a couple of weeks and Trevor will be 17 in March!!!! Weren't they just the little flower girl and ring bearer in our wedding?!
Elijah played with his new truck the entire time we opened the rest of the gifts.
Isabella and Sydney
Two new trucks!!!! It doesn't get any better than that!
Grandma, Trevor, Papa, Sydney and Tracy
The whole family (except for Uncle Jeff!)
We don't like to have to say goodbye!

We hope to see everyone again sooner rather than later!! Thanks for a great visit!

Tom Ridge Environmental Center and Presque Isle

We spent one of our afternoons in Erie at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center at Presque Isle. We learned about the types of animals that live on the peninsula as well as how the peninsula was formed.

Elijah wasn't so sure about this turtle puppet. He was intrigued but a little nervous!

The girls with a replica of a Stegodon (largest of all elephant-like animals) skeleton.

After our visit to the Tom Ridge Environmental Center, we drove around Presque Isle (the peninsula) and showed Tracy and our kids where we got engaged. Mike proposed to me at sunset on Beach 10 on Lake Erie over 10 years ago!!! It was a little colder and windier than it was when we got engaged in August of 1999!

Rosamond Gifford Zoo

We decided to break up our trip home from Erie with a stop at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse, NY. It was a great pitstop during our 8 hour drive!
Elijah liked checking out the Nemo fish.

Elijah made some fish noises (lip smacking) before he got distracted by the crab.

We got an unbelievably close-up view of the lions.
Mike, the big talker, said, "I think I could take him." I wouldn't bet on it!
Since the lions were facing away from one another, Sienna asked, "Are they mad at theirchothers (eachother)?"
Mike was about six inches away from the lion (with a measly plate glass window between them). It was so cool to see the lions this close! They were huge!!!
Our own primates!
My biggest kid!
A little monkey!
We'll have to remember this zoo for future drives to and from Erie. It was a perfect place to stop and stretch our legs for a while.

Family Feast 2009

Today we enjoyed the annual "Family Feast" at Sienna's school. Each of the children made a cute turkey placemat with their handprints.

This isn't just a turkey,

As anyone can see.

This very special turkey

Was made by hand my ME!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

After the three classes sang a special Thanksgiving song complete with sign language, we enjoyed some homemade breads that the children had made.

Sienna and Lauren

Our two "Mini Me's"

Andrew, Sienna, Lily, Molly, Lauren, Michael & Luke

Here are the pictures from the past two years:

Family Feast 2008 (Sienna)

Family Feast 2007 (Isabella)
We missed the Family Feast during Isabella's first year of preschool since we were traveling for Thanksgiving.

Now we know where they get it...

Coming from Mr. Twig Legs himself...

"My calves are getting huge, you can't deny that!"

Mike has been playing basketball once or twice a week for a while now, and he's convinced that he's getting huge muscles in his calves. You be the judge...

After looking at the picture, he said, "I guess my legs still look kind of skinny." You think?

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Another in our series of quotes:

Mike always tells the girls how gross soda is for people to drink. He says that it gives people brown teeth and bad breath. (It's his way of convincing them that they won't like it...and it's working!)

The other day, Sienna and I saw a big Coca-Cola truck. She said, "Ew, there's a soda truck! Let's go so we can't smell its breath!!!" The brainwashing is working!

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One time Mike's mom was coming to visit us and I was buying some Diet Pepsi for her at the store. Isabella pleaded, "No, Mama!!! Don't buy that for Grandma!!! Please!!!!!" I had to explain that adults can decide what they eat and drink. My mother-in-law knows that she has to be discreet when she drinks her Diet Pepsi around the girls.