How we gave thanks...

Thanksgiving feels so long ago and it was really not even two weeks ago...I guess Thanksgiving ends and Christmas swoops in and takes over. Then, suddenly, anything besides Christmas feels like ancient history!
Though I couldn't locate my camera for our actual family activities that day, I did catch some of the before-and-afters.

Though I meant to start much earlier, the food prep for Thursday started the night before. Every year I like to try my hand at a little something new. Hopefully, within a few years, I will have enough experience to prepare a well-rounded Thanksgiving meal, from scratch, all on my own! Because I love cooking from scratch when I have a good excuse to. And...apparently, I think that all the bunches of family we live right near will somehow disappear in the near future and I will have to cook completely on my own for this holiday. (?)
Or, maybe I just enjoy knowing that I could do it if I had to. (Scratch the maybe and apply that statement to anything and everything in life.)

Anyway...last year I made a turkey for my family. This year, I left that in the experienced hands of my dad and I moved on to stuffing. I love stuffing. A lot. Bread...good. Seasonings...goood. Bread...goooood. Oh wait, already said that. Well, you get the general idea. (And with stuffing, it doesn't go much beyond the general idea, does it?) So, I was quite excited to do this. I planned to do everything myself, including making the bread. But, ended up taking advantage of Walmart's bakery. Yesss.

I did cube it myself...which was really fun for me.
I enjoy chopping, dicing, cubing, slicing, mincing, etc.
JC has all these kitchen gadgets for exactly these purposes and seems exasperated that I never want to use them. I just really like doing it manually. And I can't explain it.
So, this bread thing was enjoyable.
(JC worked on a crossword puzzle while I worked. He really likes doing those. I can't explain that either.)

Oh, and he also did this while I worked.
Fixed the cabinet door that came flying off at me when I opened it the other day.
Didn't even come off at the hinges. Just busted.
He used his expertise plus one of the many varieties of glue he has accumulated.
I am proud to say it is now returned to its rightful spot and you can't even tell it had to be resurrected.
(Please notice both Hamm from Toy Story and my messy kitchen floor in this picture)

I couldn't get any good pictures of this cooking because of my stinking stainless steel cookware. It reflects everything, especially a flash, so until I have a nice camera or recall my grudge against tephlon, I may not get to share many cooking pictures.
I know, I know, cry it out.
But, anyway, here is my cranberry sauce all cooked up, ready to chill.
I have made this for a few years but really loved the new recipe I tried this year.
And it looks pretty in my white and red dish.

Here is the chicken broth, simmering. I know chicken broth seems a strange thing to be making for Thanksgiving but back when I had decided to do everything completely from scratch, I was planning to make this for use as liquid in the stuffing. Since I had already bought and thawed the chicken, I went ahead and did so.
Soups and sauces are my favorite things to make anyway. They cook forever, simmering and making my house smell SO good...you can experiment with seasonings and feel like you accomplished something.
Yum.
Plus, something like broth goes a looong way. I did use it for the stuffing, plus white chili (with leftover turkey) and chicken tortilla soup (with leftover chicken, from making the broth) the following week.
Yum again.

Thursday morning we were finally able to get reception on our tv antenna...or adapter...or something else I don't understand...and the kids got to watch the parade.
And guess who they saw?

Ben wanted to get as close as he could.

James couldn't resist a front-row seat either.

Once Buzz was gone, Ben got a little bored with the parade and joined me in the kitchen. He helped get all the bread cubes, nice and crispy after drying out all night, onto the pans to toast.
Sweet helper boy.

He and I made up a snack of blackberries since we were, you know, hanging out in the kitchen.

This was another thing everyone wanted a front row seat for.

Goofy boy.

My toasted bread cubes.
I was so excited about my toasted bread cubes.

...computer time...

...which becomes swinging/spinning time...

And then, later, believe it or not, we got dressed and left our house to share a nice meal with family. It was a good time. Monica was in town from Idaho, her fiance, Austin, was there, Andrew and Bonnie (plus the pea in the pod...BABY COMING!!!) were there, Laura, Katie...you know, from all the way over in Scottsdale...Mom and Dad...the cat...it was cozy and wonderful.
No pictures. Perhaps next year I will remember to keep better track of the camera...in addition to preparing...whatever it will be next year! Already excited...

Later in the day, JC's mom and sister came over and joined us for a nice meal here at our place. Melissa made a really good turkey. On her stovetop! If you want to know how she managed to do that, I am sure she would love to tell you about it. :) After the new year, she is going to be doing demonstrations on stuff exactly like that! Let me know, anyone who wants to learn some awesome healthy cooking skills.
It was nice to spend a little time with them.

The next day, we endeavored on a new adventure. Jam.
Really, it turned out to be one of those things that sounds difficult and is super easy. At least the way I did it!

We went for strawberry.
It's a favorite.

Bethany could hardly help herself.
My kids really really like berries. I, myself, can have a few here and there.
But they will eat them by the carton.

But they are always so beautiful and colorful, who can blame them?
Pretty berries, pretty girl.

Ben seriously gets this eyes-rolled-back, out of it look when he eats. Ever since he was a baby.
I love it.

James got really excited about the use of maple syrup. He loves it.
I only had enough agave for a little more than half the recipe.
So, the rest was made up for with maple syrup. And it was good. I would maybe do it again purposely!And he thought it was hilarious that a lemon was involved.
I love his face.
Always, but especially in this picture.

I did manage to get a picture of this cooking without too much glare.
I just realized that this post is widely about cooking...hmm.
I did not intend.

The jam was really good. I want to do it again. I may wait until strawberries are in season. :)


Monday night, we had Family Home Evening. Once the weather got nice and not so hot, we started playing outside...baseball or something...for part of FHE. Then, a week later, it got cold. And now we stay inside in the evenings. (I know, those of you reading this from Idaho or Utah are either laughing at me or scowling at me...)
A couple of weeks ago, we pulled out a game we had bought a while back but realized the kids weren't quite old enough for. It was time to give it a go. And...it was awesome. They loved it. We play it all the time now. It's a Cat in the Hat game called "I Can Do That!" So cute.

Here's how it goes...

First you line your kids up.
(oh yeah, and it helps if they got their faces painted earlier in the day and still have remnants)
Look at good James, drinking that smoothie!
Then, you set up the Trick-a-ma-Stick or Stick-a-ma-jig or something like that.
The yellow and red thing.

Then, so your cat feels included, you allow him to walk under the stick-a-ma-what and knock it over. And give you a rather vulgar view of the whole thing.
Which you will, of course, share with others.

Darn it.

Have a child re-set-up the Jig-a-ma-Stick.
Have a child tackle the cat.

Watch the cat as he sets out to be comforted, climbing up on Daddy's lap since that is where everyone else seems to go for comfort.
Daddy does not look interested.
But James looks amused.

Let Daddy deal with the cat and with getting the game set up.

Let the first child draw three cards. One that tells them what to do, one that tells them what object from the game they must use, and one that tell them exactly how to use said object...

For example...
1) crawl around the trick-a-ma-jig
2) with the rake
3) on your head

OR

1) hop three times
2) with the fan
3) on your tummy

OR

1) take three giant steps
2) with the fish bowl
3) under your left arm

OR

1) step over the stick-a-ma-trick
2) with the cake
3) between your legs

Yep, that's right.
(By the way, he had wanted his face painted as Buzz. All I could figure to do was the front of his purple hood thing, his eyebrows, and chin hair. I don't know...)
Ben knows that stepping over something that is as high as your waist while holding anything between your legs is not really feasible.
I love his reaction.

But he gives it a try.

And...succeeds?

Bethany had to crawl under the stick-a-rama with...something...behind her back.
Pretty good!

Anyway, to end the game, you tackle the cat again.
For good measure.

So, that, my friends, is a synopsis of our nice long weekend.
Now that we are inching closer to Christmas, one of the primary thoughts in my head is...Christmas Break! The kids love school, they do great at it, and I am so excited for them for that! And...yes, it is kind of nice to have them out doing their thing and have a bit of a breather with just one at home! But, really, I do love when we are all home. Even if only for the fact that there is no reason to get out of bed before the sun comes up (if I, you know, put the right snacks on my nightstand before I turn in at night...to keep them busy in the morning when they come in my room before the sun comes up...)! But, you know, for other reasons too.
I like them.
And I like having stay-at-home days. A lot.
So, that will be a fun time.
For now, back to the present. I have a lunch to pack for tomorrow. A sick husband to check on. And eyes to rest.
So, until that next REALLY long weekend, I may or may not be back with another post that may or may not hold anything interesting. It's a gamble we all take.

November in a Nutshell

Today I feel to blog.
Some days it comes on strong...the need to speak, to get my words out there...the need to shamelessly scatter pictures of my dear ones in a never-ending vertical line to be scrolled through.
Even when there is housework. Lots of housework. I so badly want to have a clean house. I so badly want to forget that panicked feeling that happens when the doorbell rings unexpectedly. I so badly want to be confident that my children are running around barefoot on a floor that will not leave their feet sticky and/or crumb-laden.
But, apparently, I so much more badly want to blog. And snuggle kids during a few moments of their rest time. But I already did that.

So, on to a quick episode of blogging. About last month's general activities/non-activities.
Let's dive right in.
(Do I host my blog like it's a business meeting?)

We painted faces again for the first time since summer.
It was fun to do it again. I notice that now since we have been doing it for fun for a while, I am less and less a perfectionist about it and more just want to get them painted up so they can go play!
Here's Bethany with an angel on her face, wings outstretched over her eyes. She always wants an angel. It becomes her.

James wanted to be a pirate.
For some reason I laugh so hard when I see him like this.

And Ben wanted to be "Squeaky."
You know, the little green men from Toy Story?
This was the first time he (and James for that matter) let me do his whole face.
And he was so excited!

They always go play after they get their faces painted! In character of course.

A random moment from November...my Rosemary Plant blossomed...?
I didn't know Rosemary did that. This is the first year it has if I'm not mistaken.
Guess we truly do all blossom in our own time.
They were this gorgeous lavender color!

One night as we were sitting down to dinner, I called for Ben.
He wouldn't come. He likes to hide.
So, I called for him again and told him that it wasn't time to hide, he needed to come upstairs.
He still didn't come.
After a few attempts to get him upstairs, I headed downstairs to find him. I couldn't find him. So I recruited JC to help me. By that time Ben was in big trouble because he was continuing to hide when we were both calling for him.
We yelled his name, counted him to time out and yelled his name some more.
Then I walked to the other side of the red couch.
Guess he really did need a time out.

In more on the move, we finally got all the junk cleaned away from the side yard that had accumulated during demolition.
We rented one of those portable dumpster things from the city (town) and JC spent random mornings carrying out that duty.
James liked to help. By running into the dumpster. Ew.

But, really, the boys and I did help.
See?
You may be wondering why we were throwing away a chair.
You may even be one of those who refers to it as "a perfectly good chair."
But let me tell you.
There was no coming back for that chair.

Look at James go!
(And look at us go, finding a Spiderman hoodie at a secondhand store for a steal.)

More work.

Then rest.

That same day, I caught some good pics of the boys eating their morning snack on the stairs.
I think on this day it was a banana and pretzels or something.
I like how you can tell they are having a conversation.

And sharing!
Aww, sharing.

Scout wonders why he's not shared with...

I honestly can't remember what I went out to do...it's driving me nuts that I can't remember...
but one evening I was out and JC took these pictures of the kids falling asleep during a movie.
I don't know why I love pictures of my kids sleeping.
Well, I mean, I know why. They're adorable and quiet. What's not to love?
But why I choose to share them...?
Oh well. You like them too. Admit it.
I think the blanket Ben's snuggling with is just the right size for him.

James is on the bean bag. With what the kids call "The Joseph Blanket."
Joseph is one of our most favorite scripture stories.
It helps that there is an awesome movie made about it.
And a musical.
And...well...you know the story in the Bible is pretty good too.
MUCH more scandal, that's for sure! Joseph's brothers selling him into Egypt is like a misdemeanor among federal offenses on their rap sheets...
But anyway...James sleeping.

And, of course, Lady Bethany is too big to fall asleep.
And whether asleep or awake, so so pretty!

Moving back to daytime play...it has gotten COLD!!!
It moved straight from too-hot-to-keep-the-kitchen-door-open-all-day to too-cold-to-keep-the-kitchen-door-open-all-day.
Darn it.
Someone owes me some kitchen-door-open-time. That's my favorite time of the year!
But, the good thing is, the kids get to play outside all bundled up! In pj's of course.

Us too.

Speaking of federal offenses, the boys committed some sort of crime against their brotherhood by fighting over a toy and JC sat them on the couch for a talking-to. JC is not the type of dad to favor swatting them on the behind and sending them away to their rooms.
He is a talking-to Dad.
And I am an inappropriate, take pictures of the talking-to kind of mom.
Here they are listening intently. You can kind of see the shame on their faces.

And Ben's disappointment when Dad's verdict didn't go the way he would have liked.

And, sitting across the room, there's Dad.
Commanding in his arm chair.

Moving on to scenes I wasn't in trouble for taking pictures of...
JC fixed the kids' computer! It has been broken for so long!
Now we are back on SesameStreet.org and Starfall.com with a vengeance!
Funny, I've gone on Starfall.com with Bethany since she was not even a year old. Then she goes to kindergarten and they use it for some of their computer time. It was so exciting for her, already being familiar with the website and feeling fancy.
Me too. I always like when my kids are well-prepared for something in life.
You know, like kindergarten computer time.
James really likes when he gets a turn on the computer by himself when Bethany is at school.

...He likes it a little too much if you ask me.
JC and I couldn't stop laughing at this picture. Why is it that all the pictures that inspire that reaction in us involve James? Hahaha
My rule is that if I say your name three times and you don't answer, you lose your turn.
As you can see, we need that rule.
(And forgive me for giving three chances but I have to allow some leniency because, let's be honest, how often do they say my name more than once before I manage to register it enough to answer? I would lose all my cooking, cleaning and pioneer woman reading time and JC would completely lose his cell phone.)

So, there you have it.
A little glimpse into our month. Last month, to be exact. Man, they go by quickly lately. I didn't think that was supposed to happen until the kids were older. Like, really older. But apparently, as soon as they start to leave the nest for things like preschool and kindergarten, my mind starts screaming "STOP GROWING UP!"
It happens.
I've been in a bit of a funk lately I think...something seemed to impose on my days and try to stop me from seeing all that I love about our life...not that I was not loving it but I couldn't seem to find that same joy that motivates me through the day so often. The joy was lacking.
I don't really know what happened to cause that. And I don't really know what caused it to reverse. But today, I felt that joy set in again. And I'm grateful.
I really do really really love life.
I really do really really love my family.
And I get so excited to the point of giddiness sometimes thinking about the years ahead of us we will get to spend together.
Family life is such a blessing. Even with its hiccups. And it has them. :)
I am so glad I was able to find that joy again just in time for the most joyful month of the year!
Oh man, it's going to be awesome.

Time for me to sign out and go get Bethany from preschool. Fun weekend ahead...sleepover at Grandma and Grandpa's while JC and I celebrate our anniversary with a little at-home-vacation (I am still banned from the word 'staycation') early before it gets too holiday-busy!
It will be so nice. Harry Potter, the last of Christmas shopping, hanging out at home...maybe a nap?
It will be great.
The End.