Time capsule

 For the past seven years, as best we can recall, we've brought the girls home with us on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and kept them with us so our daughter could cook and prep and clean and it would stay that way till Thursday for Thanksgiving Day.   We've loved it, she loved it (after the first year she said it was better than bringing a dish to pass) and now it's tradition, we get our tree up, decorate, eat popcorn and candy canes and watch movies and read stories.    

 

This photo is from the first year, we think.  I had my white felt tree on the dining table and when they walked in the door they immediately climbed up, started in on the candy canes and decorating and they never got down except to sleep, for two days.   Truly.

 They played and played and ate candy canes and danced and slid across the top and never got down.

 Today after I showed them the pictures of their little selves I suggested we try to recreate the scene.  Different house but the kids are the same, the felt tree is the same, the ceiling is lower or, oh wait...I believe they are a bit bigger.

 At this point I had to change my position and told Elizabeth to change hers because I couldn't see her behind the chandelier.  "Well," she said, "no one's ever said THAT to me before!"   I told them this picture would drive momma nuts. Again, Elizabeth said, "Where else can we play on top of the dining room table but here?"  Touche.

 We picked out our tree and brought it home.  Of course, as with all trees you pick out in a lot, this was too big for the space but we lopped some off the top and made it fit.  They've spent the afternoon decorating and recreating the drama of the Christmas movies we had on in the background - Charlie Brown and Rudolph.

It was a struggle but I think they finally had enough of eating bowls full of the cookie dough.  Keeping them and PH out of it was a struggle. 

 Every year my mom made popcorn balls so this year I thought we'd give it a try.  They were very brave shaping the balls after hot syrup was poured over the popcorn.  It's a bit of a race against time - you have to work fast to shape the balls while the coating is still hot but that's the issue - it's HOT.  They did a great job.

Our preparations for thanksgiving are complete.  I hope their momma is ready for us tomorrow.
Happy Thanksgiving to you all.