Shalz Family Day of Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Hope every one's holiday was full of warm and fuzzy feelings. Our day was nice. We didn't do the typical Turkey Day feast though. Because there are only three of us, and one of us is too young to even know the proper traditions called for, we decided to skip all the hubbub food and just go simple and cheaper. We ordered pizza! We kept to a few honored traditions, like a certain holiday punch Nathan always makes. Also, we had a breakfast of cinnamon rolls and celery with cream cheese and peanut butter. And of course pie.
It's been a great several days because Nathan got off work early morning on Wednesday and has been home ever since. Like a mini-vacation.


Here's Levi saying "Happy Thanksgiving!" to y'all

As soon as we were all dressed and pretty for the day, I set us up for some pictures. I wanted to get it done before someone changed into sweats or got all dirty and disheveled. Levi's not exactly putting on his best photogenic face here, but that's hard to get out of him. I think the one picture where he's really looking at the camera and smiling, Nathan and I both look like a couple of fat faces so.... here's the best take. Somehow "Cute Doggy" made it into our family portrait.

So, because Levi watches Little Einsteins he has an advanced (I think) knowledge of instruments. We got him a little tiny hand sized guitar once and he called it a cello. And this trumpet pictured below was part of a Christmas decoration, but Levi claimed it as his own. He carries it around, puts it to his mouth like this and says, "do do do do" in the appropriate tone for a trumpet. It's pretty impressive, in my educated opinion.

On Thanksgiving Day he was carrying it around, proclaiming it to be his "tum-pet." He brought it to each person, (myself, Nathan, Pippin and cute doggy of course) and requested that they "twy." Here's Nathan making a beat box noise instead of a trumpet noise. And Levi is making that face because he's saying, "Not right." He proceeded to take it back from Papa, show him how to do it right, and then giving him another go; only this time with Levi holding it to Papa's mouth so he could properly supervise.

We ate our rebellious Thanksgiving Feast and watched Christmas movies. The first of the season! Levi was too excited to take a nap in his own room that day, so of course during the movies everyone had to take a traditional Thanksgiving nap. (I was asleep before I took this picture). Even Pippin is napping under Nathan's chair.

After our lazy time on the couch, Nathan introduced Levi to the game of "taco." Levi wasn't trusting enough to volunteer for it right away, so Pippin had to be the guinea pig. Levi's pretty happy about it. I assume everyone gets the game...he's making a Pippin taco by rolling him up in the blanket. yeah.

Then Levi needed to hold him like a baby.

Now that he knows the drill, it's Levi's turn. It was a cute game to watch. Especially since no one would dare make a mama taco.

I had to put the camera down while I assisted Levi in making a papa taco. Even with my help we struggled to roll papa up. Here Levi is trying to pick him up.... On Thanksgiving Evening we also opened one Christmas Present each and made our annual "What we are Thankful for" lists. We say 12 things each, representing the 12 months of the last year. It was hard to wrangle Levi's out of him. He only said about half of the required number, but it was still a thankful list.

Ah yes...decorating for Christmas outside...finally! This was Friday. We don't do that whole "Black Friday" shopping stuff. Too crazy...wouldn't want to inadvertently be involved in the death of a wal-mart greeter. (referring to a news story from New York) Instead we peacefully decorate our hale (home). This was the first year Levi got to help papa on the ladder.

I left out the scary picture where Nathan had Levi on his shoulders. It was just ridiculous, and didn't last long. The house looks so festive, though!

Ever since the Charlie Brown cartoon for Halloween was on TV Levi has been really into "Peanuts." He says regularly "Watch Charlie Brown." It's really cute to hear him say. So, we have Charlie Brown Christmas, but only on VHS, and this is the only VCR we have left...in this little TV/VCR combo. Thus, here he sits at the foot of the Christmas tree watching "Charlie Brown KP tree" That seems like a fitting way to end our Thanksgiving holiday weekend.