December 3-9 {Highlights}

The highlight of the month so far has been

 the advent calendars - for real.

The ones with the chocolates behind the doors.

Grandma and Grandpa have been buying them for

Thomas and Isabelle every year since birth,

and it's the first thing the kids do every morning, 

the second they get out of bed.

Sweetheart Thomas all snugly in his bathrobe,

after his nighttime bath,

just before bedtime.

Greg and I saw the movie Lincoln.

It was amazing,

there are no words.

Definitely one of the best movies we've seen this year!

I loved it, I want to see it again,

and it really made me want to go back to

Washington D.C.

On Thursday we all,

as in Greg + Shannon + kids

went to dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory

in Trolley Square.

The kids like it because it's so "fancy" inside

{crushed red velvet has that effect}

and their spumoni ice-cream is pretty delicious.

As always, dinner out with kids is an event,

and a good reminder of why it's better to eat at home.

Not in public.

Away from others.

Behind closed doors.

Case in point,

Isabelle playing with her straw and spoon,

as her food sits untouched on her plate.

But at least the spumoni is gone.

On Friday night Thomas went to a birthday party 

for his little friend Sidney at Color Me Mine!

Thomas got to paint an airplane,

eat pizza, and have a fun-filled night with

his friends from school.

***

Unfortunately, strep throat befell me last week

{Not a highlight. At one point I was convinced I was 

actually dying, and I am still way sick with it.

Strep throat is so bad. Ouch.}

Anyways, when the weekend came around,

Greg, my mom, and sisters Stephanie and Sarah

were so wonderful to step in and not only take

care of Thomas and Isabelle,

but give them one of the most fun and

memorable weekends they have ever had.

I am so lucky to have such an incredible fiancé and family,

and I was reminded of that this weekend.

I don't know what I would do without them!

On Saturday Greg took Nat and Thomas skiing at Brighton.

Thomas had never been skiing before,

so Saturday was his first time ever!

He had the time of his life!

It was really good for Thomas to have a "boys only"

day with Greg and Nat doing something sporty,

because Thomas is one active little guy.

Thomas spent half the day with Greg
teaching him how to ski,

and the other half in ski school where he learned how to

stop, make a snake, make a pizza,

and get on and off the lift all by himself.

Thomas passed his ski class with flying colors and is 

officially a Brighton Ripper!

Nat and Thomas are a couple of pro-skiers!

Thomas felt really proud to go to school today with a

Brighton ski pass attached to the zipper on his coat.

He can't wait to hit the slopes again!

{Thomas. Nat. Callie. Abby}

Lunch in the lodge at Brighton - pizza!

Because skiing really works up an appetite!

Thank you, Greg, for teaching my boy how to ski.
He had so much fun with you and Nat on Saturday!
You are the best and I love you.

Meanwhile, Isabelle Grace was having the time of her life 

having a "girls weekend" with her Grandma and Aunts.

Aunt Sarah took her to the U to a ballet performance,

and afterward they went to Dan's so Isabelle could

decorate a sugar cookie.

Dinner date night!

Isabelle had a dinner date at Cafe Rio with

Aunt Stephanie and Uncle Alan.

My kids really do have the best
aunts and uncles ever!

Thank you, family, for doing so many fun things with
Isabelle over the weekend... she had so much fun,
in fact, she didn't want to come home!
You are the greatest and I love you.

Uncle Alan bought Isabelle a snow shovel,

just her size.

Now he has a little helper with the driveway!

{So I guess it was kind of a gift for her for him...}

Little boy, big weekend!

Last night after his bath, Thomas was so exhausted he

fell asleep on the floor in the hallway.

The poor thing couldn't even make it the four extra feet

to his bed.

A miserable weekend for me,

but a wonderful weekend for the kids.

Now on to me feeling better...
because staying in bed gets old really fast.

{Hopefully that at least explains my high activity
on Pinterest over the weekend though...}

::  THE END  ::