Mom and Grandma's visit re-cap

We had a great time with my mom and grandma here for thanksgiving week and Tyler's birthday. I made my infamous itinerary to make sure we had a plan for each day...a flexible itinerary that can be moved and adjusted as seems fit for 2 kids and 2 grandma and an aunt and uncle that work really crazy retail hours. Anyways, our week went a little like this:

Saturday after 1 wrong turn mom and grandma arrive around 11pm to our house. My mom decides to crash on our couch, however according to the itinerary she was supposed to stay at JJ's house.

Sunday morning mom and grandma forgot to feed Tyler breakfast and then met us for the 11am church service at SCC (with Tyler...they didn't forget him, but barely got him dressed :). After church we met Jenny at Pita Pit for a to go order before mom and Jenny headed to the Christmas in the South craft show. The rest of us stayed back and relaxed while Scott did some work. Mom cooked up some chipped beef gravy and Mom and Dad Shippy joined us for the gourmet cooking!

Monday's we found out is not a good day to go to Wormsloe (it's closed) so after some adjusting on Johne's day off we started and complete the 1st stage of a turkey pinata, had veg soup and corn bread for lunch and then took Myla to get her shots and headed to the grocery store for our meal plan for the week. When we got home we had to re-complete stage 1 of the pinata...the balloon popped out in the sun...oops. But we salvaged it! That night we had tacos at JJ's, I opted out for steak fajitas...every since Myla it's hard for me to eat ground beef ? And Tyler had a slumber party with Grandma A at JJ's...finally crashing after 11pm...Grandma exhausted!

Tuesday we let the pinata dry even more, we had a guest over for brunch and made pine cone bird feeders. What a blast that was, Tyler really enjoyed it and Greatma and Mrs. Wardlaw made their first pine cone bird feeder as well! Johne and Mom then went off to Wormsloe for the afternoon. With a babysitter resting at home I went out to do some shopping (the goal was to get all the IA gifts completed so mom and grandma could be FREE shipping!). Johne, Tyler, Scott, and Grandma A went to crab shack for dinner while Greatma, Myla, and I stayed home, had chili for dinner. Somewhere in there I finished a second coat of turkey pinata with a string wrapped around to hang it.

Wednesday Tyler played outside, Greatma took Myla for a walk while Tyler rode his bike, I finished step 2 of the pinata and baked a few cakes...tonight is decorating the pinata. We went to the mall and had lunch with Aunt Jenny at the food court, played at soft play and after naps we headed out to Bass Pro Shop for FREE pictures with Santa Clause. Both Tyler and Myla did really well and they let us take 3 pictures! We went back to our house for pizza and salad! My mom and I were up til 12 decorating the pinata and had a blast! It turned out so good...at 10pm we realized we didn't have any glue...but our handy neighbors were up and willing to share!

Thursday: Happy Thanksgiving! Happy Birthday Tyler! We started off the morning with donuts and Black Friday Ad shopping at JJ's. then headed to Rob and Amy's house for Thanksgiving dinner (I made the ham at Mom Shippy's) and had Tyler's Birthday Party(see previous post)! After a long day and a buzzing headache we headed home and did some Internet shopping, got our list together for my mom to get up at 4am to do early Black Friday shopping!

Friday: My mom headed out and killed 3-4 things off my list before 8am! We chilled out Friday, Grandma and I did a little shopping with Myla, had a nice spaghetti dinner before my grandma, jenny, and I headed off to our Girl's night out to the Savannah Theater to see A Christmas Tradition. It was really cool for me because I knew someone in the show!!! It was really a great way to start off the Christmas season! When we got back home there was a surprise waiting for me...new curtains in the living room and no more vertical falling down blinds! I love them....they are perfect and cozy and easy! It is an early Christmas present from my mom and dad :).
And finally Saturday...a day of wrapping...wrapping with other people's wrapping paper...organizing, packing...I sent a bunch of clothes and baby items with my mom so we don't have to pay extra and check bags for our flight for Christmas! Around 3 we headed downtown to check out Holly Jolly something or other...it was pretty lame...but then waited 2 hours to eat at Vinnie's with a table of 7.5...mistake...we should have split up. We made it down to River Street in time to see 3 boats with lights on them...a little late. Tyler liked them and then there were fireworks...and oh yeah a surprise under my seat at Vinnies...a $20 box of pralines!

Sunday the plan was for mom and grandma to load up and head home. They didn't make it very far on Sunday...but I'm glad they didn't kill each other in 5mph traffic through ATL. The next day they tried to make up time...we won't go into that sad but funny story. Let's just say I called once and got hung up on and then again 20 minutes later and they were in laughing hysterics and Bert and Ernie were removed from their spot around the rear view mirror.

Tyler's Birthday!

Happy Turkey Birthday Tyler!

The crazy turkey cake that totally fell apart!

Playing "Hot Pumpkin" Tyler needed LOTS of help understanding how to pass it to the next person really fast. They all had fun though!

We played pin the tail on the Turkey...Tyler went first!

The "made with love" Turkey Pinata. My mom and I made over the course of 4 days! It was a blast and tons of great memories. Tyler didn't want to "bam" it...but did want the candy inside. He had one of his, "It's too loud and crazy" moments and retreated and wanted to go home! But I helped him rip open the "slightly re-inforced" pinata so him and the other kids could gather up the candy.

Blowing out all of his candles...he did it all by himself. The sure sign of a 3 year old!

And then opening presents!