Thanksgiving 2008

It was a Corse family Thanksgiving this year...we went to a cabin outside Branson, MO for a few days with nature. I actually avoided seeing that much wildlife, which is always good for me. I also didn't get that many photos - I guess I was too busy talking. You have to talk often and loud if you want to be heard in my family!

Here we are watching my Dad carve the turkey. My dear Grandma Arlene is in the back middle of the picture. She thinks we are all hilarious, which is why she is so imperative to the success of the trip (I mean somone has to listen and at least act like we are funny!)


Grandma's head, Mom, Dad, Scott, Hamil, and Michael Lane waving.


Nate and Emily always have a great time - here he is making her laugh with a fly swatter and a bird house. Who knew those would be his toys of choice this weekend.

Mom, Emily, and I took Grandma to a "show" in Branson. We went to see the fiddle player - Shoji Tabuchi. I have never been to Branson, so the "show" was definitely an experience.

Nate and Emily playing again - this time using a flash light without the top to look for bugs in her ear and then the bottom of a wine opener filled with pretend medicine to kill the bugs. What an imagination.

Cookies, Marshmallows, & Beer

Mary & Kevin came to visit us this weekend. It was very cold outside, but we managed to have some inside fun. Nate has been asking to make gingerbread cookies for weeks, so on Friday afternoon we started our holiday baking.


On Saturday, we headed to the Anheuser Busch brewery for a visit. The tour was great and the free beer afterwards made it all worthwhile! And if anyone is wondering, we boycotted the Stella Artois that was being served in pretty glasses. Inside the Brew House...

On Saturday night, Scott made a fire in our new fire pit and Nate roasted marshmellows.

Mimi was brave and bundled up to join the crowd outside. I on the other hand only stepped out to take a few pictures, then headed back in. I've never been much for being cold.

Have a happy Thanksgiving!

Current Events

It seems I have been on a short blogging break - no real reason, just consumed by all of the other events that happen this time of year!

Last Saturday, it was extemely yucky weather in St. Louis. Scott needed to work on the basement and I was scrounging for ideas for Nate. I had the great idea to drive to Cape to meet my mom and Aunt Mil for lunch. We also visited with my aunts Lee & Kathy and are always glad to see family. We had a great time and it certainly gave us something to do on a dreary day.

Nate packed a large paper bag with the items he wanted for the trip - I didn't know what was actually in the bag, until I turned around on the way home to see he had brought his entire bed with him. He was cozy.

I was doing a little cleaning in the office one night this week and Nate made the most of it by pretending one of the couch pillows was a horse. He had lots of fun playing "giddy up."

And last but not least, my handy husband has finished the bathroom in the basement. We are so excited! Some finishing touches and decorating still have to be completed, but it is 100% functional. Next project is the bedroom that is connected to the bathroom - something is always under construction at the Boyle house - which is not a bad thing!

Relaxing Weekend

We have had a relaxing weekend so far...no plans besides watching football and inserting a few kid friendly activities for Nate.

Yesterday, we made edible play doh. I figured that since Nate puts everything in his mouth anyway, it might as well actually be edible for once. He loved it and it was so easy to do...for moms out there that haven't done this and that share in my quest to find edible activities for my child, here is the recipe.

1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
1 cup powdered milk

Mix together well. It seems like it will be really sticky, but once it is mixed, it actually doesn't stick to your hands at all.

Notice that Nate sticks his tongue out when he is concentrating...just like his mother.

Today, the three of us went to the Science Center. It was actually the first time we had been there since we moved to STL because I was afraid it might be too old for Nate. He did great today and although he didn't understand everything, he loved pushing buttons and trying it all out.

In the Illusion room...kind of like on Charlie & the Chocolate Factory.

Moving circles from tower to tower...

They had a large exhibit on space shuttles today and he has a new found fascination with rocket ships and astronauts. Here he is in the elevator they converted into a space shuttle command center. When he got up from his nap today, he said flying the space shuttle was his favorite part of the Science Center.

The Pet Store

Nate and I were in the car today on the way to our most favorite place - Target - when Nate called to my attention the fact that we were passing the pet store. I said yes it was the pet store where he and Dad go to get Kitty Paus's food. He responded with "Alsolly (a mix of also and usually), when my fish and snails get dead, we go there to get new ones."

Yes, we do - great observation.

Weekend Visitors

We had a GREAT visit with Mimi, Amanda, and Noah this weekend. We couldn't have asked for better weather and we really enjoyed their visit (except the part where Georgia lost terribly to Florida on Saturday!)

We took them to Cooper Ella on Friday morning, to the Library Park on Friday for a picnic lunch, a Halloween party at the Peach's on Friday night, and then to the zoo and a picnic on Saturday. We were busy!

Halloween

The monkey and the Tiger...


We didn't get around to carving our pumpkins until after Halloween...

I couldn't get a lot of smiles out of Nate in his monkey costume, but Sarah promised a surprise if he would take a picture first...he gave us a half smile.

Snow White (Megan Peach), The Witch (Avery Peach), The Lion, and The Monkey...

Mimi the Cat came to play with us!

Mimi and her zoo animals...

Our Halloween trip to the zoo...