26: happy thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!! We all woke up nice and early this morning and Jacob took Christopher and Nicholas to McDonald's to pick up breakfast. It's our family tradition to have McDonald's for breakfast while we watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

the Albaeck kids ready for the parade

Lexie really likes McDonald's hashbrowns!

Smile for the camera, Ben!

Look! A balloon!!

After the parade it was time to get the turkey ready. This was our first time doing a whole turkey without my mother there to assist (i.e. clean and stuff the turkey). I actually cleaned and prepped the turkey and only cried a little! :) We made our turkey in the Charbroil Infrared Turkey Fryer this year and it was amazing!!

Ready to cook!

The turkey is half-way done!! And smells really good!!

Ready to eat! Nice and crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside!

While Grandma was in town she bought pilgrim masks for the kids to decorate. They colored them while we were finishing up dinner.

Pilgrim Nick

Ben didn't quite get it.

And Lexie used hers as a fan!

And FINALLY dinner was ready. Christopher insists on wearing a shirt and tie (and pants) whenever we have company over for dinner. And then he needed a picture (for Grandma) of himself dressed up.

Christopher

Continuing the "olive finger" tradition.

Lexie thought it was pretty funny.

Caramel toffee cheesecake for dessert.

Grandma and Grandpa sent us a Thanksgiving package with "Pin the Hat on the Turkey" which we play every Thanksgiving. We're a real Army family now- this year we used Jacob's gunner's googles (with the dust cover) as a blindfold.

I'm going to win!!

This is silly, Daddy!!

Where's the turkey?

RAWR!!!!

While those turkeys were playing the Thanksgiving game, Nick and Colin were busy playing Call of Duty! Christopher and Jacob got in on the video game fun and Ben and Lexie headed to bed. All in all, it was a great Thanksgiving! :)

Colin and Nick

Goodnight Pilgrims!