Our happy Thanksgiving day

Barry....we miss you! Barry takes our family pictures every year and we had to improvise this year to get some Christmas card possibilities....

I just love these kids!

Cody

Selina

Jessie

Goofy, fun loving, laugh attack sisters!

The kids table...outdoors in the GORGEOUS November weather! Cousin Tristan, Selina, Cody, Jess, Friend Nathan.

The grown ups...

What would ANY holiday be without a mean game or ten of PIT??

Terry thought pie sounded more fun than PIT.

Yellin' and a screamin'! We had a nice day. Riley called after lunch and we were able to talk with him. They had a Thanksgiving meal in Afganistan complete with ice sculptures. We are thankful for our men and women who are dedicated to the armed forces.

Family times are so meaningful! I love our family! Every last one whether blood related or chosen. Precious memories are made and that good ol' warm fuzzy feeling is felt time and time again!

Multitude Monday--Thanksgiving week

I'm thankful for together times...food, friendship, family, laughter..memories.

For silliness and simple pleasures...

For babies, and grandmas..for first words and joy that babies bring!

For Daddys. For the comfort of just being close to our Dads.

For siblings..for their support, their love, their built in friendship. Mine and theirs. And once again, for MY children!

For first times...new experiences..for courage, perseverance, ability...

Yes, it is Wednesday! Mondays roll around so quickly!

Thanksgiving week....a time to be thankful more consciously than normal. Also, a time to be giving. Thankful for those who give to me and giving to those who need something I have to give.

Above all, I'm thankful for family--my parents, sisters, grandparents, though they are no longer living, my husband, my children, my chosen family....Family...all those people who I love and love me, unconditionally.

Happy Thanksgiving all!

Multitude Monday thru Wednesday...running behind

Whew...I counted my blessings on Monday but didn't post them. I'll post some this morning to keep up my weekly count....

155. I'm thankful for health. I have a cold and I am very impatient with sickness. I'm very thankful I am healthy for most weeks out of the year!

156. I'm thankful for my friend, Pat, who has been a grandma/mom to Matthew for the last 12 years...waiting for his mom to return.

157. I'm thankful for "unanswered prayers".....because God knows best.

158. This world is NUTS. Crazy parents doing crazy things. Kids reacting to the world around them. Selfish people doing their own thing with their own agenda and affecting so many others. But you know....good things come out of some of this. That is a wonderful miracle and I'm thankful for those encouraging miracles!

160-164. I'm thankful for recess duty! Well...and for sunny days on my week of duty! Children's laughter, energy, carefee spirits...they lift me up! And the views of the lake, the mountains, the valley...the fresh, clean, mountain air...Wow!

165. I'm thankful for my view out my window today. The sunrise on the mountains is showing a different perspective than most days. The valley looks bigger, the foothills look more complex. Life is like that...all about perpective. I'm thankful for focus and keeping my eyes on the positive knowing God has a master plan.

Happy Veteran's Day

Yesterday was our Veteran's Day program at school. We share a band teacher so we had to do ours a day early. Really, everyday is Veteran's Day, especially when our country is at war. I'm thinking of Riley today and praying for him and all of them "over there".


Cathryn was one of our speakers yesterday because we also are celebrating, all year, our district's 100 year birthday. Cathryn attended school in the same valley, when she was a kid. She and her hubby have the best stories in the world! Everyone really enjoyed her speech and Bill said it was the first time ever she agreed to such a thing! We are honored. I love, love, love stories from "back then" and think they need to be told more! Thank you Cathryn! You were a sensational hit! She was introduced as "Jessie's grandma" at Jess's request. They truly are family and I was proud!

Bill was worried she was signing up as she spoke with Tony, the Veteran who spoke to us! Tony said she is probably tougher than the National Guard so he'd take her!!

Little Miss Student Council doing one of her parts...I am sooo proud of this girl and her confidence! She's awesome!

Jess, darkly, as she plays the Star Spangled banner, and as I cry. I wanted to bawl during the whole ceremony. Having a family member at war gives extra meaning to so many patriotic things.

A summary of thankfulness and happenings! Multitude Monday up to 154!

Guess who is driving?? Yes, driver's permit in wallet and ready to travel! Thankful for a cautious son and for safety. I'm praying for patience and safety! (141-142)

Obviously, Cody is a good driver..this is a view of the backseat on the way home from church! (sorry girls!) I'm thankful for quiet comfort....(143)

Dogpile on Cody! Olivia, Nicholas and Brayden pile on! Nothing is better than little kids you've known since they were knee high to a grasshopper! I LOVE kids of all ages and especially these kind....MINE (144, 145, 146, 147)(Even though only one is truly mine...well, God's but He loaned him to me!) I love having a houseful of kids and I love that God has given me the gift of nurturing. (148-149)

Sunday morning in the living room floor. A house is NEVER to full!! I love my house being full and filling my heart with love! (150-151)

Brayden, Daniel and Lorna...thankful for laughter and fun times! Relaxing memories made with us this weekend. I loved getting them all to ourselves. (152)

My great friend Kathleen(153) who was here to paint and did a side job of trimming Selina's long, beautiful hair!

And then there is this....living on the edge! The way he makes it sound, this is like a roller coaster! I love it! I am so thankful for the simple, wholesome pleasures of life. I love my simple life and wouldn't trade it for anything! (154)

Multitude Monday on a beautiful November day!

128. This morning I woke up thankful for sunshine, for fresh air, for seasons that bring change and new thoughts.

129. I'm thankful for wood heat and fire's' intoxicating dances and warmth.

130. For God's assurances in my heart about various things.

131. For the excitement of "first times" in our home and the memories they are making.

132. For TWO sets of grandparents to love my children. Yes, one set is borrowed but just as real and just as loving.

133. I'm thankful for my children's openness to their new sister. To their acceptance, patience, understanding, love. I'm so, so, so thankful they "get it". Love and kindness are so crucial to life and so important!

134. I'm really excited to go on a short overnighter with my kids today. Thankful, in advance for every moment, every laugh, every conversation.....and thankful for the fussing that is going on already about where to eat!

135. I'm thankful for today's breath. For heartbeats, for eye sight, for hearing...for all the senses I take for granted and for all the pleasure they bring me!

136. I'm thankful and prayful for the troops overseas. And most of all, as I remember them, I am thankful God knows the plan.

137-140. ...for amish friendship bread, shared by a friend.....for Charlotte who touched my life in small, barely acquainted ways and yet I remember her telling me, "I pray for you". She died with no family surviving her except her church family. I'm thankful for her......I'm thankful for a God conscienceness that makes my son know Biblical doctrine from man thought up ladders to heaven.....for the song, "open the eyes of my heart..".....for Sundays.

Thank you for stopping by. Let me know you were here, will you?

Happy Birthday, Cody!

The best birthday present for ALL of us!! Our woodstove is in and we had our first fire on Halloween!

Grandma, Cody and Grandpa

Bill, Cody, and Cathryn....

Blowing out his 15 sparklers!

The girls, in costume.

Basketball season begins this week!