I still love a four-day weekend now as much as I did when I was working. It's a different vibe, time to relax -- or work your tail off -- or see people you love. And mine was splendid.
It went to a good home. I hope he loves it as much as I did.
My friend Kate invited Rick and me to Thanksgiving dinner with her husband, Mike, and her brother, John.
The table was lovely...
....and the sumptuous dinner to die for! Salmon, roasted veggies, salad, cranberries, more roasted veggies... Needless to say, no one left hungry!
On Friday we headed to Livonia to see the kids. It was a day of fun with Kevin and Molly, Greg and the toddlers! They adore Uncle Greg!
There were those who thought I might be out of my mind to do a gingerbread house with a three and four-year-old. To them I say, "Ha!"
I started with the four-year-old Carborator! He understood patience and waiting for the icing to dry a bit while it held up the sides! But checking out the candy in the rest of the gingerbread kit kept him happy. (Trader Joe -- I highly recommend it!)
When the Camster got up from his nap, he helped. That could have been a recipe for disaster... but he was into it! And very careful.
The end wasn't exactly Martha-ready, but it was my favorite ginger house!
We had a great walk to the park, where we saw several deer.
The little guys led the way!
And then they played on the monkey bars and slides. It was so cold, all of us were freezing -- except the munchkins!
They're good kids and we were so glad to have the day with them!
Saturday was sort of a washout. I was seriously wiped out and grateful that Rick made dinner! We got our first "real" snowfall that evening.
I'm not a big snow fan -- but it does look beautiful!
But I made up for it Sunday -- putting away the rest of fall and getting a bit of a start on decorating!
There will be more to come but for now, I'll be enjoying a lovely week, expecting company on Thursday, Cork Poppers on Friday...
Lots to anticipate!
The snow is very magical for the holiday season and that gingerbread house? Perfection! Making memories...that's what it's all about!
ReplyDeletethe weekend with the Munchkins sounds like a lot of fun - family is really what all holidays are about. Cute pictures too. Take a day to recuperate and then jump right in decorating. I'm almost through with mine and I am TIRED!
ReplyDeleteSounds like the perfect weekend. Bye bye car......keep watch over the new family.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a huge amount of fun, food and good company! Kids at that age love helping, I was always astonished at what my grandies could do. It's a good age to start helping and learning. And I have put my Christmas decoration on the window bank. Yes, decoration, singular! Hugs, Valerie
ReplyDeleteI love your bottle brush trees.
ReplyDeleteThe christmas decorations are very cute
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos
It is all beautiful , charming and joyful! That seems to be your life!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you had a good holiday! I'm a stay-at-home-mom, but I agree that long weekends feel different with the family home and out of the normal routine to relax.
ReplyDeleteColletta
What a lovely weekend and upcoming week to anticipate.
ReplyDeleteI love seeing you and the boys making the house! They look enthralled. You're busy making memories, Jeanie. Glad you got a little "ambiance" snow!
ReplyDeleteSince I retired I think I have a perpetual seven-day weekend!
ReplyDeleteOh the little guys are wonderful, loved the photographs of them making the gingerbread house.
ReplyDeleteI always think snow makes things look so pretty. Here in the UK many areas saw snow over the weekend ... we just had a few flurries but it was very cold.
I like your decorations, we will start ours on Wednesday.
Have a lovely week.
All the best Jan
Sunday morning the snow was stuck on the trees and in the morning sunlight it was so sparkly and magical here. Looks like you had a great weekend. If I ever made a gingerbread house, mine surely would be worse than the boys. They did an awesome hob! Janice
ReplyDeleteYou certainly enjoyed a beautiful holiday, Jeanie! Congrats on selling your car. The children are making wonderful memories with all the great times spent with you and Rick. Have a lovely week!
ReplyDeleteWhat a magical time you had. Great food, wonderful times with the boys, and a great gingerbread house, too. The perfect weekend for being thankful. I have to admit the snow is lovely. Great post, Jeanie. Great decorations, too.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post Jeanie. It sounds like an amazing weekend. It's fun to see the kids getting so big. And patient enough to make a gingerbread house. How fun. I hope you get more decorating done (I spent a lot of today doing some, still more to go). And have a fun week. Hugs-Erika
ReplyDeleteI love snow. Not here yet.
ReplyDeleteA thanksgiving dinner with a centerpiece other than turkey is really appealing — makes us look at traditions with a critical eye, doesn’t it? That’s how ours was planned as well.
ReplyDeleteBest… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Your Thanksgiving dinner looks fabulous! I'm a little envious that someone managed to kick the bird off the menu. Around here, traditions are really hard to change.
ReplyDeleteLove the gingerbread-house-making -- everyone seems to be having so much fun... and lovely results!
From here, looks like your holiday decorating is off to a festive start. Me, I'm still cleaning dishes from Thanksgiving...
I really love your decorations pictured at top -- so dreamy and wintry.
ReplyDeleteThe gingerbread house project sounds like something I would do - I bet those boys were thoroughly charmed, and you look like you are having fun, too.
Sounds like a wonderful few days. Glad you got to spend some time with the boys, and making the gingerbread house went so well.
ReplyDeleteI can see your decorations are old favourites, much loved (Love the pink Christmas tree in miniature).. I have also learned that the best way to stop gingerbread houses falling down is to build pyramid style (as in your pics!) looks like you had a great Thanksgiving.
ReplyDeleteHello Jeanie,
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great weekend, starting with the delicious dinner with friends.
Family time is always fun, the boys are growing up fast. The gingerbread house is cute. Love your festive decorations. We may see some flurries today, no real snow accumulation yet. Take care, enjoy your day and week ahead.
Your ginger house is full of joy.
ReplyDeleteFabulous weekend photos! That gingerbread house looks so fun.
ReplyDeleteI love everything in this post - your Thanksgiving meal, your adventure in gingerbread house construction, your snowfall (the first is always beautiful!), and your bottle brush tree vignette! You're making the season bright and gay, Jeanie!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations for selling your Toyota car!
ReplyDeleteYour friend Kate looks radiant by the festive table with food, and you look radiant in your activities with the toddlers.
The white snow is a beautiful background to the cold days ahead !
The gingerbread house is perfect! I am slowly putting up my tree (I think I finished making ornaments last night) and a wreath adorns my door (I just decorate a little when I spend Christmas in Florida). I always love seeing your Christmas decorations.
ReplyDeleteLooks like you had a fabulous weekend! How fun to have a light dusting of snow for getting out the Christmas decorations. Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful holiday you had! I especially love how you made the gingerbread house with the little guys. Lovely!
ReplyDeleteHUGE blessings..grands..HUGE♥Love the house and builders..and that chair in the snow..and I think we all appreciate your dear friend:)
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a wonderful weekend! I loved snow in December, but after that not so much!
ReplyDeleteI just love the pictures with the children, making the ginger house.
ReplyDeleteWhat a joy to see your post this morning. You are a bit of sunshine Jeanie! love your outings with the gran-boys!! from the pictures, they are really getting tall(er). both my sons are 6'5" and just grew so fast as children!! your decorations are so lovely and full of memories for you. I have a few lights outside on the shrubs. all decor ground level........no ladders anymore. And just a few special decorations on my mantel put me in a "jolly mood". Enjoy the season Jeanie!!
ReplyDeleteWhat fun you had! I love the gingerbread houses! I have to tell you that I cheated one year… I hot glued them together FIRST! then frosted and decorated them. Oh my it was so fun to not have any collapse on me!
ReplyDeleteI see you had snow toooooooo!
Enjoy the rest of your week my friend!
~Nancy
That feeling of selling something we love to someone who will treat it well is great, isn't it. Glad your car found a new home where it's appreciated.
ReplyDeleteYour blog posts around Christmas are always fan favorite. Can't wait so see how you decorate this year.
Your Thanksgiving holiday weekend sounds perfect! Ours mostly the same except no snow, we are in a lovely autumn with mild temps. I miss those gingerbread times with Connor, every year until now. All grown up at 13 and so into mountain biking. The Thanksgiving meal with your friends looks delicious, very special. Congratulations on selling your car! Happy decorations, love what you have out.........
ReplyDeleteNot only was your post joyful, full of family, delicious food and fun activities... it was ad-free. How fun not to be blitzed with shop here, buy this and my latest meaningless video to buy something else. HUGS and you had a Merry Thanksgiving! Sandi
ReplyDeleteAw...y'all had such a nice time! You have the cutest family, Jeanie. You are truly blessed, My Friend. Thanks for the tip about Trader Joe's because the gingerbread house is so cute (plus there's a store not too far from me).
ReplyDeleteI'll bet you were tired! I don't think we're seeing our kids till January. My daughter's MIL is visiting for a month.
ReplyDeleteA Thanksgiving feast! And what joy you're having during this season. I love your tree display :)
ReplyDeleteI smiled throughout your whole post, dear Jeanie! I love snow as long as it's in photos. Congrats on selling the car. Have a wonderful week. xx
ReplyDeleteCan I send you a Christmas card?
ReplyDeleteSpending time with family is the best! :)
ReplyDeleteOh, help, I hope the duct tape was a joke (though I saw that here, too!).
ReplyDeleteAlways good to give your car to a good new place. Our Nissan Patrol in Australia (we lived in it) in the end went to a dumb guy who announced he will test the car´s limits for fun - aka destroy it. I was very sad. But we needed to go back to Germany...
The food and happy frined is a nice sight to see!
Oh, and the kids - such a cute age! My Nieces are "old" now (6 and 10) - time runs. Enjoy big :-)
Can you believe I here see many kids forced onto little bikes with training wheels?!
Nice to see in your case it´s cleverly done!
Argh - snow already?! Here we usually get hit in February....
Hi Jeanie!! ♥ Your friend Kate made a SCRUMPTIOUS dinner and a lovely table!!! I really loved all of the gingerbread house photos!!! :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like you a wonderful holiday. Great food. Great fellowship. Great kids and snow:) You had all the fixings.
ReplyDeleteSounds wonderful! The boys are adorable, and I think it is great that you went ahead with the gingerbread house! No doubt it's going to be a tradition that they look forward to! Snow? Bah humbug! But it sure does look pretty.
ReplyDeleteA perfect weekend! I love the closure of meeting the buyer of car or house. It feels good when something you loved is going to someone who will really appreciate it. That Thanksgiving dinner looks amazing and so healthy! The gingerbread house must have been so fun to build. Your bench is so beautiful with a covering of snow.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a wonderful 4 days.
ReplyDeleteI am off to Trader Joe's tomorrow to get a gingerbread house to build with my D. We have loved doing them the past few years. Definitely the way to go.
I loved having salmon for Thanksgiving too. Yummm! It looks like it was a special time with friends.
Yes, to bringing out the Christmas decorations now. Bottle brushes are so fun!
I love that your weekend included everything you enjoy: food, friends, family, and a little more food for good measure! The year that the turkey got kicked off our table in favor of apple-stuffed pork loin was a good year!
ReplyDeleteJeanie,
ReplyDeleteSo glad that you were able to spend the Holiday weekend with friends and family!! The gingerbread house looks great and I am amazed at your patience....And your decorations look lovely!! Enjoy your week!!
Hugs,
Debbie
Jeanie, how very nice not to have to cook on Thanksgiving and to enjoy a delicious meal with friends. The munchkins are adorable and children never mind cold weather. How fun to make wonderful memories with the making of a gingerbread house. The bench in the snow is begging to be painted. Your long weekend was great!
ReplyDeleteLovely post :)
ReplyDeleteYour life has been full.
ReplyDeleteHappy to see your car go to
a nice man, soon to be a dad.
I like Rick counting the cash . .
The little boys are so cute . . .
I still think they will remember
decorating the Gingerbread House!
Looking forward to seeing your 2021 decorating . . .
I am glad you had a great holiday weekend! Your quiet thanksgiving dinner sounds perfect - and looked delicious! Ours was pretty boisterous with all my family at my parents. It was great to see my nieces and nephews but I have found I prefer quiet holiday celebrations which aren’t possible with a huge family! But there were lots of good parts of the holiday so I am focusing on that.
ReplyDeleteKudos on tackling the gingerbread houses. I bet they had a blast! I usually do a cookie decorating party with my college friends and their kids but canceled it again this year since my kids aren’t vaccine eligible yet. Hopefully by next year I can bring that tradition back!!
All looks simply wonderful. It makes my heart full just to read about it.
ReplyDeleteGreat holiday weekend Jeanie.
ReplyDeleteLove all the mini Christmas trees.
Jeanie! This is all so magical. I am so happy that you had such a wonderful holiday. :)
ReplyDeletewhat a wonderful weekend!
ReplyDeleteYour holiday weekend sounds perfect Jeanie, dinner with friends, a day with family, building gingerbread houses and decorating! Happy December!
ReplyDeleteJenna
what holiday fun!
ReplyDeleteA gingerbread house is fun to remember! All her life Mother kept a photo of me holding up the one we made when I was seven. (I did not inherit it. I have a terrible record with photos and redirected all of them to the cousin who's into genealogy.)
ReplyDelete