Giving Thanks!

*no pics bc i cant upload them right now*

This year we had the opportunity to meet my aunt, uncle, cousins, and grandpa in Chicago for Thanksgiving. We got to the hotel on Wed late afternoon after circling the hotel about 8 times (Dan hates the upper/lower streets and one way streets in Chicago). The guys went and got burgers and chips for dinner and we spent the rest of the time in the pool. The hotel was amazing! It used to be the Chicago Men's Health Club so the pool was like an old Greecian bath! It was amazing colors and had a cool set up ! It is a lappool so it scared me at first with the girls but they loved it! They were both jumping in off the sides and Calli swam (with swimmies) from one end to the other! She would say "I want to swim to that 5 now,.... ok now lets go back to that 5." ( we were in lane 5 if you couldnt gather that.)

On Thanksgiving morning we went to the Thanksgiving Day Parade! It was so cool to experience it! They had all the HUGE balloons (Curious George, Madeline, Scooby Doo, Turkey, some mouse, and I know i am forgetting some). It was almost 2 hours long with high school bands from around the country, dance/gymnast groups, and cultrual groups (Guatemalian dancers, Hawaiian dancers, Mayan dancers, Irish dancers, etc.)

After warming up in the hotel (it was about 40degrees) and getting dressed up we went to lunch on the 96th floor of the John Hancock building. It was an amazing view! Calli loved to hang out in the bathroom bc it a whole wall of windows that she could move freely around! We were there about 2 hours- looking around, enjoying a turkey or ribs, all the traditional thanksgiving things along with amazing sweet potatoes in a pecan sauce, Butternut Bisque -Dans fav thing there :) can you believe it??, seafood - none for me, 'fancy salads', delicious desserts- pumpkin pie, carrot cake, chocolate cheesecake, pumpkin ice cream and plenty more! The resturant even did kid plates with Mac&Cheese and chix tenders!

It was a great Thanksgiving even though it was very untraditional for us!

Noelle is thankful for:
- 2 wonderful kiddos who make me laugh each and every morning, noon and night!
- My hubby
- our church family- amazing worship, thought provoking and challenging messages in the services, sunday school, and small group. Wonderful friendships with other families!
- Our friends and family who I sometimes take for granted who babysit, scrapbook. listen, have playdates, have coffee, encourage me to run :), and countless other things!

Calli is thankful for: (her words during prayer time before bed)
-Magglio (our puppy) Mamy (miss Amy), eeee eee (aunt Annie), Booshie, Bumpa, Uncle TJCharlie, miss Joanna, Miss teri, coffee time, CUBBIES- mommy im very thankful for Cubbies! yuke (luke) Anna, jake, Ewin (elin) Uncle Dave, Aunt Heidi, Aunt katie, Uncle Steve Grandpa and Grama, Daddy, Mommy, and Baby. Oh yeah I thankful for the pool we were in yesturday!
*She says most words perfectly and the ones she doesnt were ones that were her first words and i think she says them wrong out of habit bc if i say i cant understand her she will say them the correct way :) Stinker!! She always says yesturday or last night for anything in the past

Andilynn is thankful for: ( i am taking a few liberties- she said "yay" when i would say things)
all of the same people and things calli is thankful for, bop- (Barney) Oro (Dora), Elmo diapers and Zebra diapers-( she gets mad if its not the one she wants at that particular time) food in general- that girl can eat!! Kisses and hugs!!

Dan is thankful for:
his lovely, beautiful, hard-working wife!!
(lets just see how long it takes him to see this!)