Thanksgiving 2014

My favorite time of year always...which usually starts with Halloween but certainly is in full swing with Thanksgiving.  I love all of the smells that are associated with Thanksgiving...leading in to Christmas.  The cinnamon, nutmeg, gingerbread, and of course the smell of all the delicious food cooking Thanksgiving day!  Fall is my favorite time probably because it leads us to Christmas!  Getting the kids excited ...well Cash right now....is so fun!  He can't wait for Joseph and Josie to visit...their Elves.  They either come Thanksgiving day or the day after with a much anticipated arrival!

We ordered our turkey again from Rudy's along with gravy and cream corn.   Of course Ben wanted a chocolate pie of which no one had but Walmart....and it turned out to not be that great.  Stayed tuned for what I did at Christmas.  My mom made the sides.....mac and cheese, cornbread dressing, sweet potatoes and deviled eggs.   We got a ham, rolls, cranberry sauce (canned always) and dessert!  Everything was so delicious!!

I had already put the tree up the day or so before Thanksgiving as Cash just couldn't wait...he was so excited!  I was too!  I thought Emma would be really mesmerized by the lights on the tree and the ornaments but she wasn't.  It was almost as if the tree is up all year and it was just another day for her.   I am anxious to see her reaction next year.  I am fascinated with Emma and Cash's differences at each stage in their lives.  Cash even at a year old (since he birthday is so close to Christmas) was very observant of the tree..the lights...and the gifts underneath.  For his 1st birthday he really didn't care about what the gifts were as much as he did the wrapping paper, bags and bows.  Emma could care less about either.  I love that they are similar in a lot of ways..especially how independent they are and also how different they are.

Thanksgiving is especially a time of focusing on family, friends and all we have to give thanks for.  I am so thankful for all of my blessings.  My husband, my children, my parents, friends, our health, and our life.   We aren't suppose to be thankful for material things but I am. In the sense that I am grateful to have our beautiful home, nice cars to drive, good schools, a pool to get in when its hot outside, nice clothes to keep us warm during these cold days, good food to keep our bodies nourished and healthy....well.....point made.  We work hard to have these things...they aren't given ...we work for them.  It makes having them that much more meaningful.

Cash's 8th Birthday

Our sweet boy is 8!!  I just cannot believe how time is flying by.  I probably say that every year.  After Cash turned 7 we talked about not having a birthday party when he turned 8 but instead inviting a couple of friends to join him for a "birthday celebration" which meant going a few places he chooses and a fun dinner at a place of his choice.   So we did just that.

Cash invited Gabriel Lira, a little boy from his 2nd grade class, and Pistol Ducharme.  We went to K1 Speed Indoor race track, Monster Golf, Main Event and ended the evening at Tokyo Steakhouse.  Super fun and we did it all the day after Halloween.

Both Gabriel and Pistol were dropped off at the house and I had a pizza delivered for them.  Alexa came over to watch Emma while we were gone.  Ben had a gig that morning in Austin so we picked him up at Cornerstone Church on our way out.

We started off at K1 Speed which really is a pretty neat place.  A little dangerous but fun!  The junior races get to race separately from the adult racers as the cars go different speeds for children vs adults. So the boys got to go first.  Its funny to see how different their personalities are...what they're scared of and what they aren't.  Gabriel had been to K1 before so he wasn't scared at all.  Cash shared that he had been with Carter but I didn't recall that is where they went..none the less he was still apprehensive about driving.  Pistol had never been and true to his personality, he wasn't scared at all.  He put metal to the pedal and took off.  Cash stayed true to his personality and was third the entire race as he is just more cautious....hmmm...wonder where he gets that from.  Though he wasn't happy about not winning I think all three had a great time!  Even the big kid we had with us, aka Daddy, had a great time and joined in on the fun.

Cash's scared look.

After we left K1 we headed to Monster Golf.  Not sure this was the hit of the day as it just seems a little to fast with not much time to enjoy the "idea" of Monster Golf.  A couple of different times the Monster Golf employees would come over and give the boys the option of using a bat, club or some really big stick type thing to hit the golf balls with and I guess depending on how many times it took to get the ball in the hole they got a ton of tickets....later to be redeemed for some tiny prize.  You would think with all Cash and Gabriel had they would have walked out with a massive prize.   Pistol opted out of the golf club alternative ...therefore didn't get any tickets.  At the end we got them each a glow in the dark ball to take home.  

For the last stop before dinner we went to Main Event so the boys could play laser tag and do the ropes course.  Cash used to be so scared of the ropes course but now he gets up there with no hesitation.  Sweet Gabriel attempted, for the first time, to go up but came back down.  I was so proud that he tried as you couldn't pay me to do it.

We headed to dinner at Tokyo Steakhouse after leaving Main Event as that was the place Cash wanted to go.  Tokyo Steakhouse has been in business for years and say years...at least 20 years for sure if not longer.  The kids love it because of the fire and cooking excitement.  It was fun as we had the room to ourselves so the kids could a little sillier than normal.  We ate and then had a birthday finale for Cash...birthday cake and a happy birthday song in Japanese.  The biggest surprise of the evening was Cash losing only his third tooth.  He lost one of his two loose front teeth.  He was pretty excited knowing that the tooth fairy was coming to see him that night.  She did and she brought him $20...yes $20!!!!!!  Geez times have changed....or maybe unprepared parents with no smaller bills.

The next afternoon Andy and Cheryl came over and we grilled out and celebrated Cash's birthday even more.  

On Cash's actual birthday, November 3rd, Ben, myself and Emma took him ChickFilet for lunch at school and I brought Krispy Kreme donuts for his class that afternoon.  He got to go home with me right after and my parents came over to celebrate.  We opened gifts, had Cash's favorite meal, meatloaf and mashed potatoes and of course a birthday cake.  

Cash got Spurs tickets for his birthday, court side, and he and Ben went that Wednesday.  He had a blast.  Ben said he tried everything he could to get on the jumbotron.  Wish I had been there but so glad they got to do that together!

Our sweet boy is 8.......

Side note:  Cash lost his second front tooth on Nov. 11th...