THANKSGIVING PHOTOS FROM THE DAY

There are not "dinner" photos to share on the blog because Jamin was wearing last year's football jersey and it has our last name on it. ::snort::

HERE I am deboning and preparing to make a big pot of Turkey Stock....(8 cups in the freezer). Zander ran in and said, "Hey MOM - you made a CLAW". He is really loving "Peter Pan".

Later in the day we had a couple of families over. The older boys played 3 games of Risk...you'd look bleary eyed too....

The younger children played Monopoly.
The boys tired of Risk and moved to Slap....and then other card games.
Marty and Mandy brought a big box of Fisher Price blocks. Wow. I've never seen anything like these. She'd read on the blog that Stacia has discovered blocks. THESE have different textures, animals etc...and there is a train and a truck that make noise, and move...very cool. I'll have to get some pictures in the next few days. We had a good time visiting.

Marty fixed my towel rack, and the flickering fluorescent light in our bathroom. I hadn't realized that things were breaking and I wasn't keeping up with fixing. LOL Debbie laughed with me about how we spouses tend to fix all those things the week before husbands are due home. LOL It's NICE to have the bulb working. I'd planned to figure it out tomorrow - because Charly had told me that those flickering bulbs are a big deal to those with Sensory Integration "issues". It's been out for 3 weeks...that may be one factor in what we've been experiencing around here. We shall see. I'm sure it isn't the only factor.

Debbie and the boys (from summer swim days....) came over too. The boys all had a great time together. It was so fun to listen to the young men cutting up, laughing and having a blast. Debbie and I discovered we enjoy the same mystery authors and she suggested a new one that is funny for me to try. She discovered the author while her dh was deployed. {G}

Stacia gives Mikey a "bear hug" - she loves his fro

Yes, I have much to be thankful for. Yes, it was a great day. Really good day. I'm NOT depressed. I'm choosing joy. I DO miss Mike and the girls, and that is to be expected, I think. When you've got a wonderful father and husband - you are sure to miss him. I must say that most of all I'm very happy to have the first Holiday apart gone.....now to do Christmas, Birthdays and Anniversaries and then he'll be home!

Meal is over.....it's fun to pull something like that together. I laughed as we had prayed, dished up and Jamin's alarm went off. He LIVES by the alarm...I asked what would have happened if I didn't have a plate in front of him by noon. LOL

Stock is going.....making a cake and resting for a bit before friends show up for games and dessert.

Turkey's stuffed and baking, extra pan of stuffing is good to go, potatoes are sliced and ready to boil, green salad and fruit salad are made. Rolls and Gooey Cake to go. More pies than we'll ever eat. Cookies made. Conspicuously absent....colored jello and pudding (non- FG). LOL

Since it's "only family" by children decree this year, they chose the menu....also missing are Sweet Potatoes of any sort, cranberries, geen bean salad, veggie plates, appetizers, CELERY STICKS, or garlic potatoes (Krista LOVES those). ::snort:: It was funny to see just how simple a Thanksgiving meal can be.

Oh yes....still need to pull out the fancy dishes and such....fancy as in "matched". LOL

WEDNESDAY

1. We assembled our lap books.

2. I baked apple pies while the children worked on this.

3. I went out to lunch with Debbie...I love this monthly treat. She is so good to remember when it is "time". She'll say "it's about time"...and she is always SO right!

4. When I got back from lunch, Arielle and I baked Chocolate Pecan Pies and Chocolate Chip Cookies.

5. Adrienne dropped by to drop of Coconut oil and talk produce.

6. We rushed to the chapel for an ecumenical Thanksgiving service/pie social.

7. I left my purse at home...Jamin ran around the block, retrieved it, and was in the front yard by the time I drove around the block.

8. Zander thought it was a fate worse than death to have to go to chapel....he INSISTED that "God is not THERE"...but did well through service.

9. Stacia did not do well; we ended up in the cry room anyway. LOL

10. Pie Social was amazing....way TOO MUCH PIE! I have no idea how we'll get rid of all our pies.

11. Operation Warmheart gave us a box because Mike is gone. I appreciated the thought.....the kids are wondering, however, why they would think our income went down when Mike deployed. I think it was the THOUGHT and explained that to them. It is nice to see base support in a tangible way.

12. Came home and picked up some things while Jamin made ice cream.

13. Going to bed....

HAPPY THANKSGIVING HON, WE WISH YOU WERE HERE. YOU REMAIN ONE OF THE BIGGEST BLESSINGS IN MY LIFE. WE'RE MISSING YOU AND GIRLS WE'RE MISSING YOU TOO!

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OK - Cindy - anyone else...that cursor thing is getting BIGGER in the title. I have it added as a page element in the side bar...it's there. I put it at the end of the html code and it still stays there.....any suggestions????

WooHOO - our first real big lap book completed - all the pages won't upload...but here's enough to figure out what we've been working on. LOL

Here is the cover - I thought this sounded fun and Nolan was game. I noticed Arielle was distracted and then nearly in tears. Turns out she is NOT an abstract gal and hated our cover....so she did a "real" picture for the back. I thought you could tell it was the Mayflower?

As you can tell, I curbed my perfectionist impulses so this would be THEIR project...



Arielle's back cover

Thoughts: I think we enjoyed this. It took a LOT more time than simply reading and narrating back. ::snort:: We didn't do a couple of the books, because I either felt they looked way to much like busy work...or they were above the writing ability of the children. We did add in a little maze that Arielle found and liked, and two pictures of our traditions, as well as the directions to Nine Men's Morris...

BAKING -

5 Pies done....I ended up using Cynthia's famous pie crust recipe. {bg} I was amazed at how fast these went together.....I made 3 deep dish apple and 2 chocolate pecan....I adjusted the directions for that one. I simply put the honey, chocolate and butter in the microwave together...looks good - hope it tastes good. LOL

I also got two batches of chocolate Chip cookies done. Debbie told me she will bring brownies - so I don't need to make those. The Caramel corn is done.

I still have a Gooey Cake to do tonight.....and I'd like to try some new pumpkin recipes...but hey...probably not tonight. I guess I'll do some light cleaning ::snort:: and think about making a special day for the children. LOL