Scenes from Thanksgiving

We spent Thanksgiving 2012 in Arlington, Texas with Andrew's family and had a lovely time!  Watching Sonia and her beloved cousin, Nicholas, play together-- truly together, not just next to each other!-- was such a treat.  They barely tussled over toys, and their disagreements were few and far between.  It was so fun getting to have adult conversations that weren't constantly interrupted.... Despite Sonia having a touch of a tummy bug on the day before Thanksgiving Day, we had a really nice holiday.  Here are a few of my favorite pictures from our time in Texas.

The piano is always a hit with the kids!

It's always nice to be able to play at the park in late November....  I love visiting Texas!

Sonia was really into pushing Grandpa Dick on the merry-go-round.

This is the only playground I have ever seen with tiny pebbles as the ground covering....  Nicholas and Sonia thought it was hilarious!  I think they played more with the pebbles than the actual playground equipment.

Sosini and Nikolai love their Grandpa Dick!

At one point, Sonia and Nicholas sat down and played preschool.  Ms. Sonia "taught" Nicholas how to draw circles (which he is already a master at drawing, but he happily played along).  It was seriously adorable.

Snuggling and eating goldfish!  My poor child desperately needed her bangs trimmed....

Dick & Jenni get the best hand-me-down toys from their friends with older grandkids!  Nicholas and Sonia had a fantastic time driving around the house.

More park fun!  Grandpa Dick is such a good sport.

I always love a picture of a kid in a tunnel-- especially a kid as handsome as my li'l nephew.

My super-fabulous sis-in-law (Ali) and me, chillin' on the slides (at least until the kids wanted to go down them and politely asked us to move our booties)....

Soooooooo hard to get a decent picture of 6 people.... This one turned out fairly well, though!

The night before we left, Sosini and Nikolai suited up in ND clothes to cheer on the Irish as they pummeled USC (WOO HOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!). Not long after this picture was taken, Ali & Daniel told Nicholas that it was time to go back home (meaning that he would have to say a final goodbye to Sonia), and he was so sad about leaving Sonia that he tried to hide under Grandma Jenni's desk.  It was so sweet.... Cousins are the best!!

By the end of our visit, Sonia was tuckered out from all the fun.  She fell asleep on Daddy's lap not long after her bestest buddy, Nicholas, left.

Thank you for such a wonderful Thanksgiving, Dick, Jenni, Ali, Daniel, & Nicholas!  We love you all.