Thanksgiving Turkey

A few years ago, when James and I were living in North Carolina, our parents came down to celebrate Thanksgiving with us (as well as James' graduation from the police academy). Our Moms thought it would be funny to buy us this ginormous stuffed turkey. Oh, didn't they think they were hilarious! I think they stopped somewhere in Virginia to buy the thing, and then the rest of the way to NC they sat in the back seat with the turkey...making it wave out the window at people and just acting silly with it. I am thinking they must have been a bit punchy from riding in the car so long! Anyway, it has become a tradition in our family that whoever hosts Thanksgiving dinner has to have the turkey. Somehow we have ended up with it at our house for the past several years. At any rate, both of my kids have celebrated their first Thankgiving with this silly turkey. Aren't they lucky?

Ryan's first Thanksgiving-November 2005

Ella's first Thanksgiving-November 2008

Girly Things

Ella received the sweetest package in the mail yesterday! It came from my friend Lindy in Utah. Lindy and I became friends when we were in high school. Somehow time and distance caused us to lose touch with one another. Thanks to blogger, and facebook, we were able to reconnect! The package Lindy sent contained the cutest little tutu (made by Lindy herself) and little ballerina slipper socks, as well as some very cute hair accessories! All things every little girl should have!! Thanks, Lindy, for being so thoughtful, and I'm so glad we are in touch again!! I miss you!

The things toddlers say...

I just love the innocent honesty of toddlers...well, sometimes!! Here are a few funny conversations that I have had with Ryan recently:



While tucking Ryan into bed one night this past week we were talking about Christmas and I asked him what he would like for a gift this year. He thought for a minute and said, "Who's that red and white guy?" I laughed and said, "Do you mean Santa Claus?". "Yeah", he said. "What does he do?" I proceeded to explain that Santa brings presents to good little boys and girls all over the world on Christmas Eve. I then explained that the real reason we celebrate Christmas is because it is the day that Jesus was born. I asked Ryan if he would like to make a birthday cake for Jesus. He thought he might like to do that. I asked him what kind of cake he thought we should make. He replied "Chocolate." So, I reiterated that we would make a chocolate birthday cake to celebrate Jesus' birth. It was quiet for a minute, and then...very condescendingly...Ryan said "No, Mommy. Santa will make a birthday cake for Jesus." Hmm...it appears that we have some additional explaining to do on that one!

My Mom, James' Mom, and the kids and I went out shopping this past week. James' Mom recently had a hair cut and a perm. I could tell that Ryan was looking with question at his Grandma, but he didn't say anything. He just kept staring at her. When we went out to the car to get a snack, Ryan asked me "Mom, what is wrong with Grandma's head?" HA! I said "Ryan, there is nothing wrong with Grandma's head...she got her hair cut and had some curl put into her hair." "Don't you like it?" He responded quite matter of fact saying "No, I don't." Oh dear.

One night, during dinner, while James was at work, Ryan was having a very hard time sitting in his chair and eating his dinner. He was, in fact, being pretty rotten. I told him that he needed to eat a couple of bites or there would be no snack after dinner. He flat out told me "NO!" so I told him if he wasn't going to sit at the table and be the good boy that I knew he could be then he would have to go upstairs and go to bed. He started crying and talking back, so I showed him the way to the stairs. I told Ryan he was not to come down stairs until he was ready to behave at the table and eat his dinner. I finished my meal and after a few minutes, Ryan decided he was ready to come downstairs and finish his. Ella was sitting next to us in her bouncy seat...happy as could be. Ryan looked at me and asked, "Mommy, are you happy?" (This is Ryan's way of making sure I am not mad at him anymore.) I said "Ryan, it makes Mommy happy when you are a good listener." He looked at Ella and said "Is Ella happy?" I said "Yes, she is." He looked at Ella again and said "Mommy, look, she's smiling at you." "Yes, she is, Ryan." "Mommy, I think she is telling you not to be mad anymore." Oh, how my heart melted!

I love my kids :)!

A Fall Update in Pictures

I have been meaning to update our blog for weeks, but I haven't felt like there has been anything blogworthy to write about. I do, however, have some cute pictures. So, I will let these serve as an update!!


Raking the leaves (or shoveling them...whatever works!)

Running through the leaves

Daddy's helper


Cutest pumpkin in the patch

Ella-3 months

God has blessed us with these two children. It is so easy to let the days go by, to let little frustrations get the best of us, and just to take it all for granted...but we are truly blessed. I love these little munchkins so much and I am so thankful for the joy that they bring to our lives. James is alright, too ;)!

Birthday Weekend

We had a fun weekend celebrating James' and Ryan's birthdays. Ryan turned 3 on the 14th...and I will let you guess James' age. Let's just say there were a lot of 3s celebrated!! We had a family party on Saturday and enjoyed having James' Mom and Dad, his sister and her kids, and his brother and his family for a visit. Ryan enjoyed having his cousins to play with and, of course, he enjoyed opening his presents. I just can't believe he is 3 years old. Seriously--where does the time go?


This year he could actually blow out his own candles!


Ryan loves Handy Manny and his tools!


Oooh...a Mini Cooper!


Gordon...a new addition to his "Thomas" collection


Birthday Exhaustion!

This picture just shows how tired Ryan was (and that he's REALLY not ready to give up that afternoon nap!). I was in the kitchen and James left the living room to talk to me for a minute...when we went back into the living room (at 6:30 pm) this is how we found Ryan. Asleep...sitting up! We put him to bed and he slept until 6:30 this morning.

In addition to celebrating James' and Ryan's birthdays...we gave a little shout out to Ella as well. She turned 2 months on James' birthday...the 12th. We went to her 2 month appointment last week. She weighed 10 lbs, 6 oz (50%), and was 23 1/4 inches (80%). Long and lean and doing well!

Grampie Bean: 11/9/1919 - 9/3/2008

My grandfather went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, September 3rd. He was a very strong and brave man, who taught me the value of faith, family and friends (in that order). Grampie would have been 89 in November. He lived a very full life, but not without it's share of ups and downs. It's through the ups and downs that I have seen him live out his faith, keep his chin up, and keep on moving...a testament to the man that he was.

One thing that always amazed me about my grandfather was his incredible memory. His body began to fail him several years ago, but his mind was still sharp. He loved to recite poetry and could often be found doing so with a smile on his face and a sparkle in his eye. This was his favorite:

A Psalm of Life

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Tell me not, in mournful numbers,

Life is but an empty dream!

For the soul is dead that slumbers,

And things are not what they seem.

Life is real! Life is earnest!

And the grave is not its goal;

Dust thou art, to dust returnest,

Was not spoken of the soul.

Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,

Is our destined end or way;

But to act, that each tomorrow

Find us farther than today.

Art is long, and Time is fleeting,

And our hearts, though stout and brave,

Still, like muffled drums, are beating

Funeral marches to the grave.

In the world's broad field of battle,

In the bivouac of Life,

Be not like dumb, driven cattle!

Be a hero in the strife!

Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant!

Let the dead Past bury its dead!

Act, act in the living Present!

Heart within, and God o'erhead!

Lives of great men all remind us

We can make our lives sublime,

And, departing, leave behind us

Footprints on the sands of time;

Footprints, that perhaps another,

Sailing o'er life's solemn main,

A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,

Seeing, shall take heart again.

Let us, then, be up and doing,

With a heart for any fate;

Still achieving, still pursuing,

Learn to labor and to wait.

My grandfather left footprints in the sands of time...and on the hearts of many. He will surely be missed.