Thanksgiving Vacation

I really wanted to title this post...."Thanksgiving Vacation".  But it seems blogger doesn't allow strike thru on the title.

This was a Thanksgiving to remember.

Or forget.

Sure it had it's fabulous moments {as you will see in pictures}.  And of course, it was amazing to see all of our family {and I mean all of them!}.  They certainly made it worth it.

But there are a moments that the camera just didn't catch.  For example Jack's 103 fever, a newborn thrown in and out of the car 62 times a day, the condo that we were originally given until Clay marched down to the office to disapprove, and the time change that my girls did not change with.

Oh, and did I mention how many times I packed a "to go" bag from our already packed suitcases only to come back to the condo an hour later and unpack it all again?

I foresee a lovely Thanksgiving vacation with a six year old, a four year old, and a one year old next year.  No newborns and no icky sick germs allowed.

Yes, this year was a Thanksgiving to remember.

Now for some of those "fabulous moments".

Grammy and Grampa kindly hosted Thanksgiving Day.  We were thrilled to spend the day at their house after Wednesday's long day of travel and a long evening of musical condos {that's my humorous way of saying we moved condos...all night long}.

See...we really are thankful for one another.  And I, personally, am very thankful for Sonja {Clay's cousin} for entertaining our family picture request.  Hugs to you and all your girls at work that keep up with our little Cibula family.  Melt my heart.

 These are the fabulous moments with our family that made this trip worth all of the work.  Gotta love Grammy!

Maggie was larger than life on this vacation {even when her sick brother wasn't}.  Thankful for a  Daddy with big muscles and lots of energy.

Here are our kids with their Cibula cousins, Whit and Larkin.  I can't believe how big they are getting...and I can't believe it will happen to my kids one day too.

And here are our kids with their Dumbacher cousin...little Halle.  I'm waiting to add an "s" to that "cousin" word up there, Uncle Joel and Aunt Catherine!

And if you are wondering why my kids are in their PJs on Thanksgiving...well, that is because after a full day at Grammy's we went to Aunt Scrub's for our evening Thanksgiving.

I packed a bag {one of many} so my kiddos could bathe there and then head straight to their condo beds afterwards.   It worked out well for Jack and Mags {they got a little extra Dumbacher family time in}...not so well for Lucy.  My poor babe....such a trooper.

The next day we had another fabulous moment of our trip with a special visitor...

Yes, you are seeing right {even through the blur-that's called trying to take pictures with a baby on your hip}.

Jolly Santa came and knocked on condo door 801 Friday night.  He showed up right after baths and right before bed time.  {Wow, I am impressed with his timing}.  The kids were completely shocked.

He snuggled in on the couch with my Christmas pj{ed} kiddos.  I had a feeling he was coming so I suggested my little ones put on their Santa jammies...wink wink.

Sweet little Lucy got some one on one snuggle time before she headed off to bed.

Then Santa focused solely on Jack and Maggie.  He kindly brought a bed time story, The Night Before Christmas, which they both intently listened too.  I think they were still in shock and awe at this point.

It wasn't long before Maggie came out of her shell.  Somehow {as only Maggie can do} she talked Santa into reading Pinkalicious {I'm pretty sure that wasn't part of his plan}.

Jack followed Maggie's lead by showing Santa every Superhero and dinosaur toy he brought with him...and there were a lot.

Santa is a patient man.

Santa tucked the little ones in but, not before giving them a sweet candy cane and a gentle hug.  Definitely one of those fabulous moments!

By Saturday, Jack was beyond sick, Lucy was preparing for her baptism later that day, and I was pretty much wiped out.

We bought some time by over doing the children's Motrin with Jack.  It was pretty much our only option until we could get him home and to the DR.

He and Maggie went to the zoo with Grammy and Grampa, he survived, but certainly wasn't himself.

To get him through Lucy's baptism we dug into Mommy's traveling medicine cabinet once again.

{and for an update, I got him to the DR when we returned...Strep...poor kid finally gets a vacation from school and he spends 85% of it sick}

While the kids were at the zoo, Clay and I spent some quality time with Lu.  She loved being in one place for more than two hours.  Lucy could not get enough of her rented Rainforest bouncy seat.  If I weren't positive that I am finished bearing children, I would so have to buy one of these for home.

Oh, and that wall of mirrors at our condo was a huge hit with her too.  {definitely not getting one of these for home though}  She literally giggled herself silly.  Another fabulous moment.

I told Lucy to take one last look at herself because after that...she was going to be a baptized baby.  {and that is a post all in itself}

Again...another fabulous moment.

Until then...

Hope your Thanksgiving was one to remember...for real.