Thanksgiving

Timing of our Thanksgiving was a little weird this year....

My husband had to pick what holiday he wanted off for the year. He chose Thanksgiving. Our extended family then chose to celebrate on Friday this year....so he used up the paid time off he had saved and we didnt get together. I am NOT a cook and did not want to make a huge meal :) I also didnt want to invade someone else's family meal. We were very blessed and thought of by a new friend. Her church delivered a HUGE box of food to our doorstep.

Wednesday nights we usually meet with a few families to do a Bible Study. We met and did Thanksgiving things. Our children made handprint turkeys:<







And made pictures wrting out what they are thankful for:

Ate little mini pumpkin tarts made with goats' milk.

And roasted chestnuts over an open fire. Seriosuly. They were really good.

We ate little pumpkin pie tarts, made with goats' milk)

On Thursday we ate banana pancakes and turkey bacon and snacks. (We NEVER snack, so this was great fun :) Watched football, played board games, hung out together. There was also some Gameboy playing and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory watching. And we looked up verses on Thanksgiving and talked about what that should mean ALL year.

I didnt plan black Friday this year. (I didnt have any money to and my husband was working) Our kids wanted to get up at 4 am with me and go (I appreciate that) but not this year :)

I DID decide to venture out and get a dresser. I have three sons who need dressers :( I saw one on Craigslist, near here and $20.00. I called and made arrangements to get it. Went over there today to pick it up and he said not to pay him. HUH? He had said God Bless and then said that we didnt need to pay him. I didnt "really" have the money to pay him. I did and i didn't, ya know. But it really amazed me that God blesses us and will use who he wants. I don't need to go around with this huge sob story explaining how hard everything is and competing over who is poorer. God knows what we need, and don't, and He IS in control.

My friend Kathleen was soo sad taht she didnt get to cook for us on Thanksgiving. What? Seriously. SOOO she came over today and made a turkey and some stuff. I didnt really want to be "stuck" here all day making a turkey and not be able to see my husband's family. It all worked out though.



Im being very transparent showing you my kitchen. Not really magazine quality. Keep in mind that this is a rental and that we desperately want to move. Unfinished wood, no knobs, doors falling off, drawers shattered. no quality whatsoever. The other side had no cabinets at all and friends of our surprised us last Christmas with a wall of cabinets for the other side.





I wasn't really "into" Thanksgiving this year. it felt more like a stepping stone to Christmas :( Normally I am gungho about the Auntumn season and make it a lot of fun. Im not sure why not this year. The day itself was blah....I am finding more and more that my nuclear family is it and not worrying about it. We are having fun together and our children are dreaming about having cousins for THEIR children, and about the futures of their younger siblings. That warms my heart.

Christmas Music! free Download

For the next 48 hours, Oprah is providing free downloads of 8 classic Christmas songs....
http://www.oprah.com/article/oprahshow/20081118_tows_holiday/2

Tagged-Crazy 8's

Crazy Eights Tag

Sara over at Enchantinglysimple.blogspot.com tagged me. She is such a sweetheart that I am going to cooperate :)

8 Favorite T.V Shows
(no particular order)
(This is tough-and Im admitting to watching TV :)
1. Gilmore Girls
2. Alias
3. House
4. ER
5. The Martha Stewart Show
6. Lipstick Jungle
7. Extreme Makeover Home Edition
8. Real Simple

8 Things I Did Yesterday

1. 3 loads of laundry
2. Went to a Thanksgiving Potluck/Art Festival
3. Forgot to wear shoes to above function.
4. Had someone else rescue my two year old from parking lot during said function.
5. Cleaned out my office.
6. Reclaimed "funrniture" from office to store baby's clothes.
7. Did a Bible study on kindness with my daughter.
8. Paid bills and "balanced" family checkbook.

8 Things I look Forward To

1. Watching my children grow and mature.
2. The Christmas Season
3. Teresa's wedding
4. Grandchildren (lots and lots)
5. Daughter in laws
6. My childrens' dreams being fulfilled.
7. All my children being able to read.
8. Getting some new clothes, I really want a new purse.

8 Favorite Restaurants

1. The Jetty
2. an East coast mom and pop Roast Beef place
3. Maryann's Italian Restaurant
4. Sugar Magnolia
5. Carls Jr.
5. The Hen and Hog
6. I REALLY <3 Taco Bell.
7. I really like Taco Bell.
8. Have I mentioned that I like Taco Bell :)

8 things on my wish list

1. That my hardworking husband be paid what he's worth and be able to support us.
2. Good health for baby Hollyse.
3. A new purse.
4. Money to buy my kids a soda for no reason and not worry about having money for the next day's dinner.
5. Money for Christmas.
6. For honest people and honest friendships.
7. A forward facing car seat for Gabriel
8. Dressers for Zac and Gabriel, a decent couch.

Can I tag eight people? I am going to. I tag: Chris, Corinne, Jill, Allison, Abby, Kerri, Amanda and the last place I want to leave open for lurkers who come by but don't feel they have anything to comment....YOu know who you are and I don't. Please tell me :)

Real Life Monday

VAFB presented my sons Boy scout troop with commemorative coins for a work day.

Gabriel is now 4 1/2 months old, rolling, and very proud of himself.


Why is it that newborn bibs ALWAYS seem to end up as superhero capes?

Meal Planning Movday 11/17

Monday:
Pot Luck/Art Fair with homeschooling group
We are bringing Split Pea Soup (with bacon, little smokies, carrots, potatos, onions...)



Tuesday: Hamburgers, salad and corn


Wednesday:
Pizza and salad


Thursday:
Thanksgiving Pot Luck with Cub Scouts

Friday:
Chili/ Corn Bread
(my son with allergies will be at a Boy Scout camp out)


I am posting my meal plans in hope they can encourage someone....They definatley aren't fancy or complicated or worth "writing home about" :)

There is a whole group of great ladies sharing their weekly menu plans over at

Wordle?

Feeling a little overwelmed today. Feeling like a lot of children are in my care. What a huge privledge--not feeling very up to it.

We went to a co-op at a friends hous today and then Girls' Club. My two year old dumped our friend's fish food. My twelve year old yelled at me. I sent my husband away to watch basketball. My two year old just went to sleep :) My eight year old daughter made us cookies and tea (wow huh?) I should go enjoy that (AND HER)

I made something today. I haven't done anything personal for Gabriel. I was thinking about framing this:
title="Wordle: gabriel2"> src="http://www.wordle.net/thumb/wrdl/315606/gabriel2"
style="padding:4px;border:1px solid #ddd">
I dont know how to change it much. I think this may be the best I can do :)

WHAT DO YA THINK?

Real Life Monday

I laid in bed this morning with a long to do list weighing on my mind............

We need to research and prepare to write a report (I won't DO any of this but it takes so much of my time when anyone does ANYTHING around here :)

Madelyn needs to catch up on her Bible Study on Kindness (she is keeping a 30 day journal and answering questions about passages she's reading BUT she cant write soo....)

I still have toys to unpack from the fumigation...

Dinners to plan.....

My two year old isnt feeling well and wants to be held....

We need to do our "normal" school.....

My husband is hemm today and needed me "where is the owners manual for this?" "why cant we keep this clean?" "Kathy!" "Kathy!"

Our van needed to be taken in...."could you call and ask....how much money do we have in the bank?"

"Can I work on this merit badge"

3 loads of laundry.....

Gabriel turned 4 months old!

The excersaucer needs to be cleaned.....

The baby toys need to be brought in.....

My eight year old daughter needed to talk about what to do when your feelings are hurt and you feel left out......

We argued about how much peanut butter and how much honey should be on a sandwhich..........

We tried to figure out the legistics of dropping off and picking up a vehichle with sleeping babies and only one vehichle that we fit into.........

We tried to figure out what we are doing for Thanksgiving...there is a chance that my husband could work...he'd get three times his normal pay....but then someone else is already doing it...his family doesnt really want to get together....

I talked with a friend about why she is doing the bulk of the work in our homeschool co-op..I brought it up and I see it happening but I want to figure out why....

We cleaned and vaccummed...........

We taled about what merit badges to work on next and what was feesible for my son with learning disabilities to do in a group setting.......

I talked with a friend, who happens to be black about our president elect. We disagree with everything he stands for, everything, but we also want to be respectful of our government and revel at a man of color being elected by the people.........

I did hardly anything on my to do list, but ....I did get a lot done and it was definately REAL LIFE.

Enter!

Head on over to

http://www.momdot.com/

and enter!



Our carepts have become this huge headache looming over us! We live in a rental with cheap cheap lIGHT carpet. We used to clean them obsessively. We got behind. I scrub them, by hand, and they turn black again. I keep looking for the right time, and money, to rent a carpet cleaner. How cool would it be to win one? That dries in 30 minutes? Yes, that would be good.

Church Hookie

Yesterday I came down with this...head stuffiness, earache...I don't know if it is a head cold? Sinus infection? Allergies acting up from the rainy weather? I went "to bed" at about 4 last night and then missed church this morning.

I am sooo sad to miss church. I went to wax on about missing church or convince you that I really am NOT well...but why?

My husband and I met at Bible Study. We were actually in 3 weekly Bible studies together. We were both the people, the hand full of friends, that would show up on moving day. Josh went on numerous missions trips and gave away ALL his money. (Before we became engaged, I actually looked into his checkbook to see how he spent his money. He amazed me. Literally, ALL of his money went to missions.) He bought my engagement ring and then flew to Honduras on a missions trip. I was very invovled in Pro life work. During college, I saved up money working during the year and then during the summer, took summer school classes and did sidewalk counseling 5 days a week. After getting my degree I took a job Directing a non-profit for under $800 a month. My rent was was over $500. People that have known us for a long time know this about us.

BUT since being married and starting a family, we have done nothing. I can't remember us helping anyone move, doing any service projects. We have struggled with feeding ourselves. I think we have taken ONE meal to a family that had a baby. We have been married for 13 years and have taken ONE family a meal? I hope that isn't right, may it may be. We have been at home. I have spent my enrgy: mental physical and emotional-HERE at home. My laughter has been here, my crying has been here. Much of the time, I have felt very alone. My husband, who has always had a large circle of freinds, has really had none. I don't regret our decisions but I have felt like we have become big losers. Like, we did have a good perspective and DID serve God but now we are just big losers.

We recently joined a home group. Something was casually said recently that has gotten me thinking. We aren't soley who we are right now--there are seasons to life. This is our "at home" training season. We are still those people who have hearts to reach out to and serve others, right now, those others are the ones God has placed in our homes and put under our direction. I wonder what our next season will be like: will we go on missions trips together? Volunteer at Crisis Pregnancy Centers as a family? (Our oldest, now 12, has walked in every walk for life raising money for the center and did child care during parenting classes hm...) When will this new season begin? We now have a newborn and a two year old.....

I am tired. I am home from church. Why are so many things weighing on my mind and keeping me up?