Race bikers race....

We came home on Thanksgiving to a bike race in Brambleton for the dudes.  They each had their own separate race.

Drew with the striders.

I didn't check birth certifcates - but I am guessing Drew is the young end on that totem pole

off he goes in the Tennessee Orange

Next up - the pre-schoolers - can you see Shane's orange bike?

there he goes!

Nice work buddy!

The final Leadbetter biking installment -Nicholas - racing with the first graders and completing 2 laps!

Hold back eager bikers...

Alright - let em rip!

go smiley pants!

nice work!!

future cyclers of American right here!  Who has the doggie cart for pauli??

Thanksgiving with family and a short drive!

I think there is Thanksgiving creep out there.  as a kid, i remember loving the 1/2 day on Wednesday.  Now, its just off - yup, a school holiday here.  I mean you should be traveling right??  Join the gridlock that is on the highway.  

I miss the German Thanksgiving (mostly because it was only the American's celebrating this family travel time!)  so I forget about the traffic and on Wednesday i opt to finally visit Chris at his office.  This is a horrible photo but the only one I took.  Chris's office is on the 14th floor in a building on Tyson's corner.  His view is fabulous and there were flurries that day (but we were corralling 3 kids in his office space, so the photo at the entry way to the building is what you get...)  we actually walked through the mall that his office is connected too - amazing high end mall where photos with Santa did not have a line - but a significant price tag...  (thus no photo with Santa here...)  Thanks Chris for being brave enough to host us for lunch!

Thursday morning Turkey trot?!?!  Not for this guy.  He woke up with a fever, so we had a waffle 

and a snooze...  yup, I must have drawn the short end of this stick...

it was 30 degrees out and Nick was about to run his first 5K!  He did Fabulous!  one water break and lots of running.  However, it was so cold out there that by the time they finally made it home their hand were still cold!!

We showered up and headed to the Leadbetters in Springfield for some Thanksgiving family time - and football of course.  These dudes played AWESOME!

I mean, AWESOME

we headed out for a 'pre-feast' stroll to get the blood flowing and so this guys could....

yup, do that - BTW - its Drew, not Shane (as the hats say - hand-me-downs can be tough...)

dad joined in the plays - 

Nick faked out Uncle Wyland

Wyland scooted by Uncle Chris

And the brothers locked up!

look at these 2 - Chris's No Shave November is looking pretty contrasting to his marine corps brother.  we (Barbara and I) have asked Chris to hold onto the bead through the holidays.  Wyland thinks he needs to dye it gray....

And now its Turkey time....how many leadbetters does it take to extract a turkey??  I love a family affiar.

Tom the Turkey is looking ready for the FEAST

are we ready to eat?!?!  Thankful for this beautifully filled Thanksgiving table!

And Aunt Shannon's pumpkin pie

o.k., maybe the whip cream too

we stayed up that night til midnight watching slides that dated back as far as 1955 - wow and impressive at the same time.  It was amazing seeing Chris look like Shane, Drew and Nick throughout the years.  It was also gratifying seeing Leadbetter camp make its transformation - while Rome in 1968 look rather similar to Rome in 2010 - Thank you to Barbara and Wyland for hosting a wonderful family Thanksgiving.  

Munchkin Thanksgiving

Shane's school hosted a super cute Thanksgiving luncheon.  Of course I will say hosted 'loosely' because it was a parental/teacher potluck.  so thanks for saving us a seat Shane.  drew LOVED seeing Shane in school and running up for the brotherly hug.

Shane loved the attention too (funny how that doesn't happen at home...)

look at these cutties enjoying story time

the following day we had Nick's Pilgrim celebration - I can attest to these 2 surely being Indians.  I have more photos that I need to post later...  They involve Nick and Aidan with drums and LOTS of singing...

but here is my number one Indian at the moment.

We may not get out much, but when we do we win big...

What's harder than getting 7 women on the same week night out....  Honestly, I'm not sure, but we all made it out Thursday night - together - thanks to Amy and her mini

I brought my camera, so I will spare you all the photos - but I loved the matching eyes.

Brown 

Hazel  (matching hair too!) 

So we set out for a ladies trivia night and named ou team the brambleton bimbos (we didn't want to set a high bar...) and guess what, we won!!  A $50 gift certification to MORE WINE!  Apparently they know how to make repeat customers. 

Cheers to the newly named brambleton brainiacs 

thanks to you ladies for a great night out!

when photos get stuck on your phone....

sometimes photos get 'stuck' on my phone...  i forget to download them, email them - whatever, but at the time I want to remember/treasure the moment...  So here is a quick venture back in time.  

This photo is of 2 houses in brambleton - you may not be able to see this, but one is decorated for Halloween and the other for Christmas.  I do wonder if they are friends.  The date on this photo is November 8 which is more important because I was on a stroll through our neighborhood with Shane, Drew and Amanda Pommereneck!!  She is working for the Corps of engineers and has a job at Ft. Derrik which means she might make the trip from Huntsville AL to VA rather frequently which is awesome for us.  So not only does this photo bridge 2 holidays - but a reminder of how friendship last through years, moves, jobs and states...

Here is a bridge along Bull Run when Chris and I were supposed to be running together (yes, taking this photo was my excuse to stop) and it also reminds me the beauty and history or NoVa and the enjoyment my husband still gets running with his slow wife.  and how thankful we BOTH were for wonderful grandparents who understand the value of a mini escape. 

eek - a bear - a black one - in my parents back yard!!  He is headed right up to the golfing net that Nick and Shane us.  I am guessing my dad was smart to grab the camera and NOT the be be gun he normally grabs to shue away the squirrels.

Ah, A morning with Drew - nothing special but a walk to the grocery store for a few items - but it was nice to be with just Drew.

Forced family exploration

There are some family that host ' forced family fun' so I thought titling ours are forced family exploration appropriate.  Chris is a GREAT explorer and makes the most out of everything he discovers.  He has a lot of enthusiasm too - but sometimes with a wife and 3 kids in tow - it takes more than enthusiasm at some locations.  

It was Saturday and I could tell he had the itch to explore.  I offered a few suggestions and he bit on Middleburg.  An old timey town 20 minutes from us know for its red fox hunting.  Sounds like something we were totally raised around....  right?

Not exactly - we were definitely working within the upper end of the upper class - at least a years ago...  here is a wedding I was eager to take a peek at = but they were taking their time to dismiss.

so we did some window shopping - our kids are great at window shopping

still no bride (and mind you, its chilly so those bridesmaids are darn cold)

waiting....

and that's a Bentley - totally normal for out here... (and an attraction for Chris)

not for Nick, he prefers Corvettes (and NOT wedding watching...)

yeah, the bride!

And the carriage ride

Now to have a beer at the Red Fox Tarven.

However, they don't start serving until 5 - it was 4:45 and the kids were no interested in the 15 minute wait (turth be told, neither were we)  we asked if we could just have a seat at the bar - nope, no bar...  Ah man

Check - been to the Red Fox Tavern - overrated - 

headed home - beautiful sunset and all.  Thankful for the 20 minute drive=)