Hmmm.
Baby is coming very soon.
Very Thankful!
Our 9 year old son has been experiencing unusual neurological symptoms for almost 2 months now. (I will let you know our thoughts and journey on that at a later time!)
He is having a good day today.
Very thankful!
The little girls are creating a recipe in the kitchen.
They are calling it Apple Surprise.
I will be surprised if they actually clean up their mess when they are through!
Teenage daughter #3 just taught Jacob how to slur the guitar.
~Sounds impressive.
The house has 4 make-shift forts in the living room.
I know it is Tuesday (beans and rice night) but think we will have granola for dinner.
Made an eye exam for college son for when he comes home for Thanksgiving.
Thankful that he is coming home!
Making sweet potato casserole (recipe follows) to put in freezer just in case baby wants to come a bit early.
Even made Buckeyes with the kids to put in freezer for Christmas.
To tell you the truth~they will probably be gone before December 1.
That's the trouble with trying to get things done a little early.
Oh well. I try!
Trying to get the kids to finish their schooling before dinner.
They always seem to find something that is more important to do.
Like, the little girls going into my closet to find clothes for dress-up or
the boys going outside to shoot their bows and arrows.
I hear someone screaming.
I guess it is time for clean-up and schoolwork after all!
I have several children already asking for the Buckeyes in the freezer.
After you clean up, I say!
It's working.
Even 4 year old is cleaning up!
It's amazing, really.
She is usually the one that says I can just throw out her things, that she likes to play with sticks and stones anyway.
That's what she says when I tell her,
"If you don't pick up your toys, I will give them away and you can just play with sticks and stones like the American Indians used to do."
I have actually given away a lot of her toys.
We have way too many 'things' anyway.
Oh, a clutter-free Christmas sounds nice.
You know, gifts that will last out the month of December and maybe beyond!
A Little House On the Prairie Christmas sounds nice.
A doll and a stick of candy in Laura's stocking.
The clelebration was CHRISTMAS!
The gifts were:
ENJOYING RELATIONSHIPS: JESUS, FAMILY, FRIENDS
SPECIAL CARE WITH THE CHRISTMAS DINNER, ETC.
PRECIOUS TRADITIONS:
Reading the Christmas story,
A special breakfast and dinner.
Visiting special people.
I am thankful for the simple gift of Christmas!
Why do we make it more than that?
You know, worrying about how many different kinds of cookies we will make.
Running all over town for the perfect Christmas clothes we want our kids to wear.
Buying and returning. Buying and returning.
Decorating, thinking, planning.
I do all of these things.
It is fun!
Unless it stops being fun! You know what I mean?
When Christmas day comes, none of that matters, really.
Jesus was born!
He died and rose again!
It is both simple and extraordinarily miraculous at the same time!
We are happy!
We have the most precious and perfect gift!
Not just at Christmas,
but always!
So much to be thankful for!
Life is not always easy.
But it is good!
We have everything we need!
Our daily bread is given to us every day!
Oh, if I could only keep that thankfulness in my heart each and every day!
I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day!
Sweet Potato Cassserole adapted from Allrecipes.com
Serves 8-10
~4 1/4 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
~1/2-1 cup sugar, honey or agave nectar
~1/2-2/3 cups butter
~1/3 cup evaporated milk
~2 eggs, beaten
~1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
~1/3 cup butter, melted
~1 1/3 cups chopped pecans
~1 cup light brown sugar or sucanat
~2/3 all-purpose flour
1) Mix together sweet potatoes, sugar, 2/3 cup butter, milk, eggs and vanilla.
Spread in greased 9 x 13" baking dish.
2) Mix melted butter, pecans, brown sugar and flour.
Spoon on top of sweet potato mix.
3) Bake at 350` for 25-30 minutes.
~Can be frozen, thawed and heated when needed.
~Could add cinnamon and nutmeg.
~I plan on omitting the pecans or making 2 smaller dishes; one with pecans and one without.
