Fox Valley Thanksgiving 2023

Brooke wanted to skip it, but the rest of were raring to go to the Fox Valley for Thanksgiving.

I wanted to leave on Thanksgiving morning but Scott said that was too late. 

 

Leave it to my mom to always spoil Meadow. She got her a cat ornament.

This year I made actual homemade pumpkin pie since I was poopooed after making it from the can last year. Same recipe, just substituted pureed roasted pumpkin.

Ended up making two pies since I had so much filling.

I don't make pretty pies, but they taste good.

Uncle Mike's Bake Shop opened a new location in Appleton that also has a restaurant. We had to check it out.

It's nothing like the other Uncle Mike's aesthetically, but they have all the same baked goods.

We skipped the sweets and tried out the restaurant half. Meadow and Brooke got pizza and both G.G. and I got sandwiches. Everyone agreed it was S-tier.

The kids take over the tv whenever they visit.

This is basically what we end up doing all Thanksgiving weekend. 

Brooke always digs into the famly albums.

I found some old photo albums that I was having fun looking through. I remember my dad built a cover for our wagon so we could use it when it was cold. I'm guessing by the beer case we walked over to the gas station and I wasn't too thrilled about having to hold it on the way home.

Ummmm...is putting your kids in a plastic bag a good idea? I guess you're still here, so it worked.

While Scott watched the Packer's game, I took the kids to Fritse Park. Specifically so we go go down this slide. Not sure if it's just closed for the season or what but I was disappointed.

The kids didn't care as long as there was a playground.

Silly kid thinks he still fits in the baby swings.

Nah, he just acts like one...

After the Packers turned around their season (I'm writing this from the future) and the kids and Brooke came back we made our way to Brittany's.

Meadow and Marina were of course inseparable.

Theo is still afraid of everyone at first.

A few weeks ago at dinner, Theo asked how soap was made. I said I wasn't sure and we should ask Brittany because she makes soap. He couldn't believe it and said she should have a soap store. Brittany surprised him with some of her homemade soap.

Theo is a simple guy. I think he'll appreciate the soap.

Chelsea has leftover crafts from work and even Jeff joined in to make a snowflake.

Meadow and Theo were ready to eat.

Jeff hates having his picture taken, but I insist.

More dumb pictures of Thanksgiving dinner!

But this one is good. Dan's smoked turkey makes the wings the highlight.

Hey Nolan. 

I wish I could remember the whole story but Chelsea mentioned a fake name and my mom thought it was a real person and then I lost it and was cry laughing.

This happens whenever the Romeneskos get together.

After I told everyone about the roadkill pie, Chelsea offered to get an ice cream cake as it's also Dan's birthday.

OK, we didn't tell this story. I got a pie from our realtor/good friend Nate. I had it in the trunk, but it fell out when I picked up some backyard rink parts on the way to Little Chute. Brooke thought the whole thing ended up on the guys driveway, but it was just a bit. Anyways no one wanted to eat the "roadkill pie" and my pumpkin pie wasn't very popular either. Next year I'll just not bake anything...

Theo still likes sleeping in the crib.

So does kitty.

A couple weeks ago while Scott was watching a Packer game I saw that they had an ice rink at Titletown. Of course we had to go.

Any excuse to hangout by Lambeau Field. But ice skating at the hallowed grounds of the Green Bay Packers! You know we'd make a day out of it.

Grandpa tagged along before going back to the hunting land for the rest of the weekend.

I thought it would have been way busier.

  

Then we took a break for hot chocolate.

I found us a table, creeper.  

Now it was officially a good day.

We skated for a bit longer after the hot chocolate break.

I have to say Titletown is a cool space. Too bad the playground was closed for the season.

We then went to the Packers Pro Shop. I may listen to a few Packers podcasts every day, but I'm not big on Cheeseheads and other knick knacks. The kids on the other hand...

I had no idea the store was so big. They had literally everything you could think of with a Packer theme.

Meadow wanted this hat, I said I could make it.

The kids ended up each getting something small. Theo got chocolate shaped like a "G" and Meadow got a mini-helmet like you used to get in the coin machines. We also got a Lambeau Field sticker for the rooftop box.

We went out to eat with my dad at Hollanders before he headed back to the hunting cabin. I hadn't been here since high school.

Classic Wisconsin bar food. Pretty good. I know I'm not food critic.

Theo was happy with boxed mac.

I found this photo of when we went to the Northernaire for mothers day.

So sad I never got to see this classic Northwood resort or go to the matching bar across the highway in Three Lakes.  

My mom loved sewing us matching outfits.

Love it.

Someone loves her baby boy.

My mom eventually talked me into going to the gym with her which eventually lead to using the massage chairs.

Bahaha.

After looking through all the old albums I decided to sort them by year.

More matching outfits made by mom.

I'm not exactly sure what's going on with Brittany's face paint.

Your halloween costumes always tended toward unintended horror.

My mom was just telling us about how Brittany had a chicken when she was little and she brought it into the pool and my dad had to save it's life.

Finished. Scott says we're going to need a cabinet just to house all these albums that I'll inherit someday.

Oo, yay, craperole for dinner.

I always suggest undercooking the noodles. G.G. never listens.

No gingerbread house this year, instead the kids got Christmas trees to paint.

Theo hates the sun and anything hot. I told him it's probably because he was born in the winter. So now he loves showing how much he loves the cold, including running barefoot in the snow.

The first snow of the almost winter.

Then we all decided to try it, even mom.

Tired from barefoot snow walking but it was time to head back home.

See you later Little Chute and Wisconsin.