Thanksgivukkah

Thanks to Thanksgiving, we had a wonderful excuse to get together with family and eat A LOT! My parents came to Austin for a couple of days, and then we caravanned together to Houston where Aunt Sandi offered to host. 

For the first and ONLY time in our lives, we got to celebrate Thanksgiving AND Channukah at the same time. On Sunday night, as we were lighting the 5th candle, 4-year-old Jacob looked at the channukiah (menorah) and announced, "Only THREE more days of Channukah and Thanksgiving!" We're slightly worried Gabi will expect presents every Thanksgiving...

The fun began before all that when we invited ourselves to Alyssa and Craig's place for dinner and Gabi was reunited with one of her favorite cousins, kitty Abby. For other great Gabi-Abby moments, revisit May 2013.

On Wednesday, upon arriving in Houston, Gabi's cousins immediately get excited to play with her (as they joyfully always do)! Gabi is incredibly lucky to have such loving big cousins, and she LOVES how they play with her. Mira knew just what toys Gabi wanted to play with, and Jacob made Gabi laugh often with his funny ways. They both made her smile with Peek-a-Boo.


Once the cousins had their temporary fill, Aunt Sandi could steal the baby. Meanwhile, Mira paints under Zayde's watchful supervision.

Then, it was time to light the FIRST CHANNUKAH CANDLE for the first night! Gabi, her cousins, and her grandparents were all very excited to usher in Channukah together (Gabi's first).


After candles, of course, come PRESENTS!!!

A shape sorter for Gabi! An awesome die game for Mira!

After candles and presents come...what else?! LATKES! Nana fried up some yummy potato latkes, and I fried up some yummy (unpictured) apple latkes. Then after all that fun and excitement, Jacob winds down with some Zayde cuddles.

The next day, Nana had to get up super early to get some Gabi time in because it then was back to cousins time!

Jacob piggy-back ride!

Here are some great giggles! It gets really good seconds 30-35, and then you get some great snotty kitty noises!

2nd night of Channukah arrives! This time Mommy gets in on the lighting fun! The awesome light glasses also came out this night.

On Friday morning, my chef helpers provide wonderful assistance as we prepare the challah dough for rising.

In anticipation for Jacob's amazing 4th Birthday Party coming on Sunday, he brings out the great poster Sandi made for him to share with all of us.

Just in time for Shabbat dinner and the 3rd night of Channukah, the rest of the gang arrives! We missed the Boston Kayes, but we had a great time with the family who could join us.

Aunt Syssa and Uncle Craig got Mira and Jacob their very first baseball mitts for Channukah. They both LOVED these presents and wanted to start playing RIGHT away!

On Saturday, as the turkey was roasting (you wouldn't expect us Kayes to have Thanksgiving the way we're "supposed to," would you?!), we took a field trip to a local playground on a gorgeous afternoon!




Team Cohen's first Channukah as a family was a success! Thank you to Grandma for providing her "1st Thanksgiving" bib.

Since arriving in Houston, Gabi (who is usually a super fan of bath time) had taken some AWFULLY upset baths. She had screamed the whole time she was in the water and didn't calm down until she was out. This all changed the night we had COUSINS BATH!!!


Gabi was most certainly happy, and she KNEW it! I'm pretty sure she hadn't been that clean in a while...

As with most normal families, we had - not 1, not 2, but - THREE options for NON-DAIRY whipped topping. What would most families do to decide which one is best, you ask? I most definitely assume that most families participate in a blind taste test, of course!

I have a pretty good reputation for my amazing taste test abilities...just saying...

Sunday arrives JUST in time for Jacob's Birthday Party. Not only was it Gabi's first birthday party, it was also Uncle Jon and Aunt Debbie's first chance to ever go to a niece or nephew's birthday party, so we were all definitely glad to be there! :) Sandi booked the party at The Little Gym, which meant lots and lots of little people running around a small space all at the same time...

"I'm FOUR!"

Everyone helps out with the parachute!

Zoom in on that cutie who didn't seem to mind being at the center of attention...

all getting alongly-like

We may be slightly overwhelmed at this point...

happy brother and sister

Time for cake!

Gotta love that cake!

Debbie-Daddy time! Dad says to me, "I can't remember the last time you sat on my lap." I tried to remind him that it was most likely more recently than he expected.

Aunt Syssa flies Gabi.

Remember that poster we were looking at before? Gabi wanted to make sure to sign it!

We lit candles one more time before the Austinites headed back home.

At the end of a great weekend together, some folks are going strong...while others may be fading...

Back at the home front, we have a couple more nights to continue celebrating Channukah together.

Thank you, Aunt Mor, for the "Got Gelt?" great Channukah shirt!

It's time for the annual "family portrait." This (sadly) may be the last year we manage the cats in it...I'm still fighting for them!

And to all a HAPPY THANKSGIVUKKAH!!!