Thanksgiving

I love this picture of the three red-headed boy cousins playing separately.

Evie was off to the side inspecting the football.

It was Thanksgiving, after all!

Evie was actually putting the cars back into the car case.

Splendid, my girl, splendid.

Already falling into the role as 'straightener.'

Blaize:  "Hey, I wasn't finished with that yet!"

My sister Kelly had planned some fun crafts for Simon and Alex.

She had also made them some "ears of corn" filled with candy.

Mom finishing some side dishes once the turkey was out.

I have to tell a funny story involving mom.

Late Thanksgiving night (maybe 10 or so) we were still at my parents house, watching a couple of Brian Regan videos.  My sister commented that she needed to go to be soon, she was tired....because Mom had woken her up BEFORE 7 a.m. to .................. set the table!

Mom was so anxious to start crossing things off the "to-do" list.

She recruited Kelly.

Kelly was to vacuum, clean the hall bath, and set the table.

Since it was before 7 a.m. and everyone was still asleep (ruled out vacumming) and hadn't showered (ruled out cleaning the bathrooms), Kelly was woken up to merely set the table!  Ha! 

Our friends from GFA joined us on Thanksgiving!

Dad carving the bird.

Simon,  Alex, and Boomer (Tania's) all enjoying their respective treats.

Simon commented that they were having a picnic.

Nutritious.

Standing behind her sister Tahlla (sorry if I mispelled) is Scott's fiance Tania !

A group shot that unfortunately cut out Tania's mom and half of Scott :(

Tania's father, Zach, my sister Kelly, and her husband Corey.

Post-dinner recreation.

We were walking to a nearby field for a Turkey Bowl.

Matt had asked to bring along the camera from the office to practice filming some 'action' and to get to know some of the settings better.

Simon and Alex played well together!

Simon was able to stay at Gigi's Thursday night which made for some fun Friday morning memories, I'm sure, with his cousins Alex and Blaize!

Corey, Blaize & Kelly

Matt's retreat after our loss at football!

We teamed up with some friends and supporters that lived across the street from the 'field.'

Ava scored a turkey leg on her First Thanksgiving.

I bet there will be pictures of that soon on their family blog!

Blaize enjoying some down time with his mommy.

Snappyshots

Simon and his friend Hudson eating lunch outside!

They played outside (two plus hours) his entire visit!

I am so thankful for the porch!

Auntie Pam gave Simon this cute haircut. 

Yesterday at the volleyball game, Simon was trying to get Pam's attention.

Later, he told me that he wanted to marry Pam!  I asked why and he said, because she's not married.  I hated to tell him that she, in fact, is married.

A quote from "Streams in the Desert"

"Whatever it is that presses thee, go tell the Father;

put the whole matter over into His hand, and so shalt thou be freed from that dividing, perplexing care that the world is full of.  When thou art either to do or suffer anything, when thou art about any purpose or business, go tell God of it, and acquaint Him with it; yes, burden him with it, and thou hast done for matter of caring; no more care, but quiet, sweet, diligence in thy duty, and dependence on Him for the carriage of thy matters.  Roll thy cares, and thyself with them, as one burden, all on thy God"  (-- R. Leighton)

I love Costco's shopping carts that are designed for two kids!

Thank  you, Cost-co, for everything!

I give you "two thumbs up!"

And more, from Streams in the Desert, from last week's readings

"God deals with impossibilities.  It is never too late for Him to do so, when the impossible is brought to Him, in full faith, by the one in whose life and circumstances the impossible must be accomplished if God is to be glorified.  If in our own life there have been rebellion, unbelief, sin, and disaster, it is never too late for God to deal triumphantly with these tragic facts if brought to Him in full surrender and trust.  It has often been said, and with truth, that Christianity is the only religion that can deal with man's past.  God can "restore .... the years that the locust hath eaten...."  (Joel 2:25); and he will do this when we put the whole situation and ourselves unreservedly and believingly into His hands.  Not because of what we are but because of what He is.  God forgives and heals and restores.  He is "the God of all grace."  Let us praise Him and trust Him.  (attributed to Sunday School Times)

"We have a God who delights in impossibilities."  Nothing is too hard for Him -- Andrew Murray

Simon and I enjoyed some time on the courts Sunday afternoon.  We were all by ourselves, with four courts!  And the weather was gorgeous!  Simon can't play tennis - yet!  

Well, he is pretty good at wii tennis, actually!

"The tests of life are to make, not break us.  Trouble may demolish a man's business but build up his character.  The blow at the outward man may be the greatest blessing to the inner man.  If God, then, puts or permits anything hard in our lives, be sure that the real peril, the real trouble, is what we shall lose if we flinch or rebel. -- Maltbie D. Babcock, also from "Streams in the Desert" selections

Be still my heart!

Simon loves the harmonica.

I have to get a video of him playing it out on the porch.

It's timeless entertainment !

My  laundry room and adjoining kitchen are a mess in the video b/c we had a plumbing problem last week!  Matt fixed it, though!  He borrowed some advice from a couple of gfa men and a 'snake' from a gfa family, experimented with a roof-strategy and an outside-strategy, and a couple of hours later, he had cleared our pipes himself, saving us a plumber's fees, and he learned a new skill!  

Weekend Pictures

Evie enjoys playing with baby dolls and stuffed animals that wear pink.

We have new-to-us furniture that forced us to rearrange!

I've been looking for a coffee table for a loong time and we found one that met our needs.

We wanted a coffee table big enough for games to be played on and big enough that it seemed like the 'table' for both the couch and the chair.

This coffee table is approximately 4 feet by 3 feet!

It came with a set - the two end tables and the sofa table that we're using as a side-desk.

I saw this exact set listed by someone on Craigslist for $300, but another Craigster  sold us the set for $50 !

The catch - it comes with a VERY unintentional distressed look :)

We thought about refinishing them but we kind of like the scruffy look.

Less to worry about !

Simon doesn't ask to hold Evie much, so I had to snap a picture.

Photoshoot after Saturday night church.

I just thought she looked too adorable and like a little lady.

I feel like Old Navy should be paying us for marketing -

Her pose is too much!

Me letting Hosea win.

Just kidding.

He won fair and square.

The guys on Friday night.

Could Timmy's smile be sweeter and more genuine?

I think not.

This was not fair and not right.

Ava would not take a bottle from moi, and Matt got to be the angel of milk for Ava.

Evie and Ava on Friday night.

We weighed them and they weighed the same -19 lbs.

I know our scales are off, but it was funny that they weigh the same, Evie at 13 months and Ava at 5.  Ava looks just PERFECT and sleeps great (bonus of healthy babies)  Evie looks PERFECT too and could work on her sleep skills a bit.  

Oh, at the doctor's office on Monday Evie weighted just 17 lbs - so our scales are off by two pounds!  Yes!  Good news for me!

The girls playing in their own way.

Simon and Evie had their well check ups this week - back to back late Monday afternoon.

They each received 3 out of the 6 recommended shots.  I thought 6 was a little much.  We'll be back in a few months to get the remainders.

Simon is in 75 % for weight and the 98% for height.

Evie is in the 3 % for weight and the 75 % for height.

They both cried like babies with the shots.

And Evie is not sleeping well since and is super cranky.  Yes!  She is terrifically cranky as I try and give thanks in all circumstances!