That's exactly what we have been up to!!!
It's been a crazy busy time with Thanksgiving, celebrating Addie's second birthday (although her actual birthday isn't until 26 Dec), celebrating our 8 year wedding anniversary, shopping for Christmas, getting ready to head to Seattle for the holidays and wrapping up school for Dean.
On Sunday the 30th of November we officially celebrated Thanksgiving with 40 of our nearest and dearest friends (and their children.) We spent the long weekend sprucing up the house, doing lots of DIY (finally getting the new chandelier for the dining room that Spike has been wanting) cooking and relaxing with the kids. I made the turkey from Nigella's new Christmas cookbook and it was so amazing....truly worth it....I am trying to talk my mom into doing it again for Christmas day. We had a family night out at Pizza Express and a day at the Christmas Market/Carnival in town. We combined our Thanksgiving celebration with a party for Addie's birthday.....lots and lots of fun....but remind me that 15 is too many kids to have in the house at one time...LOL!!!
***all pictures in this post were taken with Spike's point and shoot camera...my camera is officially retired (ruined is more like it).....i am asking Santa for a new one for Christmas

From our day at the Christmas Fair
Dean went on the Ferris wheel FIVE times...he loved it!! Every time we came round the top he would yell "CANNON BALL!!!!" So fun!!!
Lils and Beth made Addie a bunny cake (she LOVES bunnies!!!) She was thrilled with it...she kept saying "my bunny, this is my bunny!"
We had Polly come do a music session with the kids.....which of course Addie was crazy about. She especially loved the bit where she got to dress up as a princess! Her and Daddy sang and made music together (while I did photos and a constant run back and forth to the kitchen to check on the turkey.)
Dean has had two school productions in the last week. They had their dance show last week and today was their Nativity play. I don't think there was a dry eye in the house. The school has a photographer come, so I can't wait to get some of those photos to share!
On Friday we went to our first Panto (Puss and Boots at Theater Royal in Bury) and I must say, we thought it was amazing!!! I could easily become a panto junkie...traveling all over the country during the holidays just to watch pantos. We had (another) Pizza Express night before the theater.
Spike had a little trouble with his party crown in this pic...HAHA!!
We went with a big group of friends and got two boxes at the theater.
Dean sat in the box next to us and half way through the show we looked
over to see him putting his arm around one of the girls next to him
(all night he had been mesmerized by her, holding hands with her and
basically falling in love for the first time.) SO CUTE!!!
Two Pencil Lines layouts from the last couple weeks and then I am off to organize and pack....I will check in from Seattle....so crazy crazy crazy over the moon excited to get there!!!!!
XO