Our Thanksgiving

This year, instead of heading north for Thanksgiving, Daughter and Son-in-law hosted the extended family!

The first thing I noticed when I came in was my grandpa and grandma's library table, all set to hold appetizers.  It was always the first thing I saw when entering my grandpa and grandma's house.  To be sure, I felt the connection.

Oldest Son made Brie en croute with apples and speculaas.  It was amazing!
I could go on and on about all of the amazing food we had, as it was all phenomenal.  It is every year!

I do not know how other people get their pumpkin rolls to roll up "round", but it never lasts long enough for me to ponder it with any depth.

We gave my Up North sister the year off this Thanksgiving.  She deserves it!  Her family has been hosting all of us for DECADES!

Wise people traveled from afar!
On the right is Oldest Son's roomate from college, who is originally from Maine, but lives here now.  We consider him part of the family, since his is so very far away.  And we like him!
On the left is Oldest Nephew who with his wife traveled all the way from Baltimore to be with us this year (i told you the food is always great!). Oh, and I see my Down South sister removing  even more delicious food from the trunk!

Great Nephew!

I was attempting to get a picture of everyone as they arrived.
Because I am super annoying like that.
This is Oldest Niece.  But she isn't old, just a kid really.

Up North Sister passing on the secrets of good gravy to Daughter.

Oldest Son, admiring (or is it envying) his cousin's beard.
Oldest Son had to shave his off this month as he was playing FDR in the musical Annie.

Son-in-law's first roasted turkey.
It was WONDERFUL, just like him.
Well, this is making me hungry!
I'll stop this post now, and hopefully find the time to post a few more pictures of our day, because.., well.., you KNOW that is what I do!
Hope your Thanksgiving Weekend was as blessed as ours!

My sisters and I.

Thanksgiving Was Over a Week Ago?

I am finding it impossible to believe that Thanksgiving 2016 has already come and gone.

It was an exceptionally wonderful Thanksgiving too!

My Up-North sister and brother-in-law have been our hosts for decades.

As always, the food and the company were amazing!

We all looked pretty much like this after we ate, and while we waited for pie.

It was a bit misty from time to time, but still an okay day for playing outside.

That's my baby dunking the basketball.  And my youngest nephew, whom we refer to as "Uncle Cousin" looking on.

This is my baby's baby playing in the mud. He LOVED it!

Pake played Four Square with whomever wanted to play.
Inside there were video games and football on TV. 
The Lion's won!
Yay!

This Scared Me for a Minute

This is what it looked like outside my kitchen window yesterday afternoon.  All I could think was "Not Again!".  But on this day, it was not a small leak under a tree.  It was a major water main break a block away.  There was rain too.  For a while it was sideways rain making it impossible to see across the street.  Anyway, for the record, this is Lake Newport.  May it never return.  I do not like being without running water.  So thankful for our little hoard in the garage, because you just never know.

Wednesday Afternoon

On Wednesday we drove all over the Leelanau Peninsula.

I haven't been all that many places in my life, but I cannot fathom that there are many places as beautiful as this.

If you do not know where it is, just hold up your left hand.  See your pinky finger?  That would be Michigan's Leelanau Peninsula.

So easy to find, even from space.

The thrill for me was when we passed this stunningly beautiful wood covered in trillium.

Thankfully, I am married to someone who will turn around, drive by several times, and not complain when I have to take pictures, pictures, and even more pictures.

This wood was on Peterson Rd, on our way to Peterson Park, in between cherry orchards and directly across from a cute little goat farm.
  

It's Been Awhile Since I've Done One of These

TODAY I AM:

Wearing:  Jeans and a short-sleeved shirt.  And no socks.  Although the thermostat is set at a constant 63 degrees I am fine this way.  

Reading:  Last night I finished Jane Austen's "The Watsons".  Today I'm reading, and greatly enjoying, Susan Branch's new book about her and her husband's trip to England titled "A Fine Romance".  I'm loving it!

Watching:  There are 10 Civil War Journals on the DVR waiting for me if I feel like watching something today.  Well, something other than Caillou.

Playing:  I've been playing the piano a lot lately.  Mostly Christmas music.  And a bit of Beethoven, as Jonge has been learning about him in his music class.  So far I've been able to impress him by playing Fur Elise and Moonlight Sonata.  I haven't yet found the music for Beethoven's Fifth, but the Exersaucer I bought for Broeder plays that.

Eating:  Last night for dinner THGGM heated up pea soup from a can.  This is because once all the grandkids go home for the night we are tired and have no inclination to do anything at all but sit.  Today we may be a bit more adventurous.  But then again, maybe not.

Drinking:  Right there, next to me, on a stack of books is my mug of Pumpkin Spice coffee.  It is what keeps me going.  Well, that and Steenstra's St. Claus cookies.  But I seem to have run out of those.

Wondering:  Who called at 8:11 this morning and woke me up?  And on my only morning this week that I did not need to get up at 6:30.  The caller ID on our new phones doesn't register a call on caller ID for several hours.  What is the point of that?  

Praying:  For several acquaintances suffering from severe health issues.  And for the Philippines.

Making:  Not much lately.  I'm still working on the Snowmen bottles, which involves crocheting little scarves and hats.  And for Hertsje I've been drawing pictures of her and Broeder that she seems to enjoy coloring over the top of.  

Perusing:  Pinterest.  I spend a lot of time looking at ideas on Pinterest.  Lately it's been mostly pictures of Christmas decorating ideas. And craft ideas.  And crochet ideas.  And ideas for the grandkids.  And pictures of soups not from a can.  

Planning:  Presently I am planning to enjoy the upcoming holidays!  I love all of the planning and dreaming and wishing and hoping.  But usually, when the days actually arrive, I'm just plain old tired.  Yet, every year I look forward to it with the same joy and passion.  So, I'm just going to plan to be tired while I'm joyful and passionate. And really, if I weren't tired it wouldn't feel like the holidays!

Feeling:  THANKFUL!

Yay!

We made stuff this morning!

Just look at that lovely mess.

THGGM had his appointment today with the oncologist.

He agreed with the report from last time, that it is an hemangioma and that the worse thing he could do would be to have a biopsy.

So, he will have another scan done in a year and if nothing more has changed with it they will never need to look at it again.

Don't you just love good news?  We are so very thankful.  Livers scare me.  Even the kind that comes with onions.

A Blessed Thanksgiving

My shirt would say "My sister makes the best turkey".

I'm still not all better yet, but I DID make it to Thanksgiving dinner at my sister and brother-in-law's lovely home in Grant, MI.

And a good time was had by all!

My Backyard Is Fenced In!

It's hard to say who's the happiest!

Is it me, or is it Zeke?

It's me!

I've Got Plenty to Be Thankful For

My intentions were never to cover ALL that I'm thankful for, but I did cover a few things.

And with today being the last day of November and all, I would be remiss were I not to include my thanks for The Husband God Gave Me, aka THGGM.

I could just say he's a peach and leave it at that. Which reminds me, when I do call him a peach to his face, I always add that it includes that hard pit where a heart is supposed to be. This makes him laugh.

We've been married for 32 1/2 years and dated for four years before that, so to say we know each other well is an understatement. Quite possibly, we know each other TOO well.

One time, many years ago, someone we knew quite well had it in for THGGM. They wrote down a list of horrible horrible things about him. The only one I can remember now is "He has a proud look". Apparently this was thought to be the Biblical equivalent to "He is an axe murderer". I remember THGGM reading it and saying - I have a proud look? What do I have to be proud of?! We live in an old house in the inner city, drive a light blue station wagon (or whichever car we had at the time), I work as an assistant manager with part time jobs besides, and I am literally a bastard. Which of those do you think give me a "proud look"?

I remember taking the list from him and reading it myself. My thoughts, which of course I chose to express (i'm sensitive like that) were - I know WAAAY more horrible horrible things about you than this, and I still love you.

And this is what he has to put up with me. At least what I'm willing to SHARE about what he has to put up with me.

For the past several years he has actually had to be both of us. Someday maybe there will be a diagnostic name for this 'whatever' I'm experiencing. Be it agoraphobia, anxiety, panic, migraines, transient pains, hormone death, depression, it's greatest fallout doesn't land on me, it lands on him. And he does it all without complaining.

Maybe that's the key to success in our marriage. We know all the stinky crap about each other and still choose to love.

I am thankful for THGGM.

Yes. Yes, I am.

I've Got Plenty to Be Thankful For

I'm thankful today, and every day, that I am constantly reminded of my parents.

Mostly this is apparent in the values they instilled, the faith they possessed, and that stubborn streak of Dutchness that continues to run through the veins of all of their descendants.

Possessions didn't mean a lot to them and they did not accumulate what one would think of as wealth.

When THGGM kindly brought up a basket of laundry for me over the weekend I noticed my dad's handiwork on the handles of the laundry basket.

Seriously? This basket probably cost 99 cents.

If my memory serves me right in the early 1970's our cat had a litter of kittens in this basket.

Look at the repair on the handle!

Can you believe that someone took the time to FIX two broken handles on a forty year old 99 cent laundry basket?

Someone did.

My dad.

I've Got Plenty to Be Thankful For

This is Texas Turtle coffee.

If you have a Cost Plus World Market in your area you can enjoy it too!

They have a coffee club, and on Wednesdays it's cheaper.

It's not an extreme flavored coffee. I would describe it as mild.

It helped take the edge off my migraine.

By afternoon I was feeling fine.

This morning? Words escaped me. In weird ways. It was wonky weird ways word day today in my world.

Whew. Thankful THAT is over with.

I've Got Plenty to Be Thankful For

Ugh. I have a migraine.

Why am I thankful for that you might ask?

Because it has once again been made clear to me that I MUST I simple MUST maintain the balance that has helped hold the dreaded beasts at bay.

Many, many triggers are beyond my control. But not all of them. Today I messed up on the ones within my control. This makes me angry with myself.

But all it takes is blinding pain to remind me.

Tomorrow is a new day.

I've Got Plenty to Be Thankful For

And I must ask, could YOU do this? --->

Today I am thankful that I am surrounded on a daily basis by honest people.

Honestly.

This week Jonge was laying on my living room rug, when he again summoned me to come smell something.

(He is like his Pake that way - always smelling things.)

I'm not big into smelling things, except for newborn baby heads, flowers and such so I rather boldly chose not to.

Jonge is persuasive.

"Really! Come smell this. PLEASE!"

"No. I don't want to."

"But you should."

"And why should I?"

"Because it smells like a petting zoo."

This, my friends, is how you know it's time to get your carpets cleaned.

Sadly, he did not say this in a bad way. He does LIKE petting zoos.

If you think that made me want to smell it you are sadly mistaken.

I'm going to take his word for it. The carpets shall be cleaned. Soon. Very soon.

I've Got Plenty to Be Thankful For

Let me tell you about my day, for it was WONDROUS!

I am ever so thankful that my tradition for the Friday after Thanksgiving is to stay at home.

ALL DAY.

I never left the house.

Of course, I rarely leave my house, but that's beside the point.

I did not go shopping.

My morning was spent on the couch. A very comfortable couch. A mug of coffee in my hand, a soft quilt and a warm dog on my lap, a pile of Christmas magazines on my end table and this view of the living room in front of me.

Oh, and I took a nap! Ahhh.

Daughter had to work today, but she came for lunch in the afternoon. Youngest Son came for coffee and pumpkin roll. I had more coffee again with him. Daughter cannot presently tolerate coffee. We understand, and waited until after she went back to work before making a pot - of Texas Turtle coffee. YUM.

The rest of the afternoon, besides routine tasks, I did some more Christmas decorating. Still thinking I will put a large-ish tree in the kids room. The big tree will go in the basement family room again this year. That should not be too hard as it is still decorated and waiting in the laundry.

Tonight? Pizza Hut was kind enough to cook for us. It is presently cold and blowy and I'm happy to have spent the night in the den, again with a soft quilt and a warm dog, watching HGTV.

So thankful for heat. And that there is nothing in this world I want badly enough to leave my home on a day like this to shop.

No Black Friday shopping for me. Just hearth and home.

Tomorrow? Now that's another story!

I've Got Plenty to Be Thankful For

Thanksgiving dinner with family and friends!

I've Got Plenty to Be Thankful For

Grandchild Number Four is on the way!!!

Jonge took a look at this picture and noted that it looks like a dog.

Of course, the actual picture is a bit clearer than my picture of the picture, but I can see a skippy little puppy in the picture too.

Only eight weeks along Daughter was able to listen to the heart beat already!

Oh, yes! I've got plenty to be thankful for.

I've Got Plenty to Be Thankful For

So very thankful that Jonge LET me take his picture today. Quite a few pictures, actually.

He still has the industrial strength cowlick passed down from his Pake's genes.

He has such a kind heart and a sensitive spirit.

And he NEVER forgets ANYTHING.

Yes. Very thankful to capture a picture of Jonge today!

I've Got Plenty to Be Thankful For

Some good breaks in the clouds allowing for a few minutes of picture taking in the afternoon. Kado is the only one who still tolerates my taking his picture.

Although by the looks of these, I do believe that maybe he was just too tired to care.

Kado just may be the most cuddly kissable baby I have ever known. By his age most kids are saying down. Kado says "Off!" which I learned today actually means "Up!".

So, I pick him up and we watch for big trucks out the window.