Thanksgiving and a parental visit

So, this post is obviously delayed. But, my dad and Maggie visited us over Thanksgiving break! My dad won't fly, so they took the train and I picked them up at the cutest little train station in Fredericksburg. The train was a bit late, but Maggie kept me apprised, so I wasn't too early (they got in around 630am, so I didn't want to get up and leave earlier then I had to). The train takes 17 hours (without delays), so I am sure they were relieved to step off. But, it is certainly less stressful than driving and my dad loves talking to strangers and meeting people, so it isn't a bad way for them to travel.

We took it easy on Tuesday morning/afternoon. Thomas was playing in a basketball game after work, so we went up and watched some of the game and I showed them the base. if you're wondering, Thomas played well and his team won. Then, we went to Golden Corral, which the kids love! It was a nice first day. Wednesday, we went to the Farmer's Market, library and out for ice cream with the kids. The adults went to dinner at a local seafood restaurant and it was good to just chat.

Little Lukey with big Lou

Thursday was Thanksgiving! My brother, who recently moved to Northern Virginia, joined us with his family. Well, most of his family, one child is grown and living out of state. We cooked, played games, and watched the parade. We introduced my girls to the game of spoons, which is one of my favorites. I thought they were still a bit young to play, but they held their own! Jack was too busy playing Wii to join us. Dinner was delicious and relaxed. My brother stayed almost all day and we really enjoyed being with everyone.

That night, I went to JC Penney and maneuvered my way into a $0.60 king-sized comforter and a $1.40 shirt. I love combining their coupons with Black Friday deals! The next morning, my dad and Maggie watched the kids while Thomas and I did a bit more shopping. We got some good deals, but well after the crowds had departed, which is how we like it. We are never looking for the big-ticket items, so it is easy to wait for things to die down. While we were gone, the kids played some more spoons and made some Oreo turkeys with Maggie. When we got home, they actually asked us to go back out because they were having so much fun. We had a Karaoke party that night and I can't remember what else we did.

Kara wanted to help cook.

Jack and Anna wanted to help in a different way.

Saturday, we went out for a drive around Solomon's and then to a late lunch. We also picked out our Christmas tree and spent the afternoon decorating. My dad and Maggie left that evening. We were all sad to see them go!