Thanksgiving 2013

Thanksgiving was very interesting this year. It was fun knowing that our son was preparing his very first Thanksgiving Turkey in Arizona. He kept us up to date on all the details. I have to admit I was pretty proud of the job he did. Of course we had some fun sharing Thanksgiving from afar. Selena and our son had to celebrate by eating a Turkey Stick, as Selena called it.

We had our traditional Turkey with dressing, potatoes, gravy, rolls, cranberry sauce, and a special fruit salad just for Selena. I personally love fruit salad, but Selena does not like all the fruit, so this year I came up with the idea to make it with just apples and bananas with whip cream. Did Selena enjoy it? You bet she did!

While it was just the three of us here at home, sharing from afar with our son and his family made it very special. Knowing that they are starting a whole new life for themselves, has made our lives very blessed. While it is hard to have them so far, there is just something to say about watching as your child stretches his wings, maturing, growing, and making it all on his own, not only for himself but for his family.

We hope that all of you had a very nice Thanksgiving!

Our Thanksgiving

We took the week off from school. We already had to miss Monday when we took Selena to the ENT Specialist. Basically we are in a wait and see what happens, more antibiotics and hoping that this strep and tonsils will clear up and not be problematic. We had an early appointment which was good, it was raining hard when we left home and by the time we were returning home the winds were picking up. We got in the house just as the winds really got super bad. Thankfully we did not loose power, but many here in the area did.

Tuesday we were going to bake bread, but instead we again rode out another storm system that blew through. It felt good though just to be lazy watching a Disney movie with Selena and just enjoy each other.

On Wednesday we finally got in a did our baking. Selena was so excited about helping me with the baking that she was all over the kitchen. My first attempt at bread ended up being tossed out since her distractions proved to be too much and my dough did not turn out. I finally made her a deal, we put in the Disney movie again, and I promised she could help me bake the pies if she just let me get the bread done.

When it was time to do the pies, Selena decided to calm her excitement down and did most all the mixing for me. She was proud to see her pies go in the oven then come back out finished.

Once our mess was cleaned up I have to admit all I could manage was mac & cheese for dinner. Not my idea of a great dinner but I was tired from all the baking.

We had a very good time on Thanksgiving. The food was perfect. On our menu of course was the Turkey. One would think Selena had never seen a turkey before, she even named it Eats. We also had dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, fresh broccoli, and a layered green salad. Selena thought it was funny that we had baby corn in the salad. I showed her that we actually eat the entire little cob, but she insisted that the thought of that just did not seem that appealing to her, so she nibbled on hers like she was eating corn on the cob. Dinner was very good, with pie for desert. I think Selena’s favorite part was the pie. We finished the evening off with a good chat by telephone from our daughter and son. A few more Disney movies, and Papa even fit in a basketball game.

We had leftovers the following day, and of course Selena had to have her baby corn on the side of her turkey sandwich at lunch. I couldn’t resist in using Papa’s idea of putting the cob holders on it and getting a cute picture of her nibbling away on it.

We plan on just being rather lazy this weekend and enjoying our time with Papa.

Being Thankful

It is always this time of year when everyone starts sharing the things they are thankful for. I know on Facebook friends have been sharing their blessings everyday. I have so much to be thankful for and hope I never take a day for granted that I haven’t found my blessing and the little things I am thankful for. There truly is no way that I can list every single thing that I am thankful for, so here is the most important things:

1. God, He first loved me! He sent His Son to die for my sin.
2. Papa. My best friend, companion, husband, the love of my life.
3. My children. Even though we are apart by miles they are always near in my heart. They give me much joy and we have shared many laughs as well as tears. My love for them has never faltered from the love I had the day they were born.
4. My parents. They taught me many things but mostly they taught me no matter what to always look for the good in every situation and to just be me.
5. My siblings. While at times we are not that close, the bonds that bind our hearts together, the memories that we share could never be replaced or stolen away.
6. My grandchildren. Selena who has been at my side through all the rough times and through all the good. Junior who has shown us just how strong a child can truly be. Both bring me tears of joy, love, and laughter.
7. My home. The place where I can rest my weary body, dance and sing, love and laugh.
8. Friends, They are always there to listen, support, laugh, pray, rejoice and love.
9. My bloggy friends and facebook friends, who share laughs, enjoy a little chat, encourage, pray, and truly make my life feel more complete.  

My list could go on and on with all the things I am thankful for, these are just a few, but it is my hope that no one takes life for granted, that everyday they take the time to look for the good in all situations, even when the good is very difficult to find. Try to be thankful for something every single day.

With Thanksgiving and all the preparations that will be taking place to get ready I will be taking a short blogging break. With that said it is my prayer and hope that each and everyone of you

Have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving

This week has been something else here weather wise. We woke up one morning to find this.

Then we went to rain and winds. One night the winds were gusting to 50 mph. We are now under flood warning and flood watch and as I type this the winds are gusting yet again at at least 30 mph.

I will take the rest of the week off with Thanksgiving here and will return again soon blogging about all our great adventures.

My prayer is that everyone has a safe Happy Thanksgiving! I also pray that those who are traveling have very SAFE travels both to their destinations and again back home. My prayers also extend to those who are less fortunate, those who may not have enough money for Thanksgiving dinners, or even housing in all this wet, cold, windy weather, or whatever weather you may be experiencing in your area, that they find warm safe shelter. 

I am very thankful for all the wonderful people who take the time to donate to the food banks, to the volunteers and churches who take the time to prepare Thanksgiving dinners, and meals year around for those in need. I also am Thankful to all the volunteers who run and operate all the different shelters for these families who so dearly need shelter this time of year. Sometimes it is easy to be judgmental and think that these people have created their own situation, chose to be homeless, when the reality may just be that with the economy, lack of jobs, broken homes, and many other unseen factors have placed them in these conditions. If you haven’t thought about it donate to your local food bank, a little can go along ways in helping those in need.

Our Thanksgiving Part 2

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving meal. Selena just kept telling us that this was the perfect feast. Selena wasn’t in much of a mood to help me with the preparations like I had hoped, instead she was just so excited for the day that she ran from one end of the house to the other end of the house laughing with joy.

I’m Thankful For

1. My faith that has guided me through some rough times but continues to be my rock.
2. My health, to think that two years ago I was just preparing to start the fight for my life.
3. Michael, for all the love and support any wife could ask for.
4. My daughter, Selena’s mother, the sparkle in her eyes, and the kindness in her voice.
5. My Son, a very strong young man, a hard worker, very independent, but still a mommy’s boy.
6. Selena, my lovely granddaughter, the joy of my life, her passion, laughter, and enthusiasm for life.
7. My brothers, all quite different, but with the same unconditional love passed down from our parents.
8. Our home.
9. Friends.
10. All my family those who have gone home before us, and those still with us.

There are many things that I am thankful for this is just the short list. I hope that everyone had as great of a Thanksgiving as we had. I hope for safe travels for those who traveled away from home for Thanksgiving.

I will probably be off here for the next couple of days to just spend some much needed time with Michael and Selena. I will be back refreshed and renewed as we begin to go into the rest of the holiday season.

Our Thanksgiving Part 1

Our tradition for Thanksgiving for the past few years has been to go to my Uncle’s. This year however with everyone here fighting a cold we stayed home. That is not to say we did not celebrate our normal traditions though.

Wednesday Selena was happy to help me bake pumpkin pies. I let her help roll the pie crust out, as well as measure and mix the pumpkin mix.

She found out just how easy it is when she doesn’t follow directions for the pie crust to stick to the rolling pin. I love my marble rolling pin, especially when working with Selena because we don’t have to worry about all the elbow grease that can go into rolling out the crust. The rolling pin does it all.

Mixing the sugar and spices. Selena just loved the smell of all the different spices. She also had fun helping me to measure them all.

The perfect pumpkin mixture.

Selena enjoyed the smell of the freshly cooked pumpkin pies. She was very proud of herself for helping in all the steps it takes to make them. Now she has to patiently wait until Thursday after dinner to taste her delicious work of art.

Look for the rest of our Thanksgiving Fun tomorrow!

Selena’s Protest to No School

All week Selena has been very good about not having school, she has enjoyed just playing, reading books, and spending time with Papa and myself. I guess today she decided enough of “No School”, either that or when I started baking my pies, she figured she should be included in the effort like we did in the past. For what ever reason she decided she wanted to make crafts. I put her a craft box together, this time with crayons, scrap paper, scissors, and a glue stick. I told her to craft to her hearts content.

Her final piece of art! I gave her a piece of white card stock and wrote Happy Thanksgiving on it, she did the rest!

Then this evening she started in again, she wanted me to do a craft project with her. I gladly said yes, and asked if she would like to make a Thanksgiving Card for Uncle Wayne. She agreed and informed me she wanted to make turkeys two one big one and one little one.

It has been nice to have so much time off, but I guess Selena felt it was time to get back to her fun school. I wasn’t planning any posts this week, but how could I not share her master pieces today!

We are wishing all of you a Happy Thanksgiving! We hope and pray that you all stay safe especially if you are traveling for Thanksgiving and for safety for all your families who may be traveling as well.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Thanksgiving Traditions

With Thanksgiving only a week away I thought I would share a little bit about our Thanksgiving Traditions. Michael and I do not always see eye to eye on this holiday. He would rather stay home and just have an “Us” Thanksgiving, of course he never minds if I invite someone into our home for Thanksgiving Dinner, but he just doesn’t want to go anywhere. Why? Good answer, he loves to have the homemade turkey soup with homemade noodles that I make every year from the turkey carcass!

I on the other hand love to go be around my family rather it be church family or my real family it doesn’t matter, Thanksgiving isn’t Thanksgiving to me without family and friends to share it with. I realize my family doesn’t get together anymore for the any of the Holidays since our parents and eldest sister have passed away, but I still dream that we will.

Michael thought he was going to get out of going anywhere this year, especially since we are having a big Thanksgiving dinner at Church on Sunday. He has been planning our meal, just exactly what he wants on the menu, complete with of course the size of Turkey we need, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, you know the works. Well he got a shock today, as I called and left a message on his phone, (since he refuses to use the bluetooth and will not talk while he drives, SMART MAN) that we are driving to Sumner and having Thanksgiving dinner with my Uncle Wayne’s family AND I am taking the raisin pie!

My husband being the sweetheart that he is, gave in and realized he is powerless over my quest to be with family. On one condition that I make him a complete Thanksgiving dinner at least two weeks out, and top it off with his favorite homemade Turkey noodle soup! (We will be having HAM for Christmas! I will be sick of Turkey by the time this venture is over!)

We have gone around about this since we moved here. We get an invite every year from either Selena’s Nana to spend Thanksgiving with her family or my Uncle. I always choose my Uncle’s since well, you know he is my Uncle! Oh we have spent one Thanksgiving with Nana and her family and did have a very good time.

So come Thursday morning we get to pack up my raisin pie (my Uncle keeps begging for a raisin pie like his mommy use to make) and head off on our way to Sumner, about an 1 1/2 hour drive away, and enjoy a feast with Uncle Wayne, Aunt Edith, and all their kids, grandkids, and great grandkids. Ok now the little joke behind the raisin pie, my Aunt Edith’s version of raisin pie is simply put it is like mince meat pie but made with raisins. She has tried to serve it to Uncle Wayne only to be told it is not Mama's raisin pie. She throws her hands in the air and tells my Uncle that nothing is ever like Mama's. Well, Mama's raisin pie was not mince meat pie, it was the real raisin pie, made only with raisin in a thick sweet sauce! (I truly get a kick out of those two!)

Now everyone wish me luck, as I have never made raisin pie before, I never tasted my Grandma’s raisin pie, and had to call an Aunt to find out how Grandma made it!

Of course our greatest Tradition is to just be Thankful for all that we have!

Selena’s First Thanksgiving Decor

We started this yesterday, it was a product of our continuing to work on our patterns. I traced Selena’s hands on yellow and orange construction paper. The cutting was a lot of fun considering I had to make 17 of them, but I got through it!

Selena first made her HAPPY Pattern without the letters, then I wrote the letters for HAPPY on the hands and scrambled them. I gave her another piece of paper with the word HAPPY wrote on it and she had to find the letters and put them in the right order. She made the discovery not only did her hands say “HAPPY” but they were also in a pattern.

Today we took enough little hands for THANKSGIVING. Again she first made her pattern, it was a long pattern, so she was getting a little tired of the process. I again repeated what I did yesterday with the letters and scrambled them. I was proud of Selena as she did complete the assignment.

We then hung them in our window since this is what Selena wanted to do with them. I did write letters on both sides so not only can we share her little craft but so can everyone else. Hey and can you believe after all the rain and wind we actually have SUN today!

I wish our window was larger as I really wanted to hang them across the window instead of at such an angle. Oh well we are happy to have a window!