Thanksgiving Week

The third annual trip to Redondo Beach for Thanksgiving was so much fun this year. We were there for over a week this time and I barely saw Grey. He slept on the floor with Trevor and Kaylee in their room and ran hard all week. Of course, as happens every year, everyone was sick at some point in the trip. Zoe and MacKenzie were probably hit the worse. Zoe had a high fever for about 3 days and would not leave my arms. She would have been happy to just sit and nurse. All. day. long.  Luckily towards the end, she started feeling better and was able to run with the kids too!

I am so thankful our kids are good car travelers. Grey was amazing for the whole entire trip and Zoe had about 45 minutes each way where she screamed but was fantastic the rest of the time. On the way down, we stopped at Target to get stuff for sandwiches and let the kids stretch the legs a little bit. It poured on us through the whole bay area and we were able to see tons of rainbows!

 Best idea ever! Target layover!

 On Saturday, Trevor and Kaylee both had their final soccer games and team parties. You should have seen their cheering section (this was most of  them) just for them! Grey loved watching them play and so did Zippy :)

 Zoe found plenty to eat-grass, sticks, etc

 MacKenzie and Zoe played dress up

Grey got to go to Kaylee's school a few times, he loved the working water pump.

 This was probably one of the highlights of the trip. Grey actually got a chance to drive the jeep! He was a terrible driver and was kicked out of the driver seat in less than 5 minutes while on the road...the next day he got to practice in the backyard where he couldn't run into cars or get ran over and finally got the hang of it.

 Double swing?

 We spent a beautiful afternoon at the beach. This was Zoe's first beach trip. She loved feeling the sand and only took about one mouthful before realizing how nasty it was! She still wasn't feeling too well so Zippy took her up to Ma's house while we finished playing. Grey was in heaven and asked to go back every day.

 It had rained the day before and we went during the week and there was literally no one else out there playing. It was so peaceful and amazingly beautiful.

 Adam and Zippy dug out a huge whole for the kids. They had a blast climbing in and out of it..and then jumping into it!

 one of my new favorite pictures...

 Finding sand crabs

 We buried the kids and thought about leaving them there :)

The kids played outside while the dad's put up the Christmas decorations.

 Real baby doll!

 Lisa had a big audience every night

 This huge book was a big hit with Grey and MacKenzie

 Grey and Zoe were happy to find a park with swings

 Zoe on Thanksgiving playing with nama's exercise balls

 Typical Zoe: barely hanging on with one hand and blowing rasberries

 On Thanksgiving, Grey got to play his first real golf course

 Kids listening intently to Adam's golf instructions

 Grey & Kaylee enjoying the Thanksgiving dinner. Nama's dog just waiting for them to drop something!

 The "butter"ball turkey-nama is known for her butter creations!

 Family time! What do you think about Zip's mustache for Movember? December 1st can't come quick enough...

 Zoe LOVED dancing with Nama. Every time the song would end, Zoe would sign "again"

 Grey's first tea party

 The day after Thanksgiving we headed to Knott's Berry Farm. It was fire appreciation day so a friend got us in for a steal. Unfortunately, it was crazy busy and we were only able to ride a few rides...but the kids had a blast!

 Everyone passed out on the way home!

 One of the neighbors puts a ferris wheel up and all sorts of cartoon characters are riding in it. The kids loved trying to find all of the characters as they went around. Grey was excited to see Curious George!

 Saturday, before we headed home, the dad's took the kids on a 6 mile bike ride to the beach and to Lisa's parents house for our last Thanksgiving feast. Trevor and Kaylee rode their own bikes and all the dad's said when they arrived was that was a very SLOW ride and they probably won't do it again :)  MacKenzie loved riding in Zoe's seat though!

 You know we had a fund and busy time when Grey climbed into my lap during dinner and fell asleep!

We are so thankful to have such great friends as the Deierlings who open up their house for a whole week. We look forward to this trip every year.