Holy cow. Where do we start?
First with the food prep. I started on Wednesday morning, making casseroles and cutting veggies for the remaining dishes. I had
lots of help, as you can imagine. While I typically allow them to stir and measure for me, I handed over the entire green bean casserole to the kids this year. All ready:
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Is Lainey ready for college or what? Look at that
party pic pose.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh28y4L6xZhyphenhyphen2yHiGuDrsZUYF5nSjVNhzdNX5d1eDeFP5K0ndItizww2uMCas4h74cu0L-d7H3va0e9sQBEhBr5vuS-G7I5zDlkhQuwcX3uyQnK9d9lFObcl5PgcOYXBGBsqRHr/s400/019.JPG)
Getting busy. Carter read the recipe and kept everyone on task.
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Lainey posed some more.
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Ta dah!!!!!! Proud of my crew.
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Fast forward to Thursday. Carter helped me out by testing EVERYTHING. More than once. So much like his daddy.
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Blake helped the children make our traditional Thanksgiving place mats......that don't look very traditional at all......not sure why there are 6 instead of 5.......and it seems that 1/2 of them are adorned with trains. Interesting. And, yes, two are crumpled because Jack freaked out over something and destroyed them. Not to worry. We're used to this by now.
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More testing. What would I do without Carter?!
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Hello, homemade stuffing.......delish, if I do say so myself.
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One more note on our meal. As Blake was preparing the turkey that morning, he held up the raw, repulsive looking neck to Lainey and asked her if she wanted a bite. (Don't ask why we do the things we do. We don't always know.) Her response? "Awe.....Yainey pet it? I hold it?" Again. Don't ask.
Later, we ventured over to Sass's parents' house for dessert. Took one quick picture and missed Sass in it. Sorry, folks.
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And, finally, we drove into Kansas City for the
Plaza Lighting.
Lainey looked like a
marshmallow elf.
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Our three punks.
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We arrived early in order to figure out where to go and what to do....we're newbies....so, there's lots to learn. Kept busy on these steps for a bit and the kids enjoyed it.
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The Plaza Lighting started in 1930 and now draws hundreds of thousands of people on Thanksgiving night. It's Kansas City's
Macy's Day Parade. I love this.....and think it's the perfect timing......turkey is eaten......time to get out of the house and kick off the Christmas season!
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There's a large stage set up that we could barely see due to the crowd. Countdown...lights go on....and then fireworks. Lots of fun.
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And, like most over-stimulating events, Jack hid. He doesn't like too much excitement, people. Like Thanksgiving day place mats.
Or, singing in unison.
Or, praying out loud.
Are you getting all of this?
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The lights are amazing to see.
This:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEOUV8bI7kUc3a0Fy2UFSVfyTdciOgnvCLQuv0YY7BDkQn7nQKy-zpkCBNUJwWkCuhbGnItcSe3LXr3ezFaQEsT7NV8BENLbgZw_jHEe86I7F23mD8p7jMxelLeJnn3bc_Qol9/s400/048.JPG)
Turns into this:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6F4tDMrT4D0qP_DLptO0UR6xPTjNtl_mH5jWJwfijlosVz1AHF5Mo9AnqqfcXUVxxZvKnhLpHG9VBkwQvXQimNj5PKqbfz-nEL8SJwFjpPGjNgth36oWI-GmurDtcbwYCMVV1/s400/052.JPG)
It takes 4 months to cover the 15 block shopping district. Makes your 1/2 day outside seem do-able, huh?
80 miles of lights......nearly 300,000 multi-colored bulbs illuminate the city. They turn on each day at 5pm and will be lit through the middle of January. Can't wait to shop and walk the town!