Week with Grandpa & Grandma Henry

November 18-27, 2016:  Marc and I were so extremely fortunate to be able to take an amazing trip to Africa with some awesome friends from our church... we were only able to go because my parents agreed to take our kiddos for 10 days.  I'm so thankful for their help and so thankful that my kids had a BLAST!  We spent Thanksgiving and Kinnick's birthday apart but I knew that they were having so much fun while we were gone.  I'm also thankful for my mother-in-law's help driving them back home and getting them to school on Monday so they didn't have to miss.

A few of the things the kiddos got to do:  help volunteer at the "backpack snacks" program through my parents' church, play outside (more beautiful fall weather!), read books, play dress-up, spend time with cousins, a triple birthday party for Henry, Jersy, and Kinnick (with the most awesome DQ ice cream cake--Spider Man/Doc McStuffins/Indian Jones!), attend Jersy's birthday party at Bonkers, Thanksgiving with my family, visit Santa, decorate for Christmas, make a special Christmas ornament.  I truly loved seeing all the pictures...  

Happy 2nd Birthday Callen!

November 15, 2016:  This sweet boy!  I love getting to watch him one day per week.  He's so smart and funny (and mischievous!).  I missed his 2nd birthday due to being in *Africa* but I did enjoy making him some special cookies before I left!   

Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey Circus

November 11, 2016:  I have wanted to take my kids to the circus for several years, this year I told Marc it's what I wanted for my birthday (the circus is always in Chicago around my birthday!)  We left early so we could stop at Olive Garden for dinner on the way.  We had a great time!  The kids loved the acrobats, the motorcycle riders, and the animals.  I'm so glad we took them when we did... about 6 months later they said "Good Bye" with their last show.  (And as a side note... since I am publishing this a year later, our whole family LOVED the greatest showman!) 

Operation Shoebox

November 8, 2016:  Sadie adores filling shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child... she loves saving little items through out the year and putting them together to fill a shoe box.  This year she helped Carver fill a box also.  Callen and Carver helped me drop them off.  

Fair Oaks Farm

November 5, 2016:  We enjoyed this beautiful (and unseasonably warm) fall day with a trip to "Fair Oaks Farm" in Indiana.  We had been wanting to visit here for awhile.  Someone Marc works with gave him passes for our family (which was awesome, because we would have spent almost $200 for our family of 6 plus Marc's sister!)  We started our visit with lunch in the "Cowfe"--we had delicious grilled cheese sandwiches.  After that we did some jumping on the big pillow before heading out for the "cow experience".  We first worked our way through a small museum-type building with some hands-on exhibits to explore.  Next we boarded a bus to travel to the cow farm.  We got to see how the cows are milked and cared for.  We also spent some time in the birthing barn where we got to see a baby cow being born!  It was a pretty cool experience.  

Next it was on to the pig experience.  While waiting for our bus to tour the pig farm, the kids had fun playing on the high ropes course and checking out the little play house.  At the pig farm we got to see how the pigs are cared for from little piglets until they are grown.  

Last, our trip wasn't complete without some yummy ice cream (and some goodies to take home!)  It was such a fun day at the farm!