family

Thanksgiving can be such fun, can't it? My hubby's side of the family all met up at my brother-in-laws this year. The kids had such a great time, and my niece and nephew enjoyed being around a baby nearly as much as their grandma did!

It suddenly occurs to me that people who do not flip flop their holiday destinations (and people who don't have Thanksgiving to begin with) are probably wondering about the presents: those are actually Christmas presents. And yes, we have had to have a talk about the challenge of being content with what wonderful things we have, rather than making lists of things we think we need...

icky...

I am feeling rather icky; will post tomorrow...

thanksgiving confession

These are my new favorite cookies. I had some at a birthday party, and begged for the recipe, which turned out to be a family thing, so I'm stuffing my little recipe card somewhere safe (as it's not mine to share).

So? The confession you're wondering about? Well...

They are Pumpkin Cookies. Fluffy, puffy (when you cook them long enough), chocolate chip-stuffed cookies.

And when my six year old, pickier-than-the-cat-we-once-named-Picky-Picky-son scrutinized his cookie doubtfully and asked, "Are these pumpkin cookies?" well, I lied straight to his face.

"Oh, no... Those are Puffy-Chocolate-Chip Cookies."

"Oh!" he declared, and then gobbled his up. I had to keep an eye on him after that, as he was roaming around the other cookies we're taking to Thanksgiving, and occasionally asking if he could have another.

I know that lying is wrong. But I just could not help myself.

I suppose forgiveness is something I'll have to be Thankful about this year...

dinner

We're enjoying these few extra evenings of surprising warmth around here!  I threw some things into a bag while papa bear was outside stoking the fire, and then headed outside.  It might not have been the most nutritous meal, but it was definately fun!  Grown-up food went on the grill, and grilled-cheese sandwiches went right into the fire for the boys (we have one of those gadgets you line with bread and then fill with whatever you like).  After the "real" food, we made easy fire pies with our sandwich press (at which point one of basement boys came out and ran the littles around - and yes, of course we rewarded him with a pie).

Easy Fire Pies:

Line sandwich cooker with buttered-slices of bread.  Dump pie-filling of your choice inside.  Close cooker and shove into fire.  Turn frequently.  Mmmm...

paper building blocks

Okay, so we needed to do something especially fun for Micah, so picked a pre-school project that we hadn't done in a long, long time (which ended up being him watch in fascination as Levi and I constructed nearly a dozen of these for him). 

For each block you will need: 2 bags & markers to decorate & a bunch of newspaper.

Wad up the newspaper and stuff one bag.  Decorate the other, any way you like, and then slide it over the stuffed bag.  Voila! 

Our favorite bags are the Sir Punzel tower, the one made to look like our house, and the reversable bag, which has the building fine on one side and on fire on the other, so the firefighters can actually put the fire out!

When we're done with them, we're going to throw them in our fire pit, for a quick burst of warmth!

Sir Punzel

    We recently made a stack of building blocks (more on that tomorrow), some of which were decorated with castle replications, including Rapunzel in her tower.  Micah wanted to know why she had a "ladder" hanging off the back of her head, so I told them the old Grimm tale.  So he's been playing and repeating, in a sing-song-y voice:

"Sir Punzel, Sir Punzel, LET down your HAIR, that I may climb, up the stair..."  

(short pause)

"...Mama, Eve doesn't have much hair.  Can you let down yours?"

He's such a riot.  He's got the words mixed up, but his delivery is excellent.  And the afore-mentioned sister does not have enough hair for climbing.

Thank goodness, if she did, I don't think she'd be smiling right now.

this moment

A special moment, with little (if any) explanation...

joy is...

...waking up to find a sunny day (after a couple of gray ones).

...watching her learn to snatch things.

...projects that seem to be flying off my needles.

...picking Christmas projects (and finding ones that will use up scrap yarn!).

...little boys who must be in the picture.

...my favorite mug (although I need a new one, so Eve isn't left out.  a good excuse to make another, right?).




...my current pile of reading material (I'm reading Anne of Green Gables on the Kindle).

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights who does not change like shifting shadows."  ~James 1:17

What has He sent you today?

historical jamestown

I think it's worth clicking on this picture, to see it full-sized, and read what advice the government gave to the original settlers...

aunt & uncles

We traveled around Virginia, visiting family and bring my Grannie's ashes back to her home. It was one of those bittersweet trips, but I'm so glad I was there. We also went to see my cousins, but in all the traveling I somehow ended up without my camera there, which blows my mind. I guess I was just thinking about my Grannie, and driving directions, and on and on and on...