Food, Family, Fun

Thanksgiving at my mom and dad's.
Saturday night.
My mom is a super cook.
Homemade butterhorn rolls.
Triple berry sauce.
Lemon meringue pie.
Key lime pie.
And much more.

My dad is nearly always involved
in the cooking of the meat.
We are a highly carnivorous family.
There was turkey.
And a pork loin that was grilled
with a fantastic homemade rub.
My dad makes the best mashed potatoes.
I have tried to duplicate.
And fail every time.
That pan brings back lots of yummy memories.
My nephew.
Being a pain.

My mom had cute projects for the kids.

And Ryan.

Brookelynn made the sails.

Ryan carved out the zucchini.

The Mayflower.

Project #2

Pilgrim hats.

Like any good aunt,

I told the kids about chubby bunny.

Levi decided to give it a try.

He made it to six marshmallows.

Before both of us nearly puked.
Oh, he's going to love this picture.

It was a great evening.

The three little boys disappeared after supper

and we hardly saw them all night.

The two older boys hung out with the adults.

And the two girls drove us crazy.

They are in that giggly, goofy stage.

We kept sending them downstairs.

They kept coming back.

With odd, made-up songs.

Wish I had pictures or video.

No.

I really don't.

It was painful.
Yet one more thing to be thankful for.

Turkey and Tree

Well.
The turkey got cooked.
Ryan did a super job carving the bird.
Mom-in-law, sister-in-law, aunt all came
to help with final preparations.
There was lots of other good food.
Everyone contributed something.
And we had a great time visiting with family.
Yesterday we got our tree.
See the broken window back there?
Remember that Monday and Tuesday were not the best days?

Wood splitter, fireplaces...

It didn't get better Wednesday.

Our children.

Playing the Olympics.

Throwing "the hammer" (a skip-it toy).

In our driveway.

Not in any other part of the 1 and 1/2 acres

that makes up our yard.

Bad release.

Crash, tinkle.

Hole in glass.

Fun times.

But we always have reindeer Ezzie
to cheer us up.

In spite of the crazy week,

it's been good.

Nice to have my guy home.

Nice be with family.

Nice to get the Christmas decor out.

Nice to listen to Christmas music.

Nice to smell the tree.

Now, I must finish decorating.

And one more Thanksgiving at my mom and dad's tonight.

More turkey.

Yippee!

Happy Thanksgiving

This beautiful centerpiece was delivered to our house today.
From some family friends from Michigan
who will be in Kansas to celebrate with us tomorrow.

So thankful for all the wonderful blessings
the Lord has given to me.
Most of all my family.
Hubby.
Kids.
Parents.
Brothers and Sisters.
Niece and nephews.
And friends.

Here's the first part of a little chorus that
has been running through my mind today:
Give thanks with a grateful heart.
Give thanks to the Holy One.
Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son.

Oh, Bother

Well.
We are whittling away at our list.
But it's not been without set-backs.

The rec room is much better.
The kids' rooms are still getting there.
Leaves are in the compost pile.
Lawn is mowed.
Christmas lights are up.
(But not turned on.)
I've been researching the best way to roast a turkey.

Those things are fine.
But two things in particular.
Not so much.

Oh, bother #1.
The wood splitter refuses to be fixed.
Even though we have gotten advice from numerous friends.
Several of which have even stopped by.
Turns out.
Might not be such a big deal now.

Oh, bother #2.
We had our fireplaces inspected.
Apparently, they have problems.
We were told not to light any fires.
Thousands of dollars worth of repairs.
And we have thousands of dollars lying around.
Of course we do.
The new a/c and heater didn't sap our resources at all.

So here's my plan.
Fix at least one fireplace.
(No idea where the money will come from, though.)
But not the splitter.
Then go buy my guy a splitting wedge.
And watch my manly man split the wood himself.
Woohoo!

The Week

It's gonna be a busy one.
My guy is off.
Lots of honey dos.
For him.
And me.

Get fireplaces ready.
Leaves.
(Enough said.
You've seen pics.)
Mow one last time.
Clean rec room.
(BIG job.)
Work on the kids' rooms.
(Getting closer to moving them!)
Put Christmas lights up outside.
Make a turkey for the first time.
Have a slough of people over on Thanksgiving.
Decorate for Christmas.
(Not until Friday.
I'm one of "those" that must wait until after Thanksgiving.
Even though I'm dying to listen to Christmas music.)

Ryan's splitting wood right now.
Well, he was.
Until the splitter quit on him.
Isn't that always the way things work?
He's running around now.
Getting things to get it going again.
Took the little boys with him.
They are following him everywhere.
They love it when he is home.

So, yes, I am by myself.
Oh.
Except for my nephew.
Who is napping.

It's blissfully quiet here.
And it smells yummy.
Pomegranate.
Bought it from my nephew.
Not the same one who's napping.
A much older one.
On the other side of the family.
He's raising money for a trip to D.C.
My guy picked it out.
Pretty good taste.
But we knew that already.
He did pick me afterall.
Haha.
Haha.
Ha.

Fingerprint Friday

Sometimes a fingerprint is
unseen to the outside world.
Sometimes God places
His fingerprints on our hearts.

Reminding.
Convicting.
Stretching.
Growing.

Sometimes painful
Or difficult.
But always so we can
be drawn closer to Him.
More like Him.

I Samuel 16:7b
for God sees not as man sees,
for man looks at the outward appearance,
but the LORD looks at the heart.

Psalm 44:21b
For He knows the secrets of the heart.

Philippians 2:13
for it is God who is at work in you,
both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

Each week pamperingbeki hosts Fingerprint Friday and uses a song by Steven Curtis Chapman as a springboard. Join in. It's a great way to be reminded of God's presence.

My Surprise

First.
No.
I am not pregnant.
That's for all you
who may have read
a comment to my post yesterday
and began to wonder.
Just had to dispel any thoughts in that area.
Don't tell me you didn't think about it.
Thanks a lot, friend.
haha.
So that is not my surprise.

This is my surprise.
I won!
Just a little contest
sponsored by our chamber of commerce.
It involved no talent.
Just running around town collecting stamps,
I meant to say stickers
(that was for my daughter's benefit).

I got second.
7 little certificate things.
Over $150 worth.
Two of which I will likely never use.
But still.
I won!
A happy little surprise.

Now.
Do I spend them on me?
Or others for Christmas?

For the Love of Pumpkin

So, I have a new food love.

Until this fall, I really didn't need pumpkin in my life.
I'd usually eat a piece of pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving.
Mostly because it was expected.
But beyond that I never ventured.

This fall, pumpkin recipes have abounded.
And, for whatever reason, they sounded good.

You know, I've heard that your taste buds change
every seven years.
Well, most people's anyway.
My dad hasn't added anything new
to his palette in...never.
And, yes, that drives my mom crazy.

But enough about them.
Back to me.
This must be the year for my taste buds to like pumpkin.

Pumpkin spice coffee or lattes.
Pumpkin fudge (oh my!).
Pumpkin waffles with eggnog syrup.
Pumpkin cookies from here (delish!).
And I can't wait to try this.

Yesterday I made these beauties.
Pumpkin Ginger Scones

2 cups all-purpose flour
7 T. plus 1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. baking soda
5 T. cold butter, divided
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 c. canned pumpkin
1/4 c. sour cream

In a large bowl, combine the flour, 7 T. sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, ginger and baking soda. Cut in 4 T. butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Combine the egg, pumpkin and sour cream; stir into crumb mixture just until moistened.

Turn onto a floured surface; knead 10 times. Pat into an 8-in. circle. Cut into eight wedges. Separate wedges and place on a greased baking sheet. Melt remaining butter; brush on dough. Sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

As always, I have alterations to the recipe.
Or comments.
I can't leave things well enough alone.
I used margarine.
I love butter.
But it's just too expensive.
I only buy it occassionally.
Sorry if that is bad to some of you.
Or makes you not want to eat anything I make.
No, come to think on it.
I'm not sorry if it makes you not want to eat my stuff.
More for me!

I mentioned making these on facebook.
Several friends asked me to post the recipe.
So, there you have it.
I listen well, don't I?
Just don't ask my guy his opinion on that one.

Somebody

Tell me.
How a nice activity like vet clinic.
Can so rapidly deteriorate.

Into this.
Really.
There is no way those animals
could eat all that food.

Fingerprint Friday

I love how these flowers
stand out against the brown shriveled leaves.
It's even difficult to focus on the leaves.
The flower draws your attention. Do I stand out in a sinful world?
Is my love for Jesus obvious?
Am I bringing glory to my Father?

Matthew 5:16
In the same way,
let your light shine before men,
that they may see your good deeds,
and praise your Father in heaven.

Each week pamperingbeki hosts Fingerprint Friday and uses a song by Steven Curtis Chapman as a springboard. Join in. It's a great way to be reminded of God's presence.

No Time...

to blog today.
I've got laundry to fold instead.
The laundry that I did yesterday.
And that my guy had to dig through this morning.
To find his dress socks.
Not that that's anything unusual.
So I'm folding.
See.

But while I'm telling you

that I don't have time to blog,

might as well tell one story.

Since I've logged on and all.

Yesterday Brookie and Jakie had friends over after school.

Which is the case nearly everyday,

since we live a block from the school.

Anyway,

Jake and his friend, Eli, were playing football...

with mini football helmets.

No football.

No tackling.

They just put two mini helmets together

and decide who wins.

So Brookelynn's friend, Louisa asks,

"What are you doing?"

Boys: "Ummm, hello. Playing football."

To which she replies:

"I don't understand boys."

Eli's response?

"That's okay. I don't understand myself yet either."

It was my laugh of the day.

Off to put that laundry away.
And unload the dishwasher.
And sweep the floor.
And pick up the family room.
And go shopping with my mom and sister-in-law.
And go to 2 basketball practices.
And 1 basketball game.

I told you.
No time.

Gone

Guess what this came from.

When I was vacuuming the other day,

it was on the floor.

Since the vacuum didn't seem to want it,

I picked it up,

thinking it was a broken part of

an off/on switch from one of the kids' toys.

Only to discover it was a piece from my favorite mug.

My mug that has been photographed

and mentioned a few times.

My favorite mug.

That was knocked off my counter.

With coffee in it.

Hitting the tile floor.

Shattering and splattering.

On a Sunday morning.

Shortly before we were leaving for church.

By one of my four children.

So to get angry would have been wrong.

I guess it would be wrong anytime.

But right before church seems especially wrong.

And I have been talking to my kids'

about controlling their anger.

Referencing Larryboy and the Angry Eyebrows.

"We must let go of our anger."

And James' admonition to be quick to listen,

slow to speak

and slow to anger.

Sometimes it's hard to swallow your own speeches.

And now,

I'm searching for a new favorite mug.

Ezzie and Storytime

Several weeks ago.
Ezra: I have no friends at storytime.
Me: What do you mean?
E: Nobody wants to be my friend.
M: Sure they do. You play with all the kids.
E: I ask them to be my friend and they say no!

Which is the point of the conversation
that my heart melts.
He is such a sweet boy.
He asks kids to be his friend.
So sweet.

We signed up to bring cookies for the halloween party.
We made bat sugar cookies.
Obviously.
Because Ezzie was batman.
Me: Ezzie, your friends at storytime are going to love these.
Ezzie: I told you. I don't have any friends at storytime.
The night before storytime
Ezzie told Brookie:
Everyone will like Jobie's costume better than mine.
Melting heart, again.
So sweet, again.
He was so hesitant walking up to the library.
Usually he's running to the doors.
Yelling at me to hurry up.
But this day he hung on to my hand.
Once he saw all the other kids with their costumes,
he got brave again.
I guess he was worried the others wouldn't be dressed up.

Of course, everyone liked his costume.
Actually, more people commented on his than Jobie's.
Love that little boy.
And his costume.
And his sensitive little spirit.

Seriously

I wasn't joking here.
We have plenty of leaves.
The kids and I cleaned them all up on halloween.
Well, not off the yard.
But off the patio, porch, driveway.

Brookelynn did much complaining.
Just imagine a typical whiny voice here.
"Why are we doing this?"
"There's just going to be more."
"Can we quit now?"

I'll just let you imagine my responses.
They were all said in the kindest way possible, of course.

Jump forward one week.
We left for KC for the weekend.
And this is what greeted us when we got home.
Apparently, the two maples near our front porch
decided to shed all of their leaves at once.
This area was leaf free a week ago.
Thanks to my kids' hard (haha) work.

They are gorgeous.
And the front of the house looks so bare when I clean them up.
But you can't even see the steps.

I'm afraid someone,
probably me,
is going to fall on them.
And break something.
And sue me.
And then I won't have any money for Christmas presents
for my poor children.

So I was serious the other day.
When I asked if you needed leaves.
We still have them.
Come get some.
I'll let you gather them up on your own and everything.
Exercise is good.

Fingerprint Friday

So thankful for grandparents.
We are blessed to live near both sets.
They are always willing to help us out.
And they have set a super example for all of us.
Our kids love spending time with them.
And so do we.

Jobie and Grandpa E checking out the progress in our new church.
Jobie walked all around with Grandpa.
His hands behind his back the whole time.

I Thessalonians 3:9

How can we thank God enough for you

in return for all the joy we have
in the presence of our God because of you?

Each week pamperingbeki hosts Fingerprint Friday and uses a song by Steven Curtis Chapman as a springboard. Join in. It's a great way to be reminded of God's presence.

Nice Try

He thought pushing his plate away
and falling asleep at the table
would work.
He thought wrong.
This plate went in to the fridge
and made an appearance the next day.

He gobbled it up.
I guess leftovers are better reheated, reheated.

Painting

Remember a long time ago
when I posted about painting the kids' rooms?
Right here.
They've been primed since that time.
Just waiting.
We're good at that at our house.
Starting a project.
Then taking months to finish it.

Today, I finally had the entire day at home.
I broke out the little blue stereo.
Found some classic cd's.
(Restless Heart, Sammy Kershaw, Bon Jovi.
Living on a Prayer has my name in it.
Bon Jovi sings about me!
And Tommy.
Wrong man, but still...)
And started painting.
And singing.
At times using the roller as a microphone.

I put a coat of white in Jake's room
on three walls in the morning.
In the afternoon, I put a coat of orange
in Brookelynn's room on three walls.
Their rooms do have four walls.
But each of their fourth walls will be painted an accent color.
And Jake's room won't be just white.
He'll have some cool blue and red stripes
before it's all said and done.

Before I could paint in Brookie's room,
I had to tape a few places.
Let me say, I do not do well with heights.
I think it's safe to say, this is my phobia.
I love Colorado and the mountains.
But the last time we drove up Pike's Peak,
I nearly had a nervous break down.
I'm okay if I'm enclosed in glass.
I have no problem with
John Hancock building or Sears Tower in Chicago.
Love them actually.
But that shear drop-off.
With no side rail.
Or the side rail made of rotting limbs.
Oh my.
And I'm always on the passenger side.
With a clear view of said drop-off.

Back to painting/taping.
I had to tape at the ceiling.
A nine foot ceiling.
Using a rickety ladder.
With the third step half missing.
I'm not sure if the ladder was shaking because it's lopsided
or because I was shaking so much.
Then had to use it again to paint up there.
Awful.

Then, to complain more,
my knee started killing me while I was making supper.
I had surgery on it when I was 19.
A long time ago.

Moving on.
After supper, the kids and I
managed to put a second coat on Jakie's walls.
While Ryan got a second coat on Brookie's.

I was too tired to take pictures.
They will come when we are done.
But we're actually getting somewhere.
In spite of my problems.

I admit it.
I have problems.
Phobias, odd pains,
a tendency to ramble when I'm tired.
I feel old.
And worn out.
I think I'll shut up.
And go to bed.

Brothers

Just needed to remind myself
that I really do love these boys.

Even though

Ezra can push every single one of Jobe's buttons.

Without ever actually touching him.

And even though

Jobe can scream like a girl.

100 - 1000 times a day.

For no apparent reason.

Someone tell me they will be best friends.

If, I mean, when they grow up.

But I still love them to pieces.

Always will.

Dressin' Up

Halloween was a bit different this year.

Brookelynn got ready early.

She went downtown to help pass out candy

to the hoardes of kids who come for the "Safe Walk".

We went one year.

And never went again.

Absolute craziness.

1,500 kids.

Walking up and down three blocks of Main Street.

So that left us with the three boys

to get ready a couple of hours later.

We picked up Brookie

and stopped at Grandpa and Grandma's.

The plan was for Jakie to be Albert Einstein.

But most people just thought he was a mad scientist.

That works.

Then we returned to our neighborhood.

And let this motley crew head out on their own.

With LOTS of instructions, boundaries and a deadline.

Ryan and I headed out with the little two.

Even though Ezzie was convinced

he was old enough to go with the posse.
No, no, no.

I missed my older kids.

Stop growing up, I say.