Thanksgiving in Cleveland

This year we hooked up with 3 of Derek's brothers in Cleveland, OH for an early Thanksgiving.  I was dissappointed my hips gave out on me the day I was trying to pack. After hobbling all over town trying to get my errands done, I packed the car. Derek came home from work and we were on the road by 5pm. Our kids were amazing travelers! All three were out cold by 8pm in the car which gave us another 2.5 hours of driving in solitude! We arrived in Indianapolis around 10:30pm. While Derek was parking the car, there was a very nice security guard who took one look at my big belly and insisted on hauling my stuff and my kiddos to our room. I tried to tip him, but he only told me to use it to buy something nice for my kids! Isn't is great there are still people like that in the world today? I was shocked to find we only brought in ONE duffle bag for the 5 of us! Definitely a first for sure!

Colin has been waking up at 5am since daylight savings, so Derek and I said a few extra prayers he would sleep in at the hotel. To our delight, he woke up at 8:30! What a blessing! Here is the gang getting read to get back into the car:

The next day we drove to Dayton, OH where we stopped at the Air Force Museum to see some amazing aircraft. If you ever get the chance, this is a stop worth taking! (Not to mention it is free.) We were anxious to get to Cleveland, so we didn't stop to read signs about each plane, but the kids loved all the airplanes!

I took this picture while driving. I know, I shouldn't be proud of that, but not to shabby for not watching where I was shooting! (Yes, Derek caught me in the act and I did get a scolding!)  Aren't they so cute when they're sleeping!

We had homemade pizza for dinner when we arrived in Cleveland.  I don't think there's a better way to win my kid's hearts than that!  Here's Tanner with some left over toppings!

On Saturday the guys took the kids outside to play while the moms worked inside on the BIG meal.  The weather was a gorgeous 65 degrees!

Meet Cosmo!  He is Clint and Katie's new puppy and the cutest, spunkiest, little guy!  He and Colin really hit it off, it was so much fun to watch him with the kids.  I bet he slept all the way back to Pennsylvania!

Tanner found a corner to dig in. 

Cousin Toby was a dare devil on the slide!

Lexie loved the double swing!  She would sit there and sing and sing and sing!

Here is cousin Toby.  He looks just like his dad when his dad was that age.  He's got a great vocab for being just two years old too.  He's a smart little fella and I just love those Ellingson blues!

We brought our Puerto Rico game.  During nap time, the brothers pulled it out for another round.  I think we played it 4 or 5 times throughout the weekend we were there.

Uncle Spencer flew out from Utah to be with us!  We're pretty sure he'll never wants kids after a weekend with 4 little ones running around.  The kids just loved him and he had a great time playing uncle! He's single, so if you know of anyone....they'll have to pass my inspection first! He's awesome and we love him!

Here's uncle Cliff and his son Toby. Cliff is in his second year of Medical School at Case Western University in Cleveland.

Uncle Clint and Aunt Katie with Cosmo.  Clint is in his third year of Medical School at Penn State in Hershey, PA. 

They are also expecting their first baby due the middle of February!  If only I could look that tiny AFTER I deliver!

Okay, so I TRIED to get a family shot.  Why I try?  I know not!  

But alas, I take what I can get!

Here's our spread!  Our dear friend Jeannie joined us for dinner and brought those beautiful flowers.  They added the perfect finishing touch!  The food was delicious and the company was delightful!

I made some homemade, Lion House Rolls and the pumpkin pie.  The pie was one of the best I have ever eaten!  Don't ask me how I lucked out, or maybe it was just pregnancy tastebuds, but I thought it was good!

Colin decided to adopt a new mommy while we were in Cleveland.  Aunt Stephanie was the perfect fit!  The last night we were there, he just kept climbing up into her lap and cuddling with her.  It was pretty cute.  Of course, I was jealous!  I am glad we got this shot of Steph relaxing on the couch.  She spent the whole weekend in the kitching cooking for us and I am sure it will take her a couple of days to recover from hosting 10 people in her house!  She was a great hostess and I loved spending time with her in the kitchen!

Cleveland does this cool autumn clean up where everyone rakes their leaves onto their parking strip of lawn.  Then the city comes around with a truck that vacuums them all up!  Crazy huh?  The streets looked really neat with all the leaves out near the edges of the street.

In our last few hours in Cleveland, we went to a nearby park to play.  The weather had turned cold, so we had to bundle up a bit, but we had so much fun that Tanner cried when we got in the car to leave.

We drove down to Zanesville, OH to spend Monday night with some very dear Hill Cumorah Pageant friends.  Well, actually, we consider them more family than friends.  Their 8 children are grown now and they have 20 grandchildren. Grandma Harris pulled out her toys for the kids to play while we visited, but Colin went straight for the cupboards instead.

Lexie found some "spoils of war" leftover costumes Grandma Harris had brought home from Pageant one year.  She tinkled as she walked around and my heart throbed a bit for Pageant.

Thank you Uncle Cliff, Aunt Stephanie and cousin Toby for a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!  Thank you Uncle Spencer for flying all the way to Ohio!  And thank you Uncle Clint and Aunt Katie for bringing Cosmo and driving to be with us! We love you!