On Christmas Eve we headed to Wisconsin for winter break. Sometimes it's tricky finding food on holidays. I saw that Norske Nook in Osseo was open.
Kids and Brooke got breakfast. I got the Wisconsin Reuben. Everyone was happy.
Of course we had to get some pie for the rest of the ride.
Next door was a fun store, Boards and Bricks.
I wanted to get the kids one more Lego set each, but Brooke was not letting that happen. Come on, it's Christmas!
Exactly, they're about to get a bunch of stuff tomorrow.
Instead of pie I got some kind of peanut butter cup cookie. Brooke and I shared since we're so in love still. Or she's turning into her mom.
I didn't really want anything and it was too much for you so we shared.
I completely forgot that we do church on Christmas Eve. As soon as we arrived it was already time for church. We did not pack church clothes but did our best.
And probably got me sick for the rest of the trip.
Leave it to my mom to always buy treats for the kids.
I do actually like our snack dinner Christmas Eve.
But it's not quite Romenesko Christmas Eve.
Blake had cinnamon rolls ready for us in the morning as always.
There was some miscommunication on what time people were arriving. I was expecting it to be way later. I was still in my pajamas baking when everyone showed up.
Theo would never eat this cute cookie. Maybe he just wanted to save like G.G. is bound to do.
We hadn't seen Viola in a few months. She's suddenly a little girl and not a baby.
Or at least a very small toddler.
I guess that's the boys chair. Grandpa just keeps it warm for them.
Meadow will take anything kitty related.
This goes on for like an hour. It's intense.
Marina and Meadow are still inseparable.
We surprised my parents with a group family photo session.
Theo got more Dog Man books. Now he has the complete set of the series. It's a good thing because I only packed one book for him and he spent 3 hours reading it over and over on the car ride here.
I got a fold up side table for camping or picnics.
Jeff got the best gift.
He kept unwrapping random items and was then invited to participate in next years Boubville.
Brooke filled a photo album full of pictures of the grandkids.
This was originally my Grandma's album.
I made a Viola a board book of people in her family. She went right into reading it.
There was some confusion on who's gift this was.
There were three winners in the pickle challenge this year.
And a few whiners like usual.
Gummy pickles.
Can you spot Daniel?
Theo had taken over Grandpa's chair and stole his remote.
Mike took Brooke and I to Kamps Bar and Grill
for fish. Theo wasn't feeling great suddenly and stayed home with G.G. We cannot escape someone getting sick right before Romenesko Christmas.
I had never been here before.
We should totally go here again.
My mom took Pepe to a vet appointment and was told it was his time to put him down. Nolan and especially Harvey love Pepe. They stopped over to say goodbye to the best kitty in the world.
We even made Meadow come back from Marina's so she could spend some time with him.
Pepe was the best cat. Just so, so cuddly. Will miss the little runt.
It feels so weird to me that when I go for walks I don't see anyone else out walking. Besides 1-2 people jogging.
I feel the same way about Minneapolis compared to pretty much every American big city. But the suburbs are where people drive.
With Blake and Daniel gone, Theo could move to the bed.
We went to Fleet Farm so Theo could pick out a present. Grandpa and G.G. forgot to get Theo a present.
We actually stopped there because Theo needed new winter gloves. Fleet Farm just isn't the same anymore. We got lucky on one last pair that fit Theo.
Later, Meadow wanted me to dye her hair.
With our ASTC membership I took the kids to children's museum in Appleton. It's sad to me that my kids are starting to get too old for places like this. Scott wasn't feeling great so stayed behind. He also hates children's museums because they're just germ pools.
I'm glad they still have fun.
They always love the play kitchens. Their favorite part is always cleaning it up and reorganizing the mess previous children left behind.
At this point I wasn't feeling great. Couldn't tell if it was allergies or if I was coming down with something. So I stayed home and played the present I bought for myself: Cyberpunk 2077.
Today was clay day. Meadow made a cat and Theo made a block.
The next day, Chelsea and the kids invited us out to the arcade just down the highway. When we got there we found Chelsea glued to the coin game. Just like G.G.
We had extra money leftover on the gift cards we got, so we ate a fried food feast.
Meadow received a Barnes and Noble gift card and couldn't wait to use it right away. Theo always finds the newest Dog Man book.
We saw that Uncle Mike's Food Emporium has a pizza buffet on Monday nights. We met Chelsea and crew. It was like a fancier version of Pizza Ranch.
With plenty of kringle. I basically went for the kringle.
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