A Week In Iowa

 It's crazy time of the year again!  The holiday season is in full swing for us, which also means Scott's busy season for work.  Throw in us hosting a party for a group of Scott's work associates and my brother being hospitalized for 10 days over Thanksgiving, and life has been even more...exciting...than usual.

Thanksgiving fun began the weekend beforehand when we shipped the girls up to Iowa for a weekend of fun with Scott's parents so we could host the party in relative peace.  My brother being hospitalized meant my parents couldn't watch the girls during the week, so after going to preschool with grandma (who's a teacher at one), I was able to get up to Iowa with Abraham and be on kid duty until Scott came up on Wednesday. 

We spent Thanksgiving day with Scott's grandparents.  Abraham got to meet his great-grandpa for the first time.

We celebrated Thanksgiving on Saturday with my family complete with a giant piece of beef, a classic holiday tradition, right?

The girls got to learn duck, duck, goose because their mother has never taught them this game.  Negligence?  Perhaps.

They taught their cousins Ring Around the Rosie though.  So I redeemed myself slightly.

They adore their time with the cousins.  It's full tilt, every moment they are awake.  Constant motion and noise.  It's enough to make me want a nap.

 Abraham and Ellie (the newest cousin) became fast friends. 

This little man is rocking the milestones (and the hair).  He's getting really strong, pushing up, and trying to get onto all fours.

Grandma moves the table for these yahoos so they can watch TV from it during breakfast.  Spoiling in full effect.

And on an unrelated note, this is Annie's new trick.  She's a ballerina (if you couldn't tell).  The tutu is worn literally every day.  The dance moves get more and more complex by the week.  This is one of my favorites, and the addition of the magic wand makes it that much better.