This Morning

The Countdown Has Begun

(the only downfall of my new chalkboard is that it doesn't have spell-check... don't look too closely at my spelling)

We are really starting to get excited around here for the big day. (Not sure too many other people refer to Thanksgiving as the big day...). I think I enjoy the planning and preparing part as much as I do the actual day.

My week...
Thursday- Katie is coming over for an official Thanksgiving planning meeting.
Friday- Clean, clean, clean. (Friday night the Holiday Fair)
Saturday- (More Holiday Fair) More cleaning.
Sunday- Clean (yes there will still be more to clean) and bake (also fireplace officially going in)
Monday- Grocery shopping and pick up turkey.
Tuesday- (My Mom's birthday) start decorating, brine turkey
Wednesday- Iron table cloths, napkins. Get "guest rooms" ready. Go get Christmas tree.
Thursday- Thanksgiving. Cook. Eat. Enjoy my family.

On My Mind...

"Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you.
And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts.
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth."
by Khalil Gibran



I have always loved this poem and I recently came across it again. It has been running through my mind over the past few days. Just floating around in there, reminding me how truly fleeting these precious moments of parenting really are.

While it at times feels like this life I live right now is just going to continue on forever- it will not. My children are not mine. They will grow up and someday find their own calling in life. They will most likely get married and have a family of their own. They will find their people. And while I am hopeful that we will also continue to be "their people" just as our parent's are for us, it will assuredly not be the same.

So this is my time with these two little beings. Not only during the stories and snuggles but also during the tantrums and arguments. This time is a gift, all of it. And the question then becomes not "what to do" but "how to be." How do I want to be? When it is all said and done what are the memories- and more importantly what are the feelings inside those memories - that I want to have to look back on.

I want to have blissful moments to remember. Moments where I am sitting with my child playing or reading a book and the only thing on my mind is my child . I want to have patient moments to remember. Moments where in the face of a screaming child I am able to stay calm, and retain my own maturity. Where I am able to respond in a loving way, even though I might be at the receiving end of some unkind words or actions. I want to have peaceful moments to remember. Moments where I am comforting my children, such as rocking them to sleep. I want to have moments of real clarity. Moments where I am so certain that nothing else in life is more important then this. Where the dishes might be piled high in the sink but I am outside on an adventure with my two little ones.

And while this is what I want, so often I get caught up functioning on autopilot and I am not able to be this. So I must also learn to forgive myself when that happens... and just try again. I have to continue to keep this image alive in my mind and keep striving. Though it may be an impossible image to live up to, I do know that the more I strive for it, the more frequently I am able to create those precious memories I so desire.

It all goes so fast. This is my time. As I am sending my last child off into the world I want to be able to look back with happiness. I want to be able to say I was present for the journey... and I enjoyed it all.

(And now off to rescue the cat, who is locked in the bathroom with my two darlings being forced to play the role of the baby... I think they may be trying to put a diaper on him. All with a skip in my step and a smile on my heart of course.)

Today

Enjoying the first snowfall of the year.

Yesterday...

Gathering fresh spinach and lettuce from the garden.

Finished

Our mudroom is finally done (and by "done" I mean that there is still some baseboard left to put up, more painting that needs to be done, nail holes to be filled, and artwork to be hung (in our world anything that is really close to being finished is celebrated (and usually celebrated so well that we somehow neglect to actually go back and finish it (once again reaffirming that whatever it is is in fact finished)))).



This bench was my idea and creation (and a mighty good one if I do say so myself).



It is perfect for holding all those winter hats and mittens.



And it also works well as a put-on-your-shoes-take-off-your-shoes resting spot.



Yes, it feels really good it have this room all done before winter is here. Hopefully it will help keep us a little more organized this year.

Baseball With My Boy

Sunrise

(photo by Ryan)

Sunset

At our house (photo by Ryan).

Found a New Park...

Tonight

Our celebratory dinner... to honor Ryan's successful hunting weekend and a year's worth of venison eating.

Ham and Potato Soup...

getting two big thumbs up.

Ham and Potato Soup Recipe
2 tbsp of butter
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 cup cubed ham
1/4 tsp thyme
3 (or more) large potatoes peeled and sliced
3 cups of chicken broth
1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
1/4 cup of milk
Salt and pepper

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the ham, thyme, potatoes, and stock. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until the potatoes are very tender, about 20 minutes. The potatoes should be broken up and slightly mushy. Add the cheese and milk and stir until the cheese melts (5 minutes). Season with salt and pepper.

My New (Old) Chalkboard

I have really been wanting a kitchen chalkboard to help keep me on track with meals. All the ones I had been admiring were pretty expensive. Then it dawned on me that I could remake our mirror. This mirror use to hang above the couch at our old house but now we have windows behind our couch so there wasn't a spot for it. I hung it in the kitchen just because I needed something to hang there, not necessarily because it was a good spot for it. Anyway, since we don't really need a mirror in our kitchen, and since I love the frame, I thought it would make the perfect chalkboard.



All I did was have Ryan cut me a board the size of the opening and then painted with chalkboard paint. I removed the mirror and added chalkboard. Pretty easy. I am thinking about doing the same thing for the hallway upstairs and just buying a framed mirror/picture at the thrift store (with a frame I like).

And now I have a place to plan our meals for the week. Love it.

Morning Walk

Moving Right Along...

As I figured out last year since I am able to get into the holiday spirit so early, that gives me over two months to feel festive. Not necessarily in a Santa Claus jingle bells sort of way (though that does come too- and very soon). But definitely in a happily anticipating all the celebrating and family moments that are just ahead sort of way.



And since we are hosting Thanksgiving again this year, it is probably time to start planning.



A few things I am thinking about so far...

~Homemade pull apart dinner rolls
~Old fashioned bread stuffing (not sure if Ryan will go for this though)
~Next day turkey panini (for day two)

Yes, I do love planning. Especially for a holiday.