Thanksgiving + Deck The Halls + Fa La La La

And boom goes another month. Gone. Just like that.
Here is part 1 of November, although most of it occurred in part 2...don't judge my methods. ;)

So shockingly we got snow one weekend. Snow. In November, not unheard of but not common. Of course the kids were thrilled. And I love having wet soggy clothes and boots on my landing for a week. It is fun though watching the joy it brings, you forget so much about childhood and re-living it with your kids gives it new excitement all over again.

It's no secret that Thanksgiving is my least favorite holiday. I do love the whole gratitude attitude thing, but November in and of itself is blah and the turkey is extra blah. However, last year we started the Tree of Thanksgiving. Each day {well most days} we all try and write 1 thing we are grateful for and hang the leaf up. MW still doesn't fully grasp the concept as he choose random things to be thankful for--like his truck book, but it is still fun to hear. Lo's heart is very sensitive to needs of others and she really chooses deep things--like clean water. Some days I find it astounding that they came from the same gene pool.

Lo was so ready to set up the tree and decorations this year. And because I find it exhausting we broke it into days. Everything out one day, fluff tree branches the next, wait for our rotating tree base to arrive, put tree up with lights on another day followed by trimming the tree on Thanksgiving day.

This was the year MW could finally put the star on and as soon as daddy tried to lift him, he FREAKED OUT.

So Brave Betsy did it. This girl fear nothing. Makes for a great gymnast.

The aforementioned tree trimming process.

Our tree rotates. I can not tell  you how cool that is. Lo begged for a rotating tree last year, but the tree was already up and I didn't see the point in buying a rotating base. This year I remembered and made sure to order one in time! Fun to see all the ornaments and as Lo says "I won't break my arm again trying to see the ornaments in the back!" {to clarify she only sprained it falling off the couch last year looking at the back of the tree.}

Another little tradition we have is family Thanksgiving Day pictures. Something magical happens on this day each year and we get good photos on a self timer in one take.

MW is just all Chandler Bing when it comes to taking photos...so excuse his random face. But I have learned to just appreciate that as who he is and embrace it. :)

The last tradition is to read the Christmas Nativity story as we put up my beloved manger scene.

I try so hard guys, I do. I want to be laid back but it's hard. Each year my face looks slightly more relaxed than the year before. HA!

A mini tour of the decor.

Ah, and then Izzy the elf has returned with donuts. Lo's face nearly exploded when she saw he was back. Then she yelled Micah come quick Izzy is back! That boy nearly tripped on his own feet {which really isn't all that crazy for him} trying to see Izzy!

And to wrap up this installment of November pt 1 that happened during pt 2.
THE CAR.
Micah and Leighton come on down....you've won a CAAAARRRR!
Not really, but that is what it felt like.
Yesterday I swung by goodwill to look for a mini Christmas tree for MW's room. And what should we see when we walked in, but this car. We meander around goodwill, found a tree and while I was checking out MW hopped in the car and tried to drive out the front door with it. As we left he begged for it. It was only  $60 and we have ALL wanted one of these for years. I told him I wasn't sure, I mean if I bought this thing I want it to be a Christmas gift...so I called daddy. Daddy the gift giving fool of course said YES! So we walked right back in and asked to buy it.

HOWEVER. part of the tag was missing and they refused to sell it to me because they weren't sure it wasn't already sold. They have a-mazing record keeping at goodwill...I mean it gives Hobby Lobby a run for their money.  ::insert SARCASM:: So frustrating. All I could do was come back tomorrow and hope it was still there. MW actually left really well--no fits, crying, whining etc. I was proud.

I told him we need to all take this as an opportunity to trust God. It seems silly, but God does care about little things like this, because they are big things to a little 3yo boy.

So we showed up as soon as they opened today and lo and behold the car was still there! It was ours. MW was thrilled!! He kept patting the car the whole way home. Of course when Lo got home she couldn't believe we got it! I told her to keep her hopes low.

And that is the story of the early Christmas present that is the car. Man the joy these two have, makes it all worth it. Even if it only last 6 months...it was $60 well spent!