The Second Thanksgiving

I look at this pic and am reminded once more of how far we've come....how much we've learned in just a year's time. This time last year we were still so naive...so blissfully unaware of the road that lay ahead....all that we would traverse in a mere 12 months. This year children and I light heartedly shopped near barren, holiday grocery store isles preparing for our own little Saturday celebration of thanks. While we purpose to find all the beautiful for which to be thankful and each and every morning as a family daily document, via the Joy Dare, the thousands of gifts we have been given, I am entirely grateful that there is an entire day to just bask in the knowledge and understanding of what we set heart and eyes on every morning. How amazing this day proved to be. Nowhere to be, just us...children, husband and I. Despite many invitations extended to us to join friends and family in their feasts this year we, instead, decided to gather round our own table and just spend this day soaking up each other...cooking and laughing in our tiny  kitchen, children inside outside and everywhere in between. Neighbor kids coming, going, riding bikes, building pine forts, filling home and yard with activity and laughter. Home filled with smells of everything here...pine, heady scents of autumn air, pies, ham, husband nuzzled in neck, kissing, smelling of everything clean and soapy and mountainy fresh and good. How much peace there was this year. How much contentment and absolute freedom to just embrace right here, right now. How much we have been given that we didn't have last year, how many unknowns there still were, how much we already had yet how much more He would pour into our lives this year...an amazing job, finances blessed, relationships in abundance, a support system we had no idea how much we could come to depend on and cherish, wisdom in so many areas we lacked, discernment of people so long needed, cautious and hesitant landlord so many advised us to take to court yet we were taught the rewards of kindness...to go above and beyond when all the world says no, when flesh screams otherwise, when all of self demands justice and what is "owed". And in lessons of humility through so many tears came such unexpected joy, love, fulfillment, freedom, and the soul knowledge of what it is to truly practice kindness and dig yet deeper when all of flesh cries otherwise....compassion for others we could've learned no other way than walking this road and an understanding of the hurt behind what fuels the less than optimal actions of others. How amazing 13 months can be. Oneday our story will be told in its entirety for all the world to know. For now....total peace, supernatural contentment and absolute freedom pervade.

In the meantime....while the blog sits abandoned for weeks on end and we go mysteriously missing....we busy ourselves by playing Ma and Pa Ingalls while axing down our wooded forest for fire wood....yes, we actually do this daily...who knew what this year's winter would entail. But, out of practicality and a little bit...or a lot....of disdain due to childhood fashion we've opted to lay the prairie garb aside. Kids gather buckets of kindling off forest floor, and we busy ourselves with the raking of 50,000 lbs of leaves, roasting marshmallows over leafy bonfires, heading to basketball practices, Scout meetings and church functions while learning to survive in the arctic and warm a house in the frozen tundra. We begin the first of our everyday Christmas school parties and crafts by making garland...stringing popcorn and cranberries, making cinnamon ornaments, bread dough ornaments, gathering pinecones to embellish tree, and, in general, merrily deck the halls in a very homemade, memory making way, since all decorations of Christmas past were lost in basement floods. Already it is proving to be much more fun and memorable by just laughing and creating together....and the house smells seriously amazing. Baby continues to grow quietly nestled and tucked warm within. First trimester is drawing to a close. Due to the massive lack of severity with morning sickness I am thinking we will be adding yet a 9th little man to our little brood. We've decided to have yet another surprise baby so gender will be unknown for yet many more months. Names....no clue. Only hint I can give at this point....it just might start with a G. 

Everybody helps with Thanksgiving Day preparations. Picking grapes for fruit salad. Potty training is going well....still working on the whole underwear aspect of it. Looks a little painful, if you ask me. I'm kinda in love with the BB's sitting next to the apples amidst all the other crap up there.

When the leaves come down....our forested wonderland.

The shelter they constructed out of pine boughs and fallen leaves. 

Working on their shelter deemed hobo tent, which they saw fit to sleep within Thanksgiving night. 

One of Evye's many contributions to dinner. How in love I am with children who can actually cook and create in the kitchen!

On the menu:

Brown sugared ham

homemade mac and cheese

sweet potato casserole....the best ever!

deviled eggs

cheese filled crescent rolls

fruit salad

pimento cheese filled  celery

chocolate pies

pumpkin pies
....amidst all the other snacks filling table to fill stomachs while they play and wait.

How far we have been brought since this time last year. Sometimes it's just difficult to comprehend. How great the feast, how plentiful the food, how overwhelmingly peaceful the day. 

Thanksgiving dishes large family style!!

Little hobo man to go with the newly constructed hobo tent!

Yet many more of the things they do.....

At least they knew what to do with the shampoo....toothpaste, not so much. This would be after cleaning the first one up only to discover they did it again....and added toothpaste to the mix! B has a nice sticky blue mohawk going down the back of his head. 

Where the sick ones pile...literally. Pixie girl is laying on his back while he sleeps.

She's quite glued to him.

Helping daddy.

Outside.

Inside.

Somebody's feeling soooo much better!

Where we gather for warmth.

The warm room. And she's piled on him again!

When it feels a little empty....and sounds a little too quiet.

A little bit of  the King's mail love.

She loves her Grayson.

Soooo....what exactly was the reasoning behind this one??? I'm of the opinion landscapers have a bet going to see just how long it takes one of the guys to chop it off. As of now....it's still growing. I have every intention of chopping it off next time we make a station run. The picture alone drives me nuts. How the guys walk by this every. single. day......I don't know.

East shift night taco soup!

The cats are kinda social.

So thankful for older kids who youtube Christmas cartoons and dirt bike videos for younger sick ones.

Thanksgiving Day shopping. Soooo much easier than having done it Mon, Tues or Wed. I think we have a new tradition. And yeah....all the things a picture catches. His head was  NOT touching the disgusting floor....I think. 

Early morning warmth.

Hopefully it will be much sooner than 2 weeks before the next post is written! Pictures of Christmas creations to come!