Thanksgiving Weekend

 The weather was great and we wanted to take advantage of it!!!  On Friday we went for a ride around the church and around the parking lot.   On Saturday, we had 2 friends over . . . more bike riding and . . .

 more playing outside and inside.   This picture below of them playing dress up made me smile since I have a picture somewhere of the little girls mom (Kerrie L) and her sisters and me and my sister - dressed up in dance recital outfits YEARS ago.  (:

 D got to go to Lexington on Saturday to see U.K. BEAT Tennessee!!!!  Go Cats!!!!  I hear it's a first in 27 years!!!!  He had fun hanging out with his brother and sister.  (:   And great weather for it!!!!

Thanksgiving Day

 B made the "eat more cow" sign  to go with a craft she colored at school - she found it very amusing!  And Z wrote he's thankful for "Food because we won't starve.  Jesus because he made us."   (: 

 Ak saw the raw turkey on the stove waiting . . . and she imitated the pose.  We all laughed with her!  (:   The waiting outside took awhile . . . D decided to deep fry the bird this year  . . . I was all about someone else being responsible for it!!!!  And freeing up my oven space!  (: 

Finally the oil got hot enough to put the bird in . . . but it was past our desired eating time . . . so we ate while it cooked!  I didn't mind a bit since I wasn't planning on eating any turkey - not with all the other choices!!! 

Em - see my centerpiece above . . . Mr. Fruit Gobbler didn't materialize like intended . . . but the kids had fun putting fruit on the sticks anyway - mabye again next year . . .

 Here we all are eating!!!  We altered my families tradition a little (Mom, we all voted and want it to continue when you return) . . . uncooked corn kernals are still placed on everyone's plate - but instead of counting our blessings while the food gets cold before eating - we prayed, dished up, and then went around and said things we are thankful for while we ate!  (:   (you place a kernel in the bowl and it gets passed around.)  Helps include everyone in the same conversation!    We all had a lot to be grateful for!!!   I was thankful no one was mad that the turkey wasn't ready!

But finally it was and it was nice golden and juicy they all said.  It was served with dessert.  (: 

The kids played pin the hat on the turkey . . . and

 No Lowe function would be complete with out some type of card game - - - this one is simple and the kids can play and they were happy to do it! 

Then the wishbone . . . Z won.  (: 

I'm thankful D took all the leftover meat off the bone!!!

I'm thankful for all those that were able to come and for those family members who didn't.

I'm thankful for the traditions of my parents and the 7 Kernals we pass around via email.
I'm thankful for the list of things my kids said as I asked them while writing down in their journals . . . they are good thinkers!

Life is good.

Novemberish Things . . .

 Storyhour craft . . .                                      Joy School story she made up . . .

For this Joy School day - I was teaching and I had a turkey craft planned.   V brought in a magazine with a craft idea to make a lion.  His mom had warned me and said it was okay to say no - but we were talking about the "Joy of being Creative" so I didn't care if he wanted to make it.  L was "to hungry" to do the craft - so V made it for him!  (:   L's mom was disaapointed since my craft was cool - made me feel good.  (:

And never fear - dress up is still going on around here!   These coats inspired a reinactment of Little Red Riding Hood!   (:   Love to see stuff like that take place with simple props!

for my dad

Dad, I just now saw this picture online and wanted to show you!  Funny huh?!   (:   I figured this was a good way for you to show you - I will delete it when I my next post - so let me know you've seen it!  (:  

p.s.  it's a sink!  (:

Ribbons!

At Joy School last week, it was my turn to teach - we talked about the joy of being creative!  For one of our activities - I borrowed a bunch of sticks with long ribbons attached and as we listened to some classical music we made them twirl, then marched and danced around!   The kids really liked it!

When my other two got home from school and saw them still out - they went right to them and we turned on the music again before starting their homework.   Reminded me when my sister and I used to prance around to classical music with no ribbons ( Em - vivid memory at our 2nd house in Germany to Cannon in D!)   (:

Reflection . . .

We had our stake conference last month where Quentin L. Cook came!   To those who don't know what that means to me:   We had a special church meeting where about 8 congregations met at one location and one of the current Twelve Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ spoke!   

At the end of the meeting I wondered if we should try to go shake his hand since I didn't know if we'd ever have this opportunity again to be so close to an Apostle  . . . but I figured there would be a long line . . . and I thought it's okay if we don't do it - we got to SEE him . . . .   but I figured I'd ask my kids if they wanted to or not . . . they said yes to do it!   So we made our way to the front and there wasn't much of a line - just lots of people - so we made our way up to him.    He shook each of my kids hands and asked them their names.   Then he looked at me, shook my hand and said, "Thanks Mom" !!!!   I felt as if the Savior himself was thanking me for my efforts of the morning!!!!  To get my kids ready, to drive them an hour, to sit with them for two whole hours listening to speakers with no toys - just crayons and paper, to hee-haw with them after the meeting so they didn't just run loose, and to walk them up to the front to shake an Apostles hand!!!  "THANKS MOM!!!!"   I wanted to go shout it to all the moms!     In that moment  I was so happy that we had come and thought that perhaps he was thanking me for all I do as a mom - everyday!!!   I felt kind of giddy inside and couldn't stop smiling.  The Lord is aware of us and is appreciative of our efforts in trying to raise a righteous generation.   

I wanted to come home and blog about it - but I got busy in the mom stuff I do and tonight while reading scripture with my children - I remembered I had not done this yet!!!  (:     He wasn't the best ever speaker and he didn't have these grand things to reveal to us . . . but he had the spirit with him and I could feel it!  I could feel it in the back of the room and it got stronger as I got closer to him.    He didn't ask for his position and he seemed very humble.   He wants to serve his Savior and he is a special witness of Him.   

And truth be told after reflecting on the event --  one or more of my children didn't say their name loudly or maybe they didn't say it at all to him and I think I said it to him . . . so  perhaps he was thanking me just  for my help in answering his quesion of "what's your name?"  but I remember thinking his simple "Thanks mom" meant more than that!!!!  (:  That's my story (feelings) and I'm sticking to it!!!  

Bike Ride!

The kids have been riding around the yard A LOT!   D took the kids on a ride down the street - twice - they loved it!   We hope to do more of this!  Riding bikes is still very exciting and new around here!!!

CD giveaway contest!!!! Beautiful Heartbreak!

Click here to see a touching video!!!

I've entered another of my friend's contests for a free CD!  (:  You can too - if you go to her blog  (link below) and follow her directions.  (:   

Click here for Cari's Hillary Weeks CD giveaway! Tissues Please!



I liked watching the video to "Beautiful Heartbreak"!   It's a touching video to me.   I liked seeing Stephanie Nielson's family on there.   A dear friend of mine introduced to me NieNie's blog (the girl in the video who had 80% of her body burned in an airplane crash) and I've been following her blog ever since.  Also -I liked seeing Mariama Kallon on there without her hat!  (she lost her family during a war)   At two Time Out for Women Retreats - I have been able to hear Mariama Kallon speak.  AMAZING STORY!!!!   She's from Sierra Leone, Africa, and she lived through some horrific experiences.   Horrific!   I remember standing and clapping when she was done speaking thinking - this is a long way from her old life = here with a conference center full of women giving her a standing ovation! 

I've been thinking a lot lately about how things that happen in this life can draw us closer to our Heavenly Father - even the sad stuff.  I heard a song (Blessings)  by a Christian artist on the radio recently and it made me cry in the car.  Heavenly Father no doubt hears our prayers but he lets us go through the rough times so we can cry on his shoulder and we can feel His love.    I'm not sure we would feel it to the magitude that we can if we only have happy memories.  (have to have the bitter to appreciate the sweet?)   Those women I talked about above - terrible things happened to them!  But they didn't let it make them  bitter people  for the rest of their lives!  They have come to rely on the Lord, felt his love, and are sharing it with others.  That amazes and inspires me!

 
The Chorus to "Blessings" by Laura Story

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops

What if Your healing comes through tears

What if a thousand sleepless nights

Are what it takes to know You’re near

What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise.

Click here to hear "Blessings"
Don't ever give up!  a "thousand nights" is a lot of nights!!!  but do what it takes to heal and feel His love!  Our view is limited of what we see - HE sees it all!