Swimming, Balloons, and Thanksgviing

I would like to post about our Thanksgiving, and since Anna is at preschool and Max is happily driving his matchbox cars all over me, I think I'll take this chance.

So for the holiday weekend this year we stayed home in Lehi, but still got to see lots of family. We went to my Grandma Leita and Grandpa Kent's for Thanksgiving dinner and then spent the rest of the weekend joining in all the festivities of the Shepherd Family Christmas Party.

That included swimming at the Legacy Center. I watched since there were plenty of people to help Taylor with Max and Anna. (We are so lucky to have so much help--that is one of the things I was feeling especially thankful for this Thanksgiving.)

Max and Anna both loved jumping off the side of the pool. Max would say "Arm UP! Ready, GO!" then he would take the plunge. He doesn't so much mind water in his face, but it does drive him nuts that someone has to be holding onto him at all times in the swimming pool--he's our little independent soul.

Anna revels in all the attention from her aunts, uncles, grandmas and grandpas. She had a wonderful time as well.

On Saturday Grandpa treated everyone to lunch at Heap's Brick Oven. There was even a balloon man there to entertain us before our food came. Anna ordered an Ariel princess balloon and Max wanted "MAN!" (spiderman). Since it was the day of the BYU vs. Utah game Grandpa was a good sport about laughing and wearing (for a few seconds) the red balloon headress that someone told the balloon man he would like.

And here is Anna Leita and her Ariel balloon. We took a picture because balloons just don't last forever and this one didn't really have a fighting chance at a few days with Max around and Anna loving it so much.

Riding the Train

When I asked Anna what she wanted to do for family night a couple weeks ago she said she thought we should go to temple square and see Jesus (she loves the statue at the visitor center), so we did. We rode the Trax and it was our first train ride as a family which had us all pretty excited, especially a certain little boy. Since it was November and already very cold, but the Christmas lights weren't up yet, we were pretty much the only visitors, which was funny. I guess I've never been to temple square in early November before. We went to Dee's after where we got ice cream and made kind of a scene when Max knocked his ice cream and then his water off the table, and then poured salt everywhere. Oh yeah, that's why we avoid restaurants. It was a really fun family night and I was one exhausted pregnant lady when we got home.

Halloween at Our House

We mostly loved Halloween at our house. I have to say though, that I hated the affects of all the candy (who knew that an overdose of tootsie rolls could so alter my funny, sweet, little kids' personalities--good thing it was temporary), but we had a lot of fun trick or treating and dressing up for various events (preschool party, work party, etc.) Max was a very scary dragon/dinosaur and Anna was a beautiful butterfly-princess-fairy. We're pretty much ready now for the next holiday. Wahoo!