turkey week

we kicked off thanksgiving week by having some friends over for dinner and fhe. we decorated turkey cookies:


russell was off school tuesday through friday, so we had lots of free time for some more exploring...

we visited a couple amish settlements in the area and bought WAY too many treats (cinnamon rolls, cookies, pie, pretzels, apple pull-apart bread, candy, and more). YUM
calvin also loved trying out the huge (and expensive) play sets that they build.



we came home and had a pizza and popcorn movie party, complete with a "tent" in the living room:


we ventured into cincinnati for the first time and went to the aquarium in newport. we saw the penguin parade, frogs, birds, alligators, snakes, turtles, and feeding time for sharks and pirhanas. we got to touch crabs, starfish and SHARKS!

couldn't keep his eyes off the alligators

cool jellyfish exhibit

and the new favorite, sharks! at the petting tank, he kept yelling, "I TOUCHED THE SHARK!"

my three boys (in brown and orange stripes) on the scale they use to compare your weight to a shark's. calvin and russell decided to wear matching outfits that day, so i dressed mason to go along.

we walked outside in the chilly weather for a quick glimpse of cincinnati across the river (i love calvin's hand right on russell's forehead)

the missionaries joined us for our thanksgiving feast (my first time cooking the whole thing!).

i love smelling the onion and celery cooking in butter (for grandma's famous dressing)

russell roasted an excellent turkey this year

calvin wanted to take a thanksgiving picture with this book because he is thankful for it

our feast. we thought we'd be nice and start mason on applesauce for a special treat. this was the look he gave after every bite:

friday we went to the temple in louisville and then put up our christmas tree.

these two are so alike!

this one enjoyed nibbling on a package of ribbon

saturday we went to downtown cincinnati with our friends the levin's. we saw gingerbread house and train displays, rode a horse-pulled carriage, visited santa at macy's and ate seafood.

calvin was keeping his distance from santa and didn't want to sit on his lap. santa was nice and let me sit in his big chair with calvin - that's a first for me!

so grateful for a fun week together.