Thanksgiving Part 3 - Delaware

The remainder of Thanksgiving week was spent enjoying some family time in Delaware.  There were games that made us giggle so much our insides hurt.  There was turkey trots on Thanksgiving morning.  There was some beach time, shopping time... and again some amazing home cooked food.  All in all it truly was a Thanksgiving success.

Lily, Cole, Chris, Mike, Ahren, Jake, Freya, and Macy

(notice the ladies were at the head of the table - Lily did the seat assignments)

Lily doing the Pringles challenge

 BFF's (Ahren & Kim) on the beach

 Lily at Rehoboth Beach

 There were some masks too. 

No clue why Lily has on a fancy dress, cowboy boots, a mask and a lasso.

 Lily, Freya, Macy & Ahren

 Freya, Ahren, Kim & Lily

 The Carpenter Clan:  Macy, Freya, Jake, Cole, Mike & Ahren (and Simon the dog)

 A girl and her dog

 Macy and Lily enjoying some pizza on the boardwalk

Thanksgiving Part 2 - NYC

We dropped the Carpenters off in NYC on Monday, let Lily get to school on Monday and part of Tuesday, then made our way back up to NYC on Tuesday to arrive in time for dinner in the big apple.  We started by arriving at the Essex House, which is a really nice Marriott overlooking Central Park.  We were welcomed into two very large adjoining rooms.  Very nice, especially for NYC standards.  Then we headed to the bar where cocktails were a mere $25/each.  I opted for a glass of water.  We were joined by two more Carpenters (Jake & Freya) who are living in Weehawken, NJ.  For dinner we all hit a crazy Asian/Dim Sum restaurant in Tribeca and had a great time.

The following day we made a run for Magnolia Bakery for breakfast, packed up and then headed out for a day on the town.  We hit Times Square, Fifth Avenue (a quick stop into American Girl store for Lily) and then Rockefeller Center.  We lunched on some tasty food at Bouchon and then headed to Radio City Music Hall to watch the Rockette's Christmas Spectacular.  It truly was an amazing time.

 Lily, Macy, Ahren & Freya

  Macy & Lily getting tourist gear

 The M&M store (all 3 floors) were a hit

Kim & Lily in front of the Avenue of Americas

 Radio City Music Hall

Inside Radio City for the Rockette's Christmas Spectacular

 

The window displays at Saks on Fifth Avenue definitely rival the Macy's ones

 Plus Saks has genuine Rockettes

 Rockefeller Plaza

Ferry ride back to Weekhawken, NJ

Thanksgiving Part 1 - DC

Our Thanksgiving week was so full with activities that I have to break it up into three parts.  Part 1 - DC.  Part 2 - NYC and Part 3 - DE.  The week started on Saturday with the Carpenters flying into Reagan National from Oregon.  It just 1.5 days we made it around to DC having some great food and seeing some great sites.

Pictures below of Lily, Macy & Cole

Lily Visits Santa

What could make our visit to Florida complete more than a visit to Santa (joke).  We actually were at the mall just before flying back and they had a great Santa visiting area, so why not.

A sneak away November trip to Florida

Lily's school this year had an entire week off at the beginning of November.  Stacking up some in service days, holidays and election day.  So naturally we decided to head out for the week and went to Florida.  We were joined by Kim's grandparents (Norma & Cliff) as well as Kim's mom (Donna).  Then once we got to Florida Uncle Chad (Dixon's) and Aunt Stef joined us for a couple days.  The weather was perfect (low 80s and sunny the entire time).  We got to enjoy some amazing food (fresh squeezed O.J., first time having stone crab, Tommy Bahama restaurant and a Brazilian steakhouse).  We were complete tourists (Everglades airport tours, alligator watching, beach going, trips to Sanibel & Captiva Islands, a day on a pontoon boat complete with dolphin spotting and of course lots of time playing games and swimming on our lanai. 

Remember in my last post when I said that I feel like the luckiest girl alive, well... it just keeps getting better.

Chris and Lily on Naples Pier

 Grandpa Cliff & Lily at Tommy Bahama Restaurant

 Acting scared on the Everglades Airport Tour (there was an alligator just by Donna's foot)

 See the alligator just behind Lily and her crazy hair

 Sno cones on Bonita Beach

 Relaxing on Bonita Beach (Chris, Norma, Cliff & Donna)

 Chris, Kim, Lily, Grandpa Cliff & Donna on Naples Pier

 Lily and Uncle Chad jumping into the pool together

 While Lily has this great grin on her face,

Uncle Chad doesn't look as excited to give up his captains chairs.

 The Captain prevails

 Chris and Lily

 Pelicans

 Dolphins, dolphins and more dolphins

 Donna and Lily at the Naples Botanical Gardens

Fall at the Peninsula

Despite lots of studying to take my real estate license exam during the fall, I managed to get in some great outdoor walks in our new permanent home.  I can honestly say that I feel like the luckiest woman alive.

Nature Center

 Walking paths along golf course

 Bay beach and dock

Halloween Cookie Decorating

There are no big holidays around the Dixon household without some super duper sugar cookie making and decorating.  Having a house full for Halloween allowed us to make 4 batches.  What fun.

Sam, Christian, Nolan, Jenna, Lily, Madline

 Christian, Sam & Chris (with Nolan in the background)

 Jenna, Lily and Madeline