Helton brothers: Thanksgiving Break

Thanksgiving Break is always needed when the time comes! Matt was home for a whole 9 days. Yahoo!

We attempted to potty train Silas since Matt would be home. Well, the only success was he enjoyed reading on the toilet.

Monday evening we hosted our own Thanksgiving dinner with our good friends, Tom and Corine, and their daughter, Jamie, and her family. It was a lot of work to prepare food, but I loved cooking in the kitchen all day long. The boys helped with sprinkling the marshmallows on the sweet potatoes and placing the rolls on the cookie sheet.

Matt deep fried the turkey! So delicious! The only way to cook a turkey! A 14 lb turkey was eaten all up that evening.

Else and Jonas

Eating pumpkin pie and watching Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Special

-a tradition

Wednesday we explored the trails at Apex. The weather was epic, a balmy of 70 degrees.

Jonas loves to rock climb. I think we will get him back into rock climbing class again this winter.

Silas loves to take rests and chat.

Thanksgiving day(Thursday), we headed to Loveland ski resort to ski for the first day of the season. We bought him skis and helmet for the year. And plan to go more than 5 times this year.

He was amazing! Jonas is cautious and careful but was persistent in learning the technique to ski. We counted 12 runs and he wanted to keep going. But we had Grandmom's place to be at that afternoon for dinner.

Silas is Jonas' biggest fan! He sat in the snow at the bottom of the hill and watched us go up the chair lift and down the hill. Completely satisfied! Next ski day, we are putting Silas on skis. Just need to figure out how to get Matt on skis. Ha!

Jonas wanted to wear his ski boots and helmet everywhere after the ski day. Literally, to the library, to the grocery store, etc. But instead we coaxed in to wearing them at home only.

Friday-drove up to Estes Park to see the Christmas parade and be with more of Matt's family. We even had a place to stay overnight through a friend of mine. Last minute surprise for $30.

First we had to visit the Alpaca farm that we visit every year-another tradition. Jonas and Silas were so comfortable, the alpacas wanted to kiss them.

Off to the Christmas parade at 5:30pm!

At 5:25, snowflakes started to form. Aunt Mo and Uncle Jon teaching Jonas and Silas to catch snowflakes.

Uncle Tim and Aunt Merri

By the time the first parade participator came down the road, it was a blizzard! The snow blew everywhere and we were covered with snow in minutes. It was hilarious! We snuggled up together in a blanket to stay warm.

Saturday, I took Jonas to serve to the homeless downtown Denver. We made 125 cookies and brought bags of salads.

Jonas was so tenderhearted about passing out the cookies.

Sunday-cut our Christmas tree down in Buffalo Creek area-another tradition.

Smokey the Bear is always there to take pictures with. Jonas asked me,"Why doesn't Smokey the bear talk?"

We were off tromping in the woods to look for the perfect tree for our house. Silas picked this one. Too bad I didn't have 2 permits, I would have got that one for him. So cute!

We found it! Time to saw it down and say"Timber!"

The boys loved helping dad carry it down the hill back to the truck while we sung Christmas carols.

On our way out, the fire station hosts a chili cook off every year and Santa visits.

We gobbled up our chili and chocolate cake.

Before we took a picture with Santa, Jonas asked "Where's Santa's sleigh?"

And then Santa asked what they wanted for Christmas. Silas quickly answered with "choco-late" and Jonas was quiet and reserved.

Back at the house. We unloaded all of the Christmas bins and started on the outside lights before the sun went down.

Had to put up Thomas again this year...thanks to the Holmes! Silas is always sad in the morning, when Thomas is not inflated.

I unpacked all of their Christmas books from last year and Jonas flipped through all 20 of them in the big chair. What an adorable boy!

Decorating the tree is always fun for me, even as a child. I think Jonas loves it too! He is so proud of his hanging ability.

Silas loved lying under the tree and looking up at the lights.

In the midst of all our adventures last week, we enjoyed George time too! The boys just giggle and play with him so much. It's almost like another brother to them. Below are pics of George and the boys.

Jonas loves to play with George outside. This is the highest George has ever gone up in a tree. Luckily he knew how to get back down. The coolest thing is he responds to his name when we call him inside.