Nov 30, 2015

The Circle of Love

11/30/2015 — cori

This has the hand of Bennett all over it. This is the work of a 14 year old boy, not a 5 year old as you may be fooled into believing. This is supposed to be The Nativity. Obviously I have failed as a mother if my 14 year old son has no clue how to re-enact the nativity scene with figurines. This is wrong on so many levels...let me count the ways in question format:

1. Why are they in a circle?
2. Why have we (and by 'we' I mean 'Bennett') combined two completely different figurine sets?
3. Why are there two baby Jesus'?
4. Why must I tell him exactly what to do every time? When I don't - this is what happens.
5. Why is it on a wooden ledge in the basement?
6. Why is there not a barn anywhere in sight?
7. Why did I ask him to do this?
8. What was he thinking?
9. Was he thinking?

Thankful in Minnesota

11/30/2015 — cori
Another November brings with it the fun of visiting with the Colorado Mallotts in Minnesota. We packed three days full to the brim. 


On day one we took a trip to Taylors Falls to hike. 

It was a pleasant 35 degree day. 

We kinda had the entire park to ourselves.

We were also the only ones that thought it was perfect picnic weather.

We warily looked over boulders.

We carefully climbed walls of rock.
 
It snowed on Thanksgiving Day. This is the second year in a row our Annual Family Football game had to be scrapped because of the weather.

So instead, we played many games of chess.

We read.

And we read some more.

We cooked our turkey in this oil-less turkey fryer. Obviously, we had to set up a wind/snow block so our turkey could actually cook.

This was the best turkey ever. No more 3 legged, undercooked or overcooked birds or fires for us.

We lounged by the fireplace eating pumpkin pie.

We only encountered one small disaster on this day of Thanks. John backed our car out of the garage so we could place the turkey fryer in the safety of the garage. Apparently, my car ignition is different than his because he kinda forgot to completely turn the ignition all the way off. Once, when Chuck was out checking on the turkey he heard and saw the car SLIDING DOWN THE DRIVEWAY! Not a sight you are typically prepared for. I have no idea why, but he runs out there to save the car in his bare feet. He starts trying to use the remote entry, but it won't work. Then we try inserting the key into the door and it still won't unlock. We are locked out of our car even though we have our keys. Gavin suggested we lay wood behind the wheels so the car wouldn't slip down the driveway any further. Thank God for someone with a clear head. We were all running around like chickens with our heads cut off - well, at least Chuck was. We tried breaking into our own car using a wire hanger (I'm shocked I could even find one in the house). Fail. After several hours, John remembered that he's a member of Triple A. He called them out - problem solved. This guy was able to break into our car for us in less than 5 minutes. Apparently, my car has a safety feature where all the electric systems shut down and it locks all by itself if the ignition is not set in the lock position. That's good to know...ahead of time. 
  
On Friday,we went to see The Wizard of Oz at the Children's Theater Company in Minneapolis.

It was a brilliant performance and even Logan was enthralled and sat perfectly still enchanted by the amazing actors and stage the whole time.
 
We played dinosaurs.

And of course, we played Guesstures...

...it wouldn't be a Mallott Thanksgiving without it.

We thought we'd indoctrinate Logan now - the earlier, the better.


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