Thanksgiving

This year was different.  We've always sort of "gone home" for Thanksgiving.  At least for most years, we went down to Mississippi to be with Peter's family.  When we weren't able to, we've spent the holiday with friends.  As everyone is getting older, it made me realize this year that it was time to create some of our own family traditions for our own children as we move towards a time when they will begin to "come home" to our house.  I know that that is still a ways off, but it is just enough time to make some traditions of our own for them to look forward to and to carry on in their families until they reach a point where they will move on as well.
Our family didn't have the opportunity to travel this past year due to the pregnancy and birth of Bronwyn.  As Thanksgiving drew near we decided to do our best at enjoying a family time from home and work on making some memories/traditions as a sort of vacation.  We started with a family movie night on the evening before Thanksgiving.  We put together a bunch of appetizers and snack food to eat in the basement for dinner while we watched.

I can't remember the last time that we all sat and watched the same movie all together, me included.  It was fun.  We watched Hugo.

Amelia did the cheese and pepperoni on crackers for a snack on Thanksgiving day all on her own.  :)

While I was enjoying a nice, long, catch-up-on-our-lives conversation with my sister, JoAnn, Cecily was helping me cut out the rolls.

I think she's going to be a baker.  She's natural.

The weather was ideal.  It was crisp, but sunny.  Peter and the boys enjoyed a nice, long segment of football.

Peter is discussing the play he's going to run with Samuel.

Here you can see Sam running it.  I love the sun slanting through the trees.

Bronwyn refused to cooperate to get a Thanksgiving day picture.

I, for once, was happy to pose.  I was thoroughly enjoying my day.

Having fun, Peter took this self-portrait of us.   

I haven't made my own turkey in too long.  I didn't get it very browned!  But it felt so good to cook that bird and all the traditional sides to go with it.

Amelia and the others were enjoying a group of Thanksgiving books throughout the day. 

Almost ready.

The kids all worked on decorations for the dining room.  Sam made this sign.

The turkey was Ben and the cornucopia was Calvin.

Millie colored the lower "Thanksgiving" picture and Cecily did the Indian girl.

Sam laid out gourds, squash, pomegranates and leaves to decorate the hutch.

"To the King of Kings and Lord of Lords...."

Will's contribution was the place names.

Happy mom.  We had a leisurely time at the table and reviewed the different things that happened over the past year.  Then we went around and said which of those things was our favorite and we were most thankful for.  We talked about the coming year and what it might hold.  We discussed coming together again next Thanksgiving to see what had actually unfolded.  A sweet time. 

Time to get ready for bed before pie.  Enjoying a quiet moment with the baby.

Pumpkin pie and whipped cream and then bedtime.  A very good day. 

(I will add that Peter likes to say that every day around here is like an epic, filled with every kind of drama.  This day was no exception.  When you see a post like this, you miss the part about Peter having an allergic attack and sneezing and blowing his nose constantly most of the day and Elijah getting sick to his stomach right before we served dinner and having to go to bed and missing the whole thing, among other things as well.  Real life is a work of art with the bad creating contrast so that we can tell what the good is.  :))

Two Pictures for Today

 If your arm has chubby rolls like this, then you easily get double kisses in our house.

Three ladies all ready to go to Ladie's Night for church. 

Ben Makes Dinner

 Recently Ben was looking through a children's cookbook and picked out something he wanted to make.  He proclaimed to me that he wanted to make dinner.  Alright.  Ben is 9.  This idea, of course, is going to take a lot of oversight and work for me.  But I didn't want to squash his enthusiasm.  My mother-in-law also encouraged me not long ago with the idea of letting the children plan, shop for and cook a meal.  So I told Ben that what he had chosen was good, but it wasn't enough.  He needed to pick something else to go with it and it had to be approved by me.  Then he picked something else that was very suitable as well, since he was determined that he would do it all himself, and we set a night to do it.  He did great.  He really did do everything himself with just some consulting by me.  He made something called Crispy Chicken Bites.  You can see him dipping chicken breast pieces in flour, then egg, then panko bread crumbs and laying them on the baking sheet, above. 

 Here he is mincing the garlic for the the sauce of his other choice, Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce.

 All done!

He even mixed up the dipping sauce for the chicken bites.  His dinner was truly delicious and he was so pleased.  Way to go, Ben!

Baby Smiles!

 I really couldn't say in words what delight this picture brings me.  There's something SO special about capturing one of those first precious smiles to look at again and again.  Bronwyn seems to be congested.  She woke up coughing and snorting this morning.  Despite not feeling too great, she was giving me the happiest looks.  Not all of these pictures are good quality, but I was enjoying all of the different looks she was giving me.

Baby!

 The pictures go from oldest to newest. 

This is the beautiful blanket that my Grandma hand-embroidered for Bronwyn!  I love this blanket, Grandma Bethel!  There's nothing better than getting a package in the mail with this kind of love inside. 

I love how she got nestled down on Cecily's legs and just hung out there for a while.  She was very happy.

All in green.

Amelia picked out Bronwyn's outfit and helped to get her dressed.  She is happy to hold her at any opportunity.

One month old.

Big brother finally got a chance to hold the little sister for a few minutes.  He was so proud of himself.

This is the most recent picture that I have of her.  She's looking at me like I've betrayed her trust.  She was none too happy at being placed in the water.  She tolerated it pretty nicely, only crying at the end when I washed her hair. 

She is smiling now and cooing just a little.  She will be 2 months old next week.  She's very strong and very content.  Doing just great. 

Amelia in the Fall

 Showing me her tree-climbing skills.

 Love her.

 One of many "Millie" looks.

 I was just taking advantage of the lovely foliage to take some pictures.  I have a feeling I'll really appreciate these photos some day.

Cecily is 4

 Two months ago, Cecily turned 4.  Yes, I'm finally posting some pictures of her special day.  Her birthday is October 2 and since Bronwyn was born October 12, I got behind in putting them up. 

 Cecily's birthday dinner.  (We had pork chops).  Notice her expression.  She can be sincerely sweet...

 ...sincerely sassy...

 ...and sincerely goofy.  All three expressions are very much a part of her personality.  She's a dramatic and spicy little girl.  Lots of laughs and surprises with her.

Two siblings are ready to give their gifts.  Don't they look a lot alike in this picture?

 Gifts.  :)

 Yay for cards.  At the last moment, Elijah decided to point to the dog on the card and say, "Dah!"

 Little girls delights: umbrella and a child-sized broom (below)

 Purple horse.

 Her horse from last year wore out.  She's a horse lover and loves to gallop.

 Easy cupcakes were the choice of very-pregnant mom.  Amelia helped me make them.

Trying to get used to holding up 4 fingers.  What a special girl.  She means so much to us.  It was wonderful to celebrate her life and her place in our lives even at such a distracted time.

Picture Trouble

Well...I haven't updated the blog because...I can't.  At least not with photos.  Meanwhile, I have photos stacking up and I feel like I'm getting behind!  And you haven't seen Bronwyn in weeks!  My husband is on the job and we're working to figure out what might get me up and running again.  In the meantime...my apologies.  The Lord's blessings be upon you this Lord's day!