Thanksgiving

What a lovely Thanksgiving we had!  In addition to having so much to be grateful for we had a chance to just relax on Wednesday so Zion and I got to do some baking.  We made a pumpkin pie and pecan tarts (later I made a rosemary chicken mix for an appetizer and the next  morning a Tollhouse pie).

On Thanksgiving day we took the kids to see The Muppets.  Rob and I both were very excited that a new movie was coming out, it was just to share with them something we had loved when we were kids.  Though Elias was a bit fidgety, preferring to walk up and down the aisle giggling loudly, they all enjoyed it.  Especially the popcorn.  It is possible they enjoy the popcorn more than the movie.

After the movie we head up to my sister’s which is always fun.  It’s small and casual, fun for the kids and the food is fantastic, what more could you ask for?

A few people heading down Turkey Coma Lane.  Must be time to head for home.

Happy Birthday!

Seven years ago today Gabe was born.  But not until 11:55PM.  And after a three day induction.  I remember that it took a very long time for them to check him over after he finally emerged and a very long time for them to stitch me back together (and I did not have a c-section).  When they finally placed him wrapped in a blanket near my head I had two thoughts “Aw, I’m not pregnant anymore.” (no, really, I honestly thought that) and “Can I go to sleep now.”

With the exclusion of a daily afternoon screaming jag that lasted any where from 20 minutes to 3 hours he was what most people consider a “good baby”.  He ate well, he slept well and after he recovered from jaundice he was healthy.  He was also so very serious.  It was pretty hard to get much more than a grin out of him.  We knew from the start he was going to be a smarty.  He studied everything.  Everything.  So very closely.  There was never a single thing he put eyes on that he wasn’t immediately trying to figure out.

We were right in that regard.  He is super smart.  And sweet. And artistic and creative and it is much easier to make him laugh.

Yesterday we celebrated his birth with friends and family.  Rob and I already gave him his present from us but I managed to knit up a hat for him anyway.  I was so excited to give it to him I almost couldn’t sleep the night I finished.   I reminded myself of those Disney Land commercials.  “I’m too excited to sleep!” 

I made cupcakes instead of a cake this year.  Peanut butter cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.  We also had a “peanut butter sandwich bar” for the kids.  They got to choose from marshmallow fluff, Nutella, jam, honey and bananas – or a combo of those, to go on their peanut butter sandwich.  It was a big hit!

Jamie, Jamae and Jessa came and naturally the kids had to climb all over them for a time.  Zion and Gideon were laughing hysterically at the app on Jamae’s phone. 

Time for presents.  I’ve seen the uBuild Mousetrap game at two birthday parties in a row now.  Gabe and Zion played it after church today, looked like fun.

He got a paper airplane kit.  (I’m super excited about that one.  Perhaps I should take up origami.)

From my sister and family he got a flying saucer and Mario Kart swim trunks.

Now we just have to remember to get them signed back up for swim classes.

Finally he got to the hat.  He thought it was a penguin.  Drat! To my, and his, credit he didn’t immediately see the chain.  Rob sent him to the bathroom to look in the mirror.  Then he got excited and almost hasn’t taken it off since.  Score one for mama!  (That is a Chain Chomp, not a penguin.  A Chain Chomp is a character from the Mario games.)

Then the boys got to settle down and play Wii some.

 

Elias got dressed up by little Sarah.

And the kids got to fly the flying saucer.  Look at those faces!  They could be a magazine ad. 

Happy Birthday, Gabe!

Gobble, Gobble

I know, I know, I’m a bit late.  Thanksgiving was, like, so last month.  Still, I have the pictures so you’re getting’ ‘em.  Especially after wondering the whole week if we would even make it out of our house for Thanksgiving.  That was the week we got all the snow.

Each child go to pack their own bag of things to keep busy, Gideon chose trains and tracks.  Too bad Tantie Jamie won’t fit in the bag for taking back home.

Rob’s Great Uncle Duane didn’t have plans this year, he usually goes to a friend’s house, so he got to join us.  He is the only relative from Rob’s side of the family that lives out here.  I can’t recall exactly how long he has been out here but it’s decades now.  He was a mail carrier for years and it shows.  Every time we receive a letter that has been meticulously addressed, stamped and taped and taped and taped (goodness, what does he think is going to happen to it anyway) and taped, I think he must have taken his job very seriously.

What would Thanksgiving be without an overabundance of electronics.  Hmph.  It’s nice to think about anyway.

Every baby needs Tantie time.

Jamae and Joey, all tuckered out after Joey tried to catch his own Thanksgiving bird.

Not a turkey, Joey!  Not a turkey!!!  This poor guy (a variegated thrush I found out later) was “invited” to Thanksgiving by Joey.  By invited I mean batted multiple times to drop him from a thick bush, carried at top speed across the yard and then wrenched from Joey’s mouth by Carol, Jamie’s friend.  I didn’t hold out hope for this fellow, one leg seemed odd but there was no blood and his feathers were a mess which made it hard to tell if there were breaks so I put him in a box in a dark, quiet room for a while.  Carol and Zion went to check on him and we heard what seemed like feathers and little birdie nails scratching on the cardboard.  I think it was Carol who screamed a little and then Zion came walking out and breathlessly stated “I think he woked up.” 

He did seem more alert and upright so we put the box out in the front where Joey couldn’t get him and opened the flaps checking on him periodically.  Finally on one trip out the box was empty.  Fly away little bird (and stay out of THIS yard from now on). 

Just a little excitement to make this Thanksgiving memorable.

Jameson's Fourth Heavenly Birthday Party

Another July has come and another opportunity to celebrate the life of my nephew Jameson and to raise funds for the lending library that is in his name at the ARC (which you can make a donation to if you'd like).

He was lovely and special and he touched lives where ever he went and he lived a full life in his short five years.

Now he's gone and all we have are memories so once a year we get together to celebrate his life.



We write messages to Jameson on paper and attach them to balloons to send up to Heaven.


Messages written and awaiting the countdown for release.


3, 2, 1, let 'em go!


My cousin Cheryl and Elias get to have a one-on-one about future grandbabies (mostly, how hard it is to wait for them - the conversation was somewhat one sided).


Gideon's favorite thing to do is bury cars in gravel and find them again.


Zion would probably be hard pressed to decide if her favorite part is access to a bunch of sweets or...


...playing with one of her best friends, Abby.



There was also live entertainment this year. Besides karaoke and Rock Band that is. May Palmer, the Queen of Soul has an amazing spirit and an even better voice.


She provided lots of opportunity for laughter and dancing.


Gideon wasn't sure what to think of the volume but he couldn't hold out and started drumming the table.

Elias, on the other hand, pretty much slept the whole time.


Ahoy, mateys!

Gabe found a friend there named Luke who also had short blond hair and a grey shirt and I kept mixing the two up all day. Gideon has found a different patch of gravel to bury toys in.


Elias and I found a nice place to hunker down (he's under the blanket - the blanket that I knit for him) toward the end to just listen to the music and watch everybody have fun.


Oooo, Jessa's got a boyfriend. ;)


A good friend of the family is Billy. My kids adore him. Gabe especially because Billy saved the day when they were staying at my sister's when Elias was born and her Wii wouldn't play her new game. A game that Gabe had been chomping at the bit to play. So Billy brought his Wii over along with a black controller (super cool in Gabe's mind) and made it work.


At the end, donning pajamas and a very sleepy stare, Zion can still get some hip action going. The funniest thing is, I didn't even know she had hip action.

And there ends another perfect celebration of a perfect life.