Wednesday, November 24, 2021

Happy Thanksgiving

We wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!! 
A few pictures of our Thanksgiving Day!

Trying to get everyone smiling at the same time isn't easy, lol. 









For the last 31 years I have made Thanksgiving by myself. I had a system, a routine. Making everything on my own required having perfect timing so everything was warm when it was time to eat. When I was younger, I felt like I needed to prove to myself that I could do it. A few years after that and a routine had been established, a method and process that had everything smoothly flowing. But as years passed, it became harder, more of a chore. I missed the big family Thanksgivings when I was growing up, where everyone came and everyone brought a side dish. Part of me hated to have anyone else help out because then I felt like it was saying that I could not do it anymore or that I was letting others down. Finally, this year, and considering we are moving, we made changes to our Thanksgiving. Thirty-one years of doing something a certain way, and a person who hates change. I was worried. 
I should not have been. I was needing a change, even if I did not even know it.

The normal routine was to do the pies the night before, and then the oven would be free for the turkey first thing in the morning. However, we decided do wait until the day of Thanksgiving to make the pies. By doing this however, it meant *I* could not make the pies as I was working on all the other side dishes. So as part of our new Thanksgiving tradition, Mark and all the kids made the Thanksgiving pies! And what an amazing job they did!! Having help allowed me to relax and just enjoy being around my family and the kids felt so proud of the pies they made. After the turkey came out the pies went into the oven and cooked while we enjoyed our Thanksgiving feast. 
Afterwards, we all watched National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation - and Mark napped, sang and danced to Christmas music, read a story, ate pie, took down our fall decorations and started putting up some Christmas decorations. It was a wonderful day. Everyone agreed that they love the new traditions and are looking forward to next year when we can do it again! 

May you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!  
Making pies
Helping peel potatoes for homemade mashed potatoes






Watching National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

After turkey naps....


We did not get a picture before we started on our meal but we did get one before we cut into the pies. They did SO good and the pies were delicious!! They even had enough apple filling to make an apple turnover!

I made a few changes to how I do the turkey as well and everyone said it turned out better than it ever has! 
Mark fell asleep even with children climbing all over him
One of Gavyn's favorite Christmas things is the Santa that his Auntie Helen made. This poor Santa has been so loved, that his tunic has come off  he certainly has been well loved. 

And a few other pictures from the last few weeks


Daddy reading the Long Winter from the Little House on the Prairie series

Making peanut butter cookies to give to a friend of ours and their family











 

Saturday, October 23, 2021

Fall Days

Smells of fruit crisps baking in the oven fill the air with a sweet smell mixed with the smells of freshly washed hair surround me as I cuddle up on the sofa listening to Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring play and  watching one of the kids work on a puzzle this morning. It is just chilly enough to have the fireplace going and it makes for a lovely cozy morning. 
Two of the children are working on cleaning their room after the pillow fight they had left bits of pillow fluff all over the room. (it ended up taking about 3 washes plus two lint rollers to get the pillow fluff off all the clothing)
It is feeling like fall.

We have been busy with working on a bathroom remodel, appointments for the kids, and a surgery for one as well. 
We have taken a week long break from school due to everything going on. It has been a welcome break, to just slow down, with so much going on. 
Here are just a few pictures from our days...









Getting ready to have the next surgery on her palate. 

So this is HUGE!!! She has not laid down in the dentist chair in over five years!! She was finally brave enough to try again!! We discovered it was when they moved it while she was on it that is what made her not feel safe in the chair, so they moved it where they wanted it before she sat down and then she was able to lay down!! 

We got out the Wii Fit and had a great time!

















Two days after surgery. The leg she has up is the side that she had surgery on to take bone marrow from her hip to pack into her palate/gums to fix her cleft. She is doing amazing!


                  
            
 


Still pretty swollen from surgery but doing great otherwise!