Thanksgiving and Reunions

This week has been a whirlwind of activity! Not only are things crazy working for our family business (Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday... and all the prep that goes into them) but we also had Thanksgiving and our friends visiting from North Carolina! Wow.

Thursday we all ate the yummy turkey and sides and then put up our gigantic tree (this sucker is 14 ft tall and took three men GRUNTING to get it in place). No one cared to decorate it after all the work of getting it inside, so it has sat bare for a few days. After Thanksgiving dinner Zak had to go to work at the bank and Amory, Chris and I braved the crowds at Walmart for a few toys. We sauntered over, arrived late and snagged up a few deals that weren't crazy... so we didn't have to deal with a lot of the CRAZIES- it wasn't bad. Friday Zak and I went to a few other stores before we got ready for our high school reunion.

Zak wasn't thrilled to go to the reunion at first- but after (many drinks and friends) he kept telling me how absolutely glad he was that I drug him along. 

Saturday our good friends came from North Carolina to visit and we spent all day hanging out. Catherine and her husband Mark have a 1 and a 1/2 year old daughter named Sophia- and Amory and her had a great time! First we ate at Cheesecake Factory and then went to Barnes  & Noble to let the kiddos play on the train table and with some books- following that we walked around the mall, did a bit of shopping and then let the girls play in the playground. Mark was at the Ohio State Vs. Michigan game all day, but he met us after for Chipotle (yum!) and then Wildlights at the Columbus Zoo.

I was amazed at the work that had to have gone into creating the Zoo Lights- wow- there were hundreds of thousands of lights... beautifully decorated, soaring to the tops of seemingly EVERY tree in the zoo, themed and even set to music. It was intense and the girls were awestruck. I think, had it been a bit warmer (it was a balmy 29 degrees) we would have enjoyed it more... but that would probably be the only way to improve it. We still got to see a lot of animals, the girls didn't fuss at all (despite not having any naps all day) and it was a lovely night with some really great friends we haven't seen in years (the last time we saw them was the week before Amory was born). 

Today was Sunday- we caught up on some errands, put lights (and Amory put candy canes on the lower branches) on the tree and just relaxed a bit. Tomorrow is my brother Chris's birthday so we went to dinner tonight at a Hibachi style Japanese restaurant & Amory got a huge kick out of watching the men cook the food in front of her.

I always make cakes for everyone's birthday. I asked Chris this week what his favorite cake was so that I could make him one... and he answered cheesecake. Seriously kid? I've  never made one, and all I've heard was how much of a challenge it is- oh well, tonight, I attempted it.

My mini-helper and I mixed, beat, battered and baked away. We ran out of white sugar half way through and had to use splenda, so we'll see how that tastes. Amory watched me crack and fold in an egg- so when my back was turned she dropped a whole one into the mixer while it was going and I had to dig out as many of the pieces as I could find- digging my hands through the goop bit by bit. Once I put it in the oven I followed directions to a T- but it came out looking pretty dark brown- I really hope that this thing turns out okay!

I'll follow up with next week's blog and let you know how it went :) 

Terrible Twos

Boy am I questioning my desire to have a second child these past few weeks- it appears that the terrible twos have decided to rear their UGLY head- and I'm running away!

Last week Amory didn't feel very good- so I can forgive her bad attitude, I get it- when you don't feel good you really don't want to be happy. This week however, she has no excuse. I think she figured out when she was sick that screaming and pitching a fit gets her way (we appease a lot when you don't feel well) and now we don't know how to break that habit. Oi Vey!

Amory and her Grandpa Jeff tried on hats last week

in Anthropologie... basically they are adorable! 

We haven't done anything really fun around here- mostly we are just working (a lot) and trying to figure out if/when we are going to move. Amory and her daddy did go see Wreck It Ralph- and Amory LOVED it so much that we went again all together- it is a very cute movie. =) Uncle Chris even joined us the second time.

Spookfest & Weekend with In-Laws (Dublin & Bridgeport OH)

Wow, we are really getting our miles out of little Minnie Mouse this year- when we were at the Disney store and she  daddy & I fell in love with a $50 costume... not including shoes or ears I knew I'd have to make it worth it, I think I've succeeded. As you've seen from photos in prior blogs & some I didn't take she's worn her costume to *Boo at the Zoo, the Worthington Rec Center's Fall Festival, Dublin's Spookfest, and a few times around the house... and Halloween is this week (also a trick or treating at Easton Mall we are considering the day before). I think we've gotten enough miles out of this that it is worth it, heck, as cute as she is- I think it is worth it anyway.

We hit a BIG milestone this week... Amory is potty trained. I'll do a follow up post with my tips and tricks later for anyone who is interested. I am incredibly happy to be done with diapers- but I'm still getting used to the urgent need to RUN to the bathroom anytime she feels an inkling to go. Hehe.

Okay so here are some photos- which I am sure is what you are really wanting. Thursday we went to Dublin Ohio's Spookfest with about 5,000 other children and parents... I didn't get a lot of photos simply because the crowds were insane, but it was a fun time. They had a lot of neat activities to include: haunted trail, maze, bag decorating, pumpkin decorating, dance party and trunk or treat. On Saturday we went to visit my husband's family 2 hours away in St. Clairsville (Bridgeport) Ohio and all of the family came over, too... of course, I only took photos for the pumpkin carving, woops!

Boo at the Zoo (Powell, Ohio)

Boo at the Zoo was such an adventure. Originally we were going to go with my husband's family (they couldn't make it, so we are visiting them next weekend) but instead we went with some friends of ours. My friend April has a 3 year old son named Gabriel (Gabe), and Amory and Gabe really enjoy hanging out. Amory is very big for her age and so they are pretty much the same size... Gabe is a little more advanced with his vocabulary (he can actually sing the whole ABCs), but Amory is catching up quickly... but I digress.

We went to the Zoo Saturday morning after filling up our car tires and grabbing a bite to eat. Ohio kinda sucks and so it was a bit chilly. We bundled up, put a shirt and leggings under Amory's costume and packed the wagon with blankets and snacks. The zoo was decorated adorably, and Amory really loved it. Gabe and Amory both had moments of grouchiness since it was around naptime and Gabe's family ducked out a little early- but the times between were fun.

Check out these pictures which explain it better than I could. 

This is her "cheese" face, I'm hoping it improves 

Gabe and Amory brushing the poor goats 

I bet this is the first time a goat has been brushed by a mouse and a dragon. :)  

Basically, they love each-other 

"squeek squeek" 

Why, hello.  

Getting off of the train. Gabe was such a gentleman. 

My new favorite. You'll probably see this photo 500x 

I love daddy & Amory shots. Looking at otters. 

Cheese! 

Climbing in the "racing" bouncer. NBD but Gabe was 2nd. haha 

 Gabe can bounce higher, Amory was impressed

 She made it all the way through the maze...

then cheated and went over to go back through. 

 Arrgh, Amory is a princess/pirate

 And Frankenstein

 Starburs (spiders in Amory talk)

 "talking to Aunt Taci" 

Apparently she called Zak's Aunt Traci on this fake phone. <3

 Magic mirrors

 Gabe digs it

I told you I'd share this again. Isn't it so adorable? OMG

Next weekend we are going to St. Clairsville Ohio (two hour drive) to see Zak's family (including "aunt Taci"). I think we'll bring our pumpkins with us so they can help carve them. 

In other news, Zak and I are REALLY considering moving to Portland within the next year. We have to figure out financials and technicalities... but we would both love to make it happen. We are debating between staying in Ohio to save money this year or just doing it and making it work. We were also considering moving back to Boise where I grew up, but Portland is probably the better choice in the long run. All we know is that we'd like to move- sooner than later if we can make it happen.