Thanksgiving Trip 2015 {part 1}

The Shank Family minus dad took a road trip to Florida for Thanksgiving this year. It was a great get-a-way! With all the wrestling practices, work, chores + packing...we all just really needed a vacation. It's too bad Kale wasn't able to join us. I think he needed the vacation most of all.

Morgan and I captured a selfie right before we hit the sack in preparation for our trip! She's too cute and why not?!

Since I was the one driving, I wasn't able to capture the kiddos in the truck as I usually do. BUT we did stop and take a selfie at a Starbucks when I desperately needed coffee.

We drove about 6 hours that day to Atlanta, GA where we stopped and Kale got us a hotel room. I seriously was not trying to drive the 15 hours by myself in one day. This was the plan and even though the kids were being really good, for Ryker, it was the best thing to do so I wouldn't pull my hair out driving down the road :)

This was a sweet moment I caught {thankfully} of the kids tearing apart one of the beds. They actually seem to LIKE that they were in a hotel room! Or ... maybe it was that I didn't really mind if they wrestled and messed the bed up. Either way...too cute!

We had a little fun. Hit the pool and the gym {I know right!} We woke up the next day and had an amazing breakfast {not really} and were able to hit the road again with fresh faces and minds.

Before leaving out to complete our trip to Florida, I decided to show the kids this "Stone Mountain". It was time for them to see this place in person. They didn't believe me... Now they do! It was fun. There was a lady there who was supposed to snap "a" photo but ended up taking like 20. I love that she did that because it captured how hard it is to take a group pic when you have a 1 year old, 4 year old and 2 older kids!

let the fun begin!

~ Our Shank Family

ROAK #1 2015

ROAK #1 was from Mom. I was walking into Walmart with a grocery list of my own and as I was walking in these kids asked me if I wanted to help The Dream Center? I said SURE! They then handed me a list of food items.

I took the list of food items and looked it over as I was walking into the produce department. For a minute I stopped and just thought to myself:

"Wow. Ya never know how blessed you are until you realize these kids wouldn't have a nice Thanksgiving Dinner without the donations from the Community"

"Here I am splurging on food, crafty yummy food that is sort of expensive and these kids just want to enjoy Thanksgiving Dinner"

"Gosh I feel like a schmuck"

"I seriously feel like I take what I have for granted!"

"I need to get better at giving instead of wanting all the time"

"I'm a schmuck"!

I then gathered myself together. Got 1 or more of everything on this grocery list and remembered not to cheap their food with a bunch of generic brands. I bought Thanksgiving foods on the list that I would buy for my own family.

Talk about a blessing, a lesson and a heartache all at one time.

I then went home, sat my kids down at the kitchen table and told them all about the story. What happened. How I felt. {I left out the word schmuck and replaced it with ungrateful} and their eyes were big. They heard me loud and clear. Did it change their ungratefulness? Not a whole lot but I think over time if we were to do this enough while making our children EARN what they "want" most of the time, they may just turn out to have big hearts one day. And teach their children the value of giving.

~ Our Shank Family

Week 6

Week 6 has come to an end and I couldn't be more excited with the progress while we've been gone on vacation!! I came home to the painted walls, new front door and garage door and the flooring is being installed!! I mean seriously!!

The house is starting to come together. I can envision everything so easily now. Oh man I can't even express my excitement!

The Cabinets arrived on time. AND so many other things!!

Here are a few pics I took yesterday while over at the house:

WE. ARE. SO. EXCITED! I just cannot wait until we can move in a decorate. I know these posts may or may not be getting on your nerves by now but for memories sake..I'm documenting each week!


~ Our Shank Family

Happy #4 Morgan Shank

Morgan had several different requests for her Birthday. We actually fulfilled them all because she's 4 and what do 4 year old's want? Food. An awesome toy. And cake!

For Lunch we took her to Q'Doba. Her request.

Then we went home and made a cake with homemade icing. Gosh I love this icing! Recipe here.

After dinner we let her blow out her candles and open presents. This girl was in Heaven!!

~ Our Shank Family