Giving Thanks For the Good Stuff...

Thanksgiving was a really wonderful day in our home.

The day before I made our usual two pumpkin pies and an apple pie.  (I think next year we might make two apple pies -- I made an exceptional apple pie this year --if I do say so myself-- and it went so fast we should have had two!) I also did the sweet potatoes and the green bean casserole ahead of time so it only required reheating on Thanksgiving.  That turned out to be a really good plan and I don't know why I hadn't thought of doing that in previous years.   

On Thanksgiving Day Andrew came over.  It was really good to see him again.  He's been busy working and we really hadn't seen him much over the past few months.  But we were really glad that he accepted the invitation to come to have dinner with us.  I think he grows taller every time we see him! 

In honor of Jordan I had to have Brazil nuts. :)  I do love them but to actually shell them yourself takes brute force and these days brute force is hard to come by for me with my still nagging tennis elbow that I've had for 3 months now.  (I did finally go to the doctor and was put on an anti-inflammatory for it.  It really helped while I was taking it but once the medicine was gone it was back to hurting a lot more.)    

After calls to and from family we had dinner just about on time. :)  Something always seems to delay the meal but we did pretty good with getting everything out and ready for our 2:00 meal time. 

This year we decided (at Annah's suggestion) to use some beautiful etched glasses that came from Hawaii. We received them as a wedding gift almost 25 1/2 years ago and aside from an anniversary or two, we have never used them. We met in Hawaii so they do have special significance! The bases are thick glass but the body of the glass is thin so it scares me to use them thinking they will get broken.

But this year when Annah asked about using them I thought, "Why not?"  Really, what is the point of saving the "good stuff" and never use it?  We save the "good stuff" for those special occasions but really, what more of a special occasion do we need than to have as many of our family members as could be  gathered together for a day of giving thanks for all that God has blessed us with?  I can't think of anything more fitting for the "good stuff"!  

And speaking of the "good stuff", Tim had the errand of going to the linen closet upstairs and bringing some sort of doily for under the center piece for the table.  He came down with a doily that my Grandmother Vroman had crocheted.  My first thought was, "We can't use that -- it's too special."  But reconsidering I said, "Yes, let's use it! It will be perfect."  And it was -- unraveling parts and all.  My grandmother, who was born in 1901 and passed away in 1987 at the age of 86, made that and it is very special so why not use it for our thankful day? 

Later in the day the missionaries called to ask if they could stop by.  Last Sunday I had asked if they had somewhere to eat on Thanksgiving Day and while they did have a place to go, I told them if something happened and it fell through that they could come over to eat with us.  Their invitation didn't fall through but they decided to come by and share part of their day with us.  We were more than happy to have them (and feed them pie!) as it reminded us of our own missionary son. Maybe someone in Brazil is deciding to care for the missionaries there as we care for the missionaries here.  That is my prayer as a mother. 

We ended our day with a phone call to Tim and Lisa in Arizona.  The first time we called they were eating dinner so we waited to hear from them when they were done with their meal.  It was good to talk with them again and catch up! 

We had a lovely day filled with good people, good conversation, good food and so many things to be thankful for. 



"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts...and be ye thankful."

~Colossians 3:15~

Field Trip...

Tim announced on Saturday that he was taking the girls on a field trip.  

They were all excited and asked him where he was taking them.  They wanted to know how far away it was and when they were going. Their facial expressions changed when he said it was a field trip in the house.  When they asked again where they were going and after some thoughtful thinking he replied, "To the land of running waters."  The guessing began. 

"Are we going to have to CLEAN something?" 

"You're going to make us clean the shower, aren't you?" 

"Are you going to make us clean the toilet?"    

Their agitation was brewing.  They wanted to know right then and there where their "field trip" was to.  Finally the time came when Tim decided it was time to disclose the location of their destination.  

He asked the girls to follow him, leading them from the entry way, through the living room, through the computer room, into the kitchen, into the hallway that leads back to the entry way.

 

They were not amused. 

Off the hallway is a half bath.  Tim stopped and opened the door and invited them into "the land of running waters."

They groaned. 

Still not knowing what the field trip was for Tim began with Exhibit A..........

The eye rolling and sighing began as Tim explained that this was NOT the proper way to put toilet paper on the roll. Then step by step he explained and demonstrated exactly HOW to replace the toilet paper roll! BWHAHAHAHA!  

(Below is the demonstration in progress.

I so should have been video taping it!!!)

 So they watched and frowned and tried to be irritated and even snickered a few times.

Just when the girls thought the field trip was over Tim announced that they couldn't come out of the bathroom until each of them demonstrated their ability to properly replace the toilet paper roll for themselves! 

More groans. 

At first they refused. 

Then they found out just how serious their tour guide was....

"If you don't do it you will lose computer." 

They still weren't budging.

"If you don't do it you will lose the computer and the TV."

Still not convinced.

"If you don't do it you will lose computer, TV and no ice cream tonight."

That was the tipping point....for Annah.

  She announced, "You can take away the computer and the TV but don't take away my ice cream!"  

Abigail, on the other hand, was still holding out.  She was in the bathroom for a while.  I opened the door to see this.... 

       Her and the cat just hanging out. 

I asked if she did what she needed to do and she replied yes.  I looked in around the corner and this is what I saw..... 

I guess sometimes you just have to roll with it! :)   

Bidding October Goodbye...

"Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns."

~George Eliot~

(I love this quote by George Eliot -- who, by the way, was a woman!  She wrote under a pen name feeling that her chances of getting published would be

greater if it was thought she was man!) :)

It is hard to believe that it is already November.  It doesn't even feel as though I had time to blink and October is gone.  I suppose it was the busyness of the month that made it go by in a blurr.

Halloween was a confusing event this year. I know, you're thinking, "What's so confusing about Halloween?" Can't be that tough, can it? Well, usually it's not but when Halloween falls on a Sunday it becomes confusing. Some places change the day of Trick or Treating so it is not on the Sabbath Day and other places keep it the same. The real "Trick" is finding out what your particular county has decided to do -- change the day or keep it where it falls. Sounds easy enough...except when your county has two different times....depending on whether you live "in the city" boundaries or "in the county" boundaries.

We've lived here for 15 years and while I've heard the terms of being in the "city" or the "county", I've never known which one we were in. I don't know where that imaginary dividing line between city and county lies, and until this approaching Halloween, I had no need to know. The need to know grew out of the fact that if you lived in the imaginary boundaries of the our little city then your day to Trick or Treat was on Friday night. If you lived beyond the imaginary boundaries of the city and/or lived in the town of Wilmore then your day to Trick or Treat was on Saturday. While those who live in Lexington, the next city over, had their Trick or Treating on Sunday, the actual day of Halloween. Are you with me? Or are you as confused as I was? All you really need to know is that the kids in any of the surrounding areas could really clean up by being able to go Trick or Treating on Friday, Saturday AND Sunday! On top of that, our ward Trunk or Treat Party was also on Friday night! What to do, what to do?

Well, on Friday night we decided to go to the Kelley Farm to go to the corn maze as John and Debra were kind enough to send us a pass for our family to attend!  What a great time we had!  We did both the mazes (the easier one and the harder one) and made it out without needing to call for help. :)  We did a hay ride and had hot chocolate and funnel cakes.  It was a perfect night!

 
And this is the corn maze that we wandered through. Isn't it that amazing?!


The Alltec World Equestrian Games were held in Lexington, Kentucky in October so in honor of the games this is the maze they made!  We look forward to seeing what they do for next year!

We had such a good time! 

And so did Jacob when he went to a church Halloween dance in this costume...

He won the prize for the scariest costume!  BWHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

A Year in His Life....

This blog post was supposed to be published on October 21st which was Jordan's year mark for being on his mission. But due to circumstances beyond my control I couldn't publish it then. I had to make an emergency trip back to NY where my mother was hospitalized after having several mini-strokes. I returned home to Kentucky after 5 days with my mother much improved and out of the hospital. :) So in honor of Jordan's one year out on his mission here is the post...

A year ago today we saw Jordan off to the airport, headed for Provo, Utah, to the MTC to begin his life as a missionary.

I remember that day well. We had over slept because Tim's phone alarm was on silent from being in a meeting to set Jordan apart the night before. Because we were so late Jordan never even got to eat breakfast before we sent him out the door for the next two years. Talk about guilt.

Jordan was in the MTC for 7 weeks when his visa came so he left for Brazil a week before Christmas. It was so good to talk with him when he was at the airport in New York and then again a week later when we talked to him on Christmas Day in Brazil. And of course there was Mother's Day. :)

There is not a day that goes by that I don't think of Jordan. Each day I am reminded of the need to pray for him as he serves the people of Brazil. He is becoming so aware of the need to depend upon his Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ for his ability to share the gospel message.

He has seen many baptisms, which is a wonderful thing, but he also knows that baptism are just the beginning for those he teaches, just as I think he is learning that his mission is just the beginning for him.

So he begins his final year in Brazil with a determination to do even more than he has done in his first year. He is happy serving and growing. And we are happy that is he is happy serving and growing.

Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. ~Proverbs 3: 13~

It Makes Me Smile...

I do love the fall. The cooling temperatures are such a welcome relief from the scorching summer heat. I love the changing scenery with the leaves making their move from green to varied hues of yellow, red, and brown.

A sure sign of fall for the girls is when the date of the family camp out is announced at church. They can hardly contain themselves as they wait for the day to come.

The thought of the family camp makes me smile. Maybe it's simply due to the fact that year after year we drag out our BIG tent (nick named the Taj Mahal because of its size) and go for a single night of camping. (This year as Tim and Jacob put the tent up Tim was heard to say, "I think I need a hack saw!" HAHAHAHA! One of these days we seriously need to downsize now that our family is decreasing.)

Maybe it makes me smile because we don't even rough it by cooking. We bring KFC or pizzas we picked up on the way. :) We do make smores so that has to count for something.

Maybe I smile because each year we barely sleep all night long just waiting for the sun to greet us and warm us. Then we spend the remainder of the day at home scouting for an opportunity to catch a NAP!

Maybe it makes me smile to think that we force ourselves to lay on the hard ground in our not warm enough sleeping bags (in serious need of replacing) wondering if we will be able to stand up in the morning due to every muscle in our bodies being strained and aching.

Maybe I smile as each year it is a reminder that we are not as young as we use to be.

Or maybe I smile because of the howling coyotes that were in the field just behind our tent that had those of us awake on edge! After they were long gone and the sun was rising up, Abigail whispered, "Mom! Mom!" Coming out of my cold induced mind fog I groaned, "What?" She said, "There's something walking behind our tent and I think it's a coyote!!" ...and I smiled.

Truth be told the camp out isn't that bad. Tim and I look forward to it simply because the kids do. They love sleeping in the tent, making smores over the fire and the best part is the next day....

We pack up all our things and when everyone else is gone Tim lets the kids drive the van in the big field where we camped. THAT is the real draw of the camp out.

And yes, it makes me smile. :)

Police Reports and Warrants...

A little more family humor....

Most of us in the family are pretty up standing...really we are. That's why we were surprised to find this in our parent's filing cabinet some months ago....

Police Reports and Warrants?

Really?

Okay so maybe not so upstanding!

*We think the police reports folder was for any accident that my father had over the years while driving his semi truck and the warrants? Well, we'd like to think that my mother meant WARRANTIES.... Yay, we'll go with that!

Whatch Ya Gonna Do When They Come for You?

There is a story in our family that I find hysterical. My father (pictured here) does not.

In an attempt to preserve it for posterity I wanted to write it down. No one can tell the story like my father but I will try.

My brother, Mark, was someone that always seemed to find trouble. If he didn't find it, it found him.

One of the times trouble was brewing Mark landed in jail with no Get Out of Jail Free card. I don't even recall what he was in jail for that time but my father would go to visit him in the Big House periodically.

Sometimes he would take things to Mark. He would have to go through security where my father would hand over a bag, the guards would check it then okay the contents as being things that Mark could have.

On one particular visit on October 26, 1982, my father signed in to see Mark and handed over a grocery bag of items to be o.k.'d to be given said prisoner.

Shortly after giving the bag to the guard, a man came out and asked if my father would come with him. He followed the man into a room where the thought that he was going to see Mark but instead they began questioning him about what items he was bringing into the jail.

As they grilled him on what he was bringing to Mark, they pulled something out of the bag he had brought with him in the bag. Holding up an item they asked, "What about this?"

The man was holding a HACK SAW! (BWHAHAHAHAHA!)

My father was stunned! He said he could feel the blood drain from his face. Instantly he started sweating while trying to tell them that he had no idea how a HACK SAW got into the bag he was bringing into the jail! As he stammered his plea of ignorance it went from bad to worse when more people were brought into the room. The seriousness of the situation was growing! In the end they arrested my father for "promoting prison contraband"....thus the above mugshots! :D

For months my father remained in a fog of confusion about how the hack saw ended up in that bag he brought to the jail that day. He had to hire a lawyer and over the course of months he was in and out of court. The whole time the mystery of the hack saw loomed.

About six month later my father saw his friend, Smitty. He had known Smitty for years and in the course of the conversation Smitty asked,

"Hey Bill, did you ever get the saw I returned to you?"

Smitty continued, "I saw your car parked in front of your house and it was unlocked so I put it in a bag that was in the back seat. Did you find it?"

Did he ever find it! But not in time to avoid being ARRESTED! :)