Thanksgiving Lasagna

Thanksgiving in our house starts off like anyone else's.  

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and Black Friday ads.

That is where the similarities end. 

In our house, Thanksgiving is about eating what we love, what we crave, what Momma has seen posted on facebook and just has to make it.  This year:

Thanksgiving Lasagna!

Strategically I used a slightly smaller pan then what was called for so we had enough ingredients leftover to make a second smaller lasagna for the freezer.  

After yet another disappointing Lions game, it was time to eat!

I may have overcooked the bread, but if that is the only thing wrong, then I think it was a successful holiday dinner!

 Happy Thanksgiving!!

TSO

Eight years ago Jim bought us tickets to see Trans-Siberian Orchestra.  We were the sixth row back and it was absolutely amazing.  I loved it so much that I went back to see them again a few years later....

,,,aannnnd again this year.  But this year I brought Bree for her first concert experience.

There were lights.

There were flames.

There was lightning and fireworks.

And lots of amazing music and entertainment!

Zoo-ing It

We don't always have a Zoo membership.  

Even if we do, we don't always use it to its full extent.

But this year we had a membership and the weather was mildly warm enough so in the wise words of Clark Griswold:

"We're kicking off our fun old fashioned family Christmas by heading out into the country in the old front-wheel drive sleigh to embrace the frosty majesty of the winter landscape and visit that most important of Christmas symbols."

Bree, your eyes are closed.  Lets take another one.

Yeah.... that's a better one...

Gift Giving

I have been the recipient of many wonderful Christmas gifts already this year.

 Some even as early as October!

You really know the way to this girl's heart.

Giving Thanks First

 The Sunday before the holiday is our first Thanksgiving.  

And what a big one it is.

A little pick-me up is usually needed halfway through all that celebrating.  

Happy almost Thanksgiving!

F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

High school friends.  Life long friends.

Friends that we don't speak the actual number of years we've know each other because there is no way we are that old yet!!

Old School

Sometimes you just need to move the couch up to the tv, order some chinese food, get rid of the kids....

 

... and have an adult only video game night.

Ending

Bree's volleyball "season" has come to an end.  For the past 8 weeks, the girls have been practicing and fine-tuning their skills in preparation for the school's volleyball team try-outs next summer.  Bree has talked about wanting to play on a team for many years and this Parks and Rec opportunity has given her a chance to learn and grow.  Now the ball is in her court (pun intended) to continue to practice on her own and be ready to show her value to the team and to the coach.  But until next summer comes, we have a lot of work to do.

Not Sick

No one in the house is sick.  Yet.  There are small complaints of tummy pains but nothing ever comes of it and it never stops them from running and playing and eating and more.

Until bedtime...

That's when we stay up an hour past our bedtime whining and crying about the pains.  The logic that she has to stay up because her tummy only hurts when she's laying down is used to counter any wise parental advise on what to do to feel better. When all else fails, we give in to her demand to "stay up" instead of laying down to sleep. 

However, I do believe this compromise has already began to backfire.  Upon waking up I was informed to not move the beanbag chair because she wants to sleep like that all the time now.  

Growing Up

It's this girl's for real birthday today.

This time it is a low key family celebration.

Soup, fresh baked bread, and the first cheese ball of the season.

And, of course, a few presents.  

Most importantly - a new village piece.

This village piece is not like the others in her collection.  This handmade plastic canvas treasure comes already filled with history and memories from Great Grandma Graham.  It is a reminder of simpler days past and how a little imagination can go a long way.

Happy birthday, Breezey-girl.  May your love of books continue to carry you to far away places while keeping your feet on the ground.  May your fiesty, sassy personality get you want in life.  And may your ability to laugh at yourself never diminish.  

Problem Solved

It was a typical Sunday morning.

We got up, ate breakfast, worked together as a family to reset the house after a wonderfully busy weekend.  That is when we noticed one of our neighbors parked by our car with their trunk open.

When dropping Bree off to us from church, a neighbor saw that the front driver's side tire of our car was flat. We wouldn't have noticed it from the house and when it would be discovered would be when we needed the car to leave.  So they did the neighborly thing - they came back with a tire-inflator and air pressure tools to fix it for us.  

They saw a problem and took care of it.  

We need more of this in the world today.  

Zoup

Birthday celebrations continue for Bree today!

Today was about experiences and quality time with Aunt Becki.  Biggby to start the roadtrip, real make-up shopping at Ulta, impulse buying at Kohls, slime ingredient browsing at JoAnn Fabrics, and lunch at Zoup!

There was no real agenda for the day making it a laid back trip - just what a girl's shopping day is supposed to be. 

Slumber Times

Bree's birthday is on Monday so we began celebrating a little early with a small sleepover.  

They baked cupcakes, decorated them with fondant, and did a slime make-over.

Their conversations were.... interesting.  

Their energy was endless.  

Their laughter was contagious.  

Hopefully their memories will be as wonderful as they are.

Ahead of the Game

In stressful times you will hear me say I just need to "get through" this week of appointments or "get through" this sports season or "get through" this long list of to-dos.  But.  You will never hear me say that I need to "get through" the Christmas season.  Christmastime should not be stressful.  It should be a time of peace and being present and I will do anything in my power to keep it that way.  Including making my Christmas cookie dough in November so its ready to bake on a moments notice during the holiday season.

Double batch of Chocolate Chip cookies and triple batch of Sugar Cookies mixed, bagged, and in the freezer awaiting some magical day or night when we will rock out to Christmas carols while making a variety of sweet treats.  

I cannot wait!

Wild Birds

During the summer, food for the birds seems endless. 

During the winter, I feel compelled to end every last dime feeding the small winged creatures.  

Let bird seed season commence.  

SNOW DAY!

The First Snow Day of the 2019-2020 school year is here!

And Holly is not going to waste a minute of it!

Pre-Holiday

Pre-holiday snow is thee BEST!

The snow is gently falling and has begun to coat everything.  Someone around me is burning in their fireplace which makes any trips outside a delight to the senses.  Two soups are lined up for dinner and Home Alone is in the DVD player awaiting the children to get home from school.  Sewing projects are prepped and ready to be attacked as well as two wood projects are ready to cut out and get their first coat of paint tonight all while listening to the first Christmas book of the season.  My body is hyped up on the three cups of coffee I drank trying to keep warm and everything in the air is screaming....

CHRISTMAS IS ALMOST HERE!!!!

Gearing Up

The forecast for the week is calling for snow, like 3-5 inches of the beautiful white stuff - in November!!  Which means its time to batten down the hatches and do the final prep work for the winter.  Bikes need put away, lawn chairs need put away, the yard needs a final mowing and mulching so the snow has a clean space to land...  

Divide and Conquer

Today was a divide and conquer day.

Holly was invited to her first real birthday party complete with friends from school!

At the exact same time and in a different city, Bree and Jake had an end of year 4-H party complete with achievement and recognition awards, pins, and financial gain!

So we divided the kids.  We conquered the day.  

We came back together for a game night.

What a wonderful way to end a busy day.

Kenmore

The Christmas tree is up (in the bedroom)!!

There is nothing like the soft glow of the lights to spur desire and motivation to bust out the sewing machine and begin the first homemade presents of the year.