On Thanksgiving

This was one of my favorite Thanksgivings ever.  I will have more pictures soon as one of my camera cards isn't transferring and has to get "restored".  In the mean time these will have to do.  Some of the highlights...

~ The snow!  It started in the morning and didn't stop all day.
~ The snowy hike we took on my path
~ Everything and everyone so relaxed
~ The puzzling and game playing and dog walking and snow boarding.
~ The beeswax candle holders the kids made at the holiday fair looking so beautiful on the table
~ Dinner.  Katie- cranberries, cream cheese corn, green beans. Mom- potatoes and stuffing and gravy.  Me- butternut squash soup pumpkin pie and turkey with Ryan (a 25 pound one this year!!).  Jackson- cornbread.  Pretty much the same collaboration we've been doing for years now and it is oh so good.
~ Dessert.  We had so many desserts this year that Grace made a menu and took orders.  Sam brought all of her pies along with my pumpkin pie and then of course there was Grace's pumpkin bars and Nora's apple crisp.
~ Having Katie and Kris stay after the kids went to bed for a glass of wine
~ Leftovers!

Happy Birthday Grandma Lee

Making Jump Ropes at The Holiday Fair

Our Felt Books

{Grace's is the one in the middle and not finished yet}





I loved everything about this project.  From the quiet hours we spent by the fire with felt and needles, to the finished product.  The kids were so proud of them too.  I want to do at least one more hand-sewing felt project with them this year.  Grace has a little bit of sewing left to do on hers but is determined to finish it up for a birthday present for Grandma Lee.

Sometimes...

Sometimes, even when everyone isn't feeling 100% better you just have to go and do that thing that you planned on anyway.  Like go and see the Wizard of Oz at the Children's Theater.  Good decision.

Life

Over the last few weeks I have cut down a winding path through our little patch of land.  It weaves through woods and meadows and connects up with the land trust behind our house as well.



I think we have used it everyday since I started making it.  It is my new favorite way to start our day.  Just a nice little hike looking for birds (or fairies, as was the case today).



It has also been my saving grace as we are on one of the longest sick runs we have experienced since Nora was a baby.  Every now and then we have a day where everyone is well and I think it's all behind us and then a new illness strikes.  Two nights ago Jackson got a fever.  When he woke up yesterday it was almost gone and then by the end of the day it had disappeared.  We were able to join Ryan's mom and Scott to have a birthday dinner celebration.

 

I mistakenly assumed all was well and then last night he woke up in the night with a fever of 103.  Then this morning, it was magically gone again.  But, now tonight he said he had a tummy ache.
 


Then there is the nagging cough all three of them have that will not go away.  We have had to cancel so many things over the last month.  I'm just looking forward to everyone being healthy again.  



Anyway, back to this path that I love.  We have made so many new discoveries over the last few weeks and I feel like we're getting to know our land in a whole new way.  Old farm "treasures", birds and animals, and even some fairy signs have all been showing up on our little hikes.

Today the kids got really excited because the water is so high right now so instead of having just one pond there are at least three back there- they're envisioning some major ice skating rinks.  As for me I'm still enjoying the milder weather.  Most days I don't even need a jacket.  Considering the long winters we have I'm appreciating this little gift.

Pumpkin Empanadas and Dia De Los Muertos

We have been learning about Mexico over the past month and I was so excited to celebrate Dia De Los Muertos last Monday.  But since I was unable to leave my bed last Monday that obviously didn't happen.  So instead I decided we would do it this week.

I had decided we would make pumpkin empanadas (from this recipe) for our celebration.  Then ironically, just in time to use them, Grace and Jackson uncovered two pumpkins from the garden (hard to imagine we could have missed pumpkins, I mentioned the weeds right?).  This was great news since I hadn't had the chance to bake one pumpkin this year as the only one I found was about the size of a large apple.

These were really fun to make. They loved the process of rolling out the dough, filling them with up and making pockets out of them.  I thought they were really good to eat too but the kids didn't enjoy them as much as I did.  I think we might have put too much filling in them though.  Next time less filling.

I am so intrigued by this holiday.  I would love to learn more about it and even make it an annual tradition.

Unfortunately Grace got sick again today.  She wasn't herself all day and by bedtime she had a fever.  Crossing my fingers it's gone by tomorrow.  We really haven't had good luck with illnesses over the last month.

Let's Stay These Ages Forever

At "recess" today these three decided to see if they could run around the driveway 100 times.  But first- warming up with jumping jacks.

On Being Sick

The day after Halloween I was very tired.  I assumed it must have been from all of the late nights I had stayed up taking care of everyone.  I spent the afternoon napping on the couch thinking I must just need to catch up on some sleep.



But by nighttime I realized I was coming down with what everyone else had.  The next morning the kids were so sweet to me.  They came and checked on me and brought me peppermint tea.  They even did their school work all on their own.



By lunch time things were starting to come undone but at least by then I was capable of getting out of bed for short periods of time.  Then by Tuesday afternoon I was feeling completely back to myself.  Tuesday happened to be an absolutely beautiful day so we spent as much time as we could outside.



I washed and hung out all the sheets and blankets and opened all the windows.  By the end of the day our house couldn't have been any fresher.

While being sick is mostly miserable, I do find that the situation often gives way to small tender moments.  There is something in me that (aside from the night shift) finds contentment in caring for my sick children.  Keeping the diffuser filled with eucalyptus oils, making chicken noodle soup, reading more books and watching extra shows, and of course so much snuggling.  Similarly, when I am sick I am equally as content to let others take care of me.  I think having Nora sit on my bed and write me get well letters and then read them to me is for sure what finally made me feel all better.

Halloween (in one big post)

This year the flu hit us the week before Halloween.  By the time it passed by each child, it was Friday.  So we were forced to squeeze all of our traditions into just two days.  Not ideal but we made it work.


Friday after school (we tried to get done as early as possible) we went to the thrift stores to find needed costume pieces.  Then we headed to Aamodt's apple farm to pick out our pumpkins.  Though first we had to visit the goats (it's tradition).


Then we had to stop in the barn for a few fall treats which we like to eat in the barn loft (also tradition).


Finally, we found our pumpkins.


That night we carved those pumpkins.


I wasn't really able to capture it in my photos but Nora was SO excited to carve her pumpkin.  That was all she talked about through dinner.




Everybody worked so hard carving.




Finished!


The next morning they spent a good portion of their day running around in their costumes.  Grandma Sam and Grandpa Scott also came out for a visit to see what wild creatures their grandchildren had turned into.


By dinner time spirits were a little low, especially for this one who wasn't quite well yet.


But by the time it was time to trick or treat everyone was all cheery again.  Our friends came over for part of the night to trick or treat with us.  Nora was such a trooper and made it to several houses (the last few years she has just gone to our two neighbors).  The big kids ran around with their friends, rode the tractor (one of our neighbors takes it around as the kids are trick or treating), and came home with a big bag of candy.  After much sorting and trading each one put out a pile for the candy fairy.  Her gifts kept everyone happy most of the day on Sunday.  It ended up being a pretty good Halloween but I've decided the next year we won't get the flu first.