Thankful for Family

Thanksgiving has always been a favorite holiday of mine because it was the one time of year that we are guaranteed to spend the day with family. Since moving to California eight years (8!) ago, we have spent the holiday at Andrew's cousin's home in San Diego. Mark, Jeannie, Liesel, and Max welcome us every year on this day, and we spend our time together like most families, watching football, eating, visiting, and playing guitar hero! This year Tatum got into the action.

Coming and Going - NC Holiday Trip



Tatum insists on lugging her luggage through LAX

 
This year we headed home for our annual NC holiday trip a bit early due to the pregnancy.  To prepare for the trip we packed a bag full of goodies to keep Tatum entertained and occupied - Little People Lift the Flap book, suckers, a new Yo Gabba Gabba DVD, favorite books, and the usual snacks. 

Tatam made quite the impression on the jet setters that day as she paraded through the airport carrying her own luggage.

Our first stop was to see Andrew's family: Mimi and Boo, Aunt Julie, Uncle Craig, Cousin Sophia and Cousin Nicolas.  Tatum LOVED playing with her cousins.  It is always a special time to come together as family since we don't get to see each other but twice a year.  Tatum continues to ask to play with them now that we have long returned home. 



Next we headed up to Asheville to visit our friends and enjoy the beauty of the mountains.  LaLa and I treated Andrew and I to a very special night out with our friends while they had a sleep over with Tatum in their hotel. 

Next we drove up to Burnsville to pick up GG (Grandma Great) who were visiting my cousin Amy & Kyle and their two sons James and Henry.  We were treated to a hot lunch amidst a sick and crying Tatum who developed an ear ache on the trip.  

 We ended the trip at Aunt Jen and Uncle Andy's house with our silly twin cousins Drew and Ethan who celebrated their 6th birthday on November 20th. GG, LaLa, A, and Uncle Jarrod were all there for the celebration.

 

The flight home was made bearable by Yo Gabba Gabba!

Moving on Up

It is with incredible excitement that I announce that the SHEARERS ARE MOVING!  For those of you who have visited our humble home and found yourself wondering where the new baby was going to go without our sanity going as well, wonder no more.  Last week was filled with a lot of great fortune that resulted in a new home in Montrose (a neighborhood of Glendale located in the Verdugo Mountain foothills).  If you are interested (and I know you are Mimi and LaLa), check out the video below of our new digs!

Two block north of us is the historic downtown community filled with boutique shops, yearly festivals, and weekly farmers' markets.  Two blocks south is a great elementary school.  Right it the middle is our new found paradise.  We sign the lease on Sunday and we move in Thanksgiving weekend.  Dreams do come true!