Thanksgiving in Houston

This year for Thanksgiving,  we had just our little family with Mom and Dad Meldrum and it was such a delight, as long as you don't mind making all the food yourself!  Good thing I love to cook and it was perfect because Mom and Dad did all of the entertaining of the children while I cooked and Hadley took a 3 hour nap in the morning which was perfect so I could cook without a little helper.

Here is Allie helping Grandpa make gumdrop and raisin turkeys which he used to make when he was a kid on Thanksgiving.  Allie loved it, but mostly loved eating the extras!

We put Grandma in charge of making the sweet potatoes and she did a mighty fine job

 Allie dancing with the Thanksgiving day parade dancers.  Any time there is music on, she is dancing or singing away.

Mike got out his harmonica that was his Grandpa Pagel's and Allie gave us show after show on her little step stool.

Here was our Thanksgiving Dinner Table:

-Turkey (brined in an orange apple cider brine)
-Home made rolls
-Sourdough rye stuffing
-Sweet potato casserole
-Mashed Potatoes
-Gravy (good gravy!)
-Cranberry Sauce
-Green Bean Casserole
-Chocolate Pumpkin Ice Box Pie

We also used Great Aunt Annabell's China which I inherited from my Grandma Shaw!  It is such a beautiful pattern and I love using it!

 Grandma and Allie using the s&p for microphones singing Rudolf.
I know what you are thinking about the Christmas decorations, but we were having Christmas 2 days later with Mike's family so we had to get ready for it so Allie would understand. :)

After dinner was over and tummies were full, we headed over to the Galleria for Christmas carols, bringing in Santa, turning on the Christmas lights and FIREWORKS!

There is a hotel that overlooks the plaza and they have a balcony decorating contest.  One of the rooms had a bubble machine that looked like snow falling, so fun!  It was pretty warm, once we got out of the wind.

 Allie and Hadley both loved the fireworks!  They can officially be a part of my family. :)

This firework show lasted like 10 minutes, it was awesome and all set to Christmas music.  It could almost be better than 4th of July because of the music!  It was an awesome Thanksgiving!

A Very Meldrum Thanksgiving (and early Christmas)

Mike's Parents came in to Houston for Thanksgiving this year and we had so much fun!  When they got here, we hit the ground running the next day with a visit to the  Children's Museum and the Zoo the day after Thanksgiving, both of which Allie LOVES!  Thanks Meldrums for such a great time!

 Ah, sisterly love

 I just love her little profile and lips.... and eyelashes.

Over Thanksgiving, Hadley started really crawling and was zooming around on all fours soon after they left.  Here is Allie playing her harmonica that she made at the Museum.

 Every time we pass by the merry go round, Allie wants to ride, but we always say that she can only ride when Grandma and Grandpa are here, so you bet your biffy she b-lined it for the merry go round as soon as she saw it.  

 Hadley on the other hand had to wait out with us, but she is pretty darn cute too!

Down on the Farm

 In November the girls and I meet up with the Tingeys (Mike was sick) at Dewberry farm for some down right fun!  We saw some baby animals, fed goats, rode on a pony, watched chickens sing, ran through a corn maze, watched pig races and rode a cow train.  To top it all off, we played the sunset to bed in the park which the girls just loved.  We might be city folk, but we love ourselves a good hoedown!

Rapunzel let down your long hair!

Rachel found Allie a fantastic new Rapunzel dress, and then she had to have the hair too. 

So, one bundle of yarn and a few hours later we had hair!

Allie showing off her new outfit. 

She loves to be Tangled and asks to wear her dress all the time.

A pretty little princess!

Snow White... forever!

While in Utah, we picked out Allie's Halloween costume.  From day one, she put it on and has basically worn it every day since.  Grandma actually bought another one for her so when she wore out her first one, she would have a back up ready to go.  

Allie got all dolled up and was practicing eating the poisoned apple, sleeping and then waking up.  She really is our cute little beauty!

Grandma also got Allie some princess shoes, which Allie affectionally calls "goggles".  We are not sure why, but all high heels are goggles.  

Try the apples, they taste great

Halloween is a wonderful time of year. It provides us the opportunity to wax creative and determine a way for us to create one harmonious costume. At this stage of life this involves Allie determining her costume and the rest of us trying to figure out a way to fit into her world. 

Allie decided she was going to be Snow White! Before Halloween she got to go to Boo at the Zoo with her besty Madison. 

They had a great time walking around and getting candy.

They almost posed for a good picture, instead this will have to do.

Family picture. Look a princess and a monkey! 

I don't know what Rachel is supposed to be.

The cutest monkey at the zoo! She got to come home with us.

By the time our wards trunk or treat rolled around, we decided we had to work with Allie's theme. 

Snow White, the Evil Queen, and one delicious apple.

The Family picture. 

Dopey, The Magic Mirror, The Evil Queen, and Snow White.

She was the most adorable dwarf!

A few posed shots once we got home. They all look so wonderful.

It was a great Halloween and a good excuse to dress up and have fun.