Thanksgiving Weekend

Warning: This is a long post.

I know, I could have broken it into several smaller posts, but that's not in the cards this week.

The Epp's gathered on Thanksgiving evening. Rylee made herself at home at Doug and Vanessa's and became instant friends with all of Addison's horses.

Erica and Delaney

All the kiddos (minus Delaney) with the stars they made after dinner. Thanks aunt Pat for organizing another wonderful Thanksgiving craft!

We don't do Black Friday, we just don't. Instead, we visited Verney and Janice Voth's sheep farm!

The boys got to bottle-feed two sheep, feel how thick a ewe's wool coat is and pet a one day 0ld lamb.

So soft, jumpy and cute!

Then we were off to find our Christmas tree at Pine Creek Farm! We found a fabulous Douglas Fur and promptly chopped it down to take home with us.

Saturday evening we gathered at Ben's grandparents for a Brazilian rice and beans feast. Scot, Janet, Patrick and Emily were in town (for the first time in 3 years) so we had a great time catching up with them. Levi and Noah put on a "show" of their own complete with singing, dancing, flopping on the floor and running as fast as they could.

Then Scot showed them his famous, I-can-remove-my-thumb-and-then-put-it-back-on trick. The boys were completely confused, worried and entertained by the trick.

Sunday we ate our final Thanksgiving meal at my grandma Schmidt's house. After the boys finished eating they played dinner "music" for us. First Levi on the piano and then both of them on the organ. Let me just say, thank goodness they can't reach the volume-pedal on the organ.

All the food, music and playing wore out Levi.

While at great grandma's Noah realized that the bale elevator that he plays with over there could be even better to play with at grandma and grandpa's since they have bales and a barn!

Athletic Muffin Maker

Levi, fresh from a basketball game in our basement, helping me make muffins.

Date Night with Noah

Friday evening, Noah and I went on a date. He was thrilled at the chance to be a part of date night (instead of staying home with a babysitter). He got himself dressed and was anxious to go when the it was finally time for us to go.

Our date was dinner and a play. The Goessel High School drama department put on "Peter Pan" and hosted a lasagna dinner (to raise funds for the drama department) before each performance. It was wonderful to share some special time with Noah.

My cousin Braden was Peter Pan and did a fabulous job! Here he is with Wendy.

And Captain Hook!

I had forgotten a lot of the details of the story. It was fun to re-learn it and watch Noah experience it for the first time. I'm not sure if he understood there was a boy inside the dog costume and the alligator outfit.

Peter's last jump through the window! It was a wonderful production and all the better because it was a special night with Noah.

From Oct. 30

The last harvest pictures for the year. It was the day before Halloween and it was beautiful outside. Dad taught Ben how to drive the combine. It was a good day.

Bumble Bees in the Hay

The boys love the videos on YouTube made by Derek Klingenberg. Bumble Bees in the Hay is their favorite. Yesterday, Ben made the boys a "laptop computer" with a piece of cardboard. I found Levi "watching" the video last night and actually caught some of his singing on video.

Make sure to check out the other Derek Klingenberg videos - Possum in the Barn and Flyin' High.