Thanksgiving 2011

We, as in we I mean Mom & I, made all kinds of things for Thanksgiving (with the help of Publix-ya know because we both had to work until Tues).  We take Thanksgiving seriously around here, being thankful for everything God has given to us and so much more.  Even on face book there is always a "thankfulness aire" about the month of November.  I love it!!  I love to show how thankful I am, even in the midst of the storms that are around us. 

I digress though... getting back on track....

We cleaned up the house making it all sparkly and getting everything all cleaned up (including the kitchen) and setting up the table to be festive for the season and full of all the yummy food that we (& Publix) cooked. 

We also had a guest too, one of my husbands friend came after work to eat with us (it was his holiday & weekend  to work).  So we had somewhat a full house and it was wonderful.  We are working on new family traditions since our family traditions have changed somewhat.  I can't wait for them to be in place and for my kids to be excited and to know what to expect each holiday. 

Our Eldest 12th Birthday!!

We are SO excited that it is Big D's birthday and at the same time SO sad that we cannot give him the party he so rightly deserves & wants.  It is all ok though & he is so sweet about it all, he knows that we are in a tight (but ok) spot at the moment and he understands.  He is one of the most kind spirited kids EVER!!!

We did celebrate though :) What type of parents would we be if we didn't, hummmm?!? 

His birthday was on Sunday and normally the birthday person gets to pick where we go have lunch (he was still able too) but his Daddy had to work today so we decided to go have a birthday dinner.  His Aunt was still in town at the time when we decided but we thought of it too late and they'd already gotten something for dinner. 

So our little family of four went to Chili's to eat.  Big D told us that he was branching out and having something different to eat than his normal meal (he kept his usual side though,lol) and then he got FREE icecream that we all shared a little of.  We then went home because we had a big day at church and knew we needed all the sleep we could get. 

I think it is SO awesome that we got to celebrate Big D's birth and worship the One who made him all in the same day!!  I must be the only one that thinks it is cool because nobody commented on my post on Facebook, sigh: oh well, I thought it was cool ;) 

After church, we went to Milo's to eat lunch and then to Wal-Mart to get a cake and a few other items.  He then got to do his favorite thing the Wii for the rest of the day :)

& just for good measure a baby pic :)

Happy Birthday to my Tween yikes did I really just say that!!!

Thankful Jar: Eyes

(Yes, I do realize that it is no longer November)

Remember when I did the post on the Thankful jar?  Well we did a couple of other things with it that I was waiting for something to come in and show everyone about.

This time it is our Eyes.

We are so.very.thankful for our eyes and that God has blessed us with sight!  So since we are so thankful for our eyes the kids had very belated eye appointments one day in November.  I got them from school earlier & we trekked, in the rain (I might add), to a not so  local Children's Hospital to see their eye doctor. 

Dr. Cogen is a VERY good eye doctor that we have had the privilege to know for the past 10 years!  He is excellent with infants & children so if your insurance takes him than take them to him!

We found out during our latest & very needed eye visit that both of our boys are going to need glasses due to nearsightedness (it's heredity, sorry boys!).  Big D needs them now and so Mom was so very generous in taking/buying him his new glasses!  THANKS MOM!! YOU ROCK OUT LOUD!  The eye glass place said they had called us on Nov 30th telling us they were in, but they failed to call either of us on our cells so we were not aware.  So finally on Dec 6th Big D got his new glasses and has NOT taken them off since they were put on his face (again thanks Mom for taking him!)

My Oldest "baby's" Birthday Party

Yep, it is true...we celebrated the birth of David yesterday with a little party of friends and family at Chuck E Cheese's.  And YES, we are SO thankful to those friends & family for braving the dreaded fun place so that our eldest would be soo very happy, and he was :)

He wanted to have his party at the YMCA like his little "Brudder" but his Mommy failed to ask them in time so he had to come up with a "plan B" real quick like.  His theme...Mario of course!  If anyone knows my boy than they know that he has brought Mario back!  He L-O-V-E-S Mario games and can humm most of the tunes on the games!

Happily there were about 6 families that came to say happy birthday & brave the madness that is C.E.C. and that made David oh so happy!!

Again thanks for coming out & joining us for David's 11th birthday!!  Happy Birthday DAVID!!!!
You can read about the day of David's birth here and here .

The Annual TableScapes

The women's ministry at our church holds an annual Tablescapes in November.  The theme... tables decorated beautifully; & a guest speaker that (in my two, or so,years going) usually will knock your socks off.

This year I got to sit at a fellow choir, Sunday School, friend's table (last year we sort of strolled around together until we finally sat down at another church members beautiful table) & I must say she did a fabulous job at decorating it.  What do you think?!

I honestly did not want to go when it came time too.  I had a terrible headache that just pounded away all thru the night but still  I am SO glad that I went.  I was very blessed by Mary Kay Beard and her testimony and I got to see some people that I haven't seen in quite a while.  

I mingled some, but with the pounder that I did have that night, most people were just asking if I was OK.  

What an awesome time I had with some great friends!! 

Thankful Jar-Family

I found a Thanksgiving Thankful Countdown by Valerie Lee on the web sometime last year (of course it was after Thanksgiving) and thought that I could incorporate it into our lifestyle....


So here is our first Thanksgiving Thankful Countdown outing...

I am THANKFUL for my Family!

So yes, I did sort of pick it out & not pulled it out of a jar, but...I had seen it picked it out & then our plans just sort of fell into place- GOD inspired for sure!!

Our family and our family-by-marriage adopted family met at a local (as in about 10 minutes from our homes) Nature Preserve. 

We ran on the rocks

Took family photos

Checked out the beautiful scenery

& hiked on the Boy Scout Trail

It was absolutely beautiful, serene, and we loved being there.

Thank You LORD for your beautiful masterpiece in the fall.  All the oranges, golds, greens, yellows, reds shined out and the water...just refreshing. 

AGAIN, THANK YOU LORD for your GLORIOUS BEAUTY!!!

Silent Sunday

Serenity.....

5th Grade Scholars

I am one proud Momma!

My Big D was awarded the Superintends 5th Scholar award this week!  Joey, Mimi, Pop, Nana, the rest of our families, & I are so proud of him.  We went to Northpark Baptist to the ceremony (& oh.my.goodness)& it was packed with proud parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, etc.

The JeffCoEd Board went thru the ceremony quickly it had singing, a speaker from Shades Valley, & student recognition from about 10 schools.  

Afterwards we celebrated with a supper trip to Milo's before they closed-in all it was a great night :)