Happy Thanksgiving!

Nothing catches on like Giving Thanks, well except maybe the chicken pox. Have a Wonderfully Happy Thanksgiving Day! Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. We thank the Lord for His provision. The Puritans thanked Him amidst hardship. We feast in remembrance of their
feast.  Praise the Lord and REJOICE!

Chloe's New Walker

Chloe pulled herself up onto this laundry basket.  Her force pushed the basket and she went cruising along!  She loves to pull herself up despite the fact that it generally results in an accident.

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Thanks for the Fellowship Heidi

Abram took such good care of Calista.  They were so cute sharing together.

I really enjoyed Heidi's fellowship.  It is refreshing to be with a like minded Christain!

Abi and Gwen

Reward Friday

We had a lot of snuggle time and book reading this morning. Then the boys helped me mix up some edible play dough. I got the recipe from Debi Pearl's book Created to be His Helpmeet it is equal parts peanut butter, honey and dry milk. I despise measuring sticky ingredients so used a jar of natural peanut butter, 2/3 to 3/4 jar (24oz) honey and 2 Cups of the powdered milk.
The verdict: The kids all enjoyed playing AND eating!

Edible Playdough

Juicing Carrots

Abram's Favorite Time of Day

Abram loves when Drew gets home from work. He excitedly runs out to
greet him, follows him downstairs to change and after supper brings
him The Bible in Pictures for Little Eyes. He listens and carefully
answers each question. I praise the Lord for Drew - an awesome
husband and attentive father.

The Bible in Pictures for Little Eyes

Why Mom Did What She Did

I have always poked my potatoes with a fork before baking them. I
stab them good and hard at least twice on each side. Mom always
stabbed her potatoes. . . Well a few days ago I was in a big hurry
and thought "why did Mom stab the potatoes anyway? Surely they will
bake up fine without being stabbed." Why? If you don't you risk an
EXPLOSION!

Exploding Potatoes

To Defile or Not to Defiled

To one person it's defiled, to someone else it is pure. It's not the
thing - it's the person. Not the activity, but the heart. So it's
not whether we wear pants or a skirt, listen to one type of music or
another. Titus would say we will have pure motives with pure
doctrine. this comes the more we saturate ourselves with God's word.

Titus 1:15 To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are
defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and
their conscience are defiled.

Psalm 121:5 -8

This weeks memory verse:

Psalm 121:5 -8

The LORD is your keeper, The LORD is your shade on your right hand.

The sun will not smite you by day, nor the moon by night.

The LORD will protect you from all evil, He will keep your soul.

The LORD will guard your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever.

Struggling

I have really been struggling all week. Depression? Maybe.
Despair? I don't think so. The culprit - Lack of sleep combined
with a lack of encouragement from God's word. When I woke up this
morning I had no, zero, nada desire to go to church. Drew is
fighting a sinus infection, Jacob hacking away with a cough both
planning to stay home. I excused myself from church attendance - who
would watch the baby? There is no sense in going with the baby (I
told myself - lie). Drew woke up at 9:28, sat bolt upright in the
recliner and said "What are you still doing here?" He had encouraged
me to go to church earlier and I declined. Chloe had just fallen
asleep so he kicked me out with Mary and Abigail in tow. I am so
thankful I went. The message was encouraging but talking to Heidi
afterwards REALLY blessed me. She reminded me that I am not just a
stay at home Mom but a worker of the King of the Universe with little
ones made in His image. Praise God for saints who encourage! She
also directed me to an awesome blog site called holy experience. I
just finished a good 5 minute cry before typing this. I will battle
sin until Christ returns but I praise Him for the victory that is
mine in Christ.

Crock Pot Apple Sauce

I know I already posted about the CrockPot Lady but I just tried the
applesauce last week and it was excellent! I am getting my
Thanksgiving menu together and am definitely going to include this
for our Day of Giving Thanks.

Reward Friday

We had a great visit with Pa and Grandma for our reward.  Drew got off at 1:45 and we hit the about 2:20.  Jacob read some of George Washington Spymaster  by Thomas Allen to me out loud on the way.  We just got through the first two chapters.  It held both our interests.  Mary crocheted a hat for her doll which Abram calls Chloe and enjoyed holding.  Abigail read to Baruch and Chloe, well Chloe did really well for the first 45 minutes, then cried.  Enough is enough in a constricted environment when one wishes to be moving about.  Poor Grandma!  She still suffers from whiplash.  Her movements were stiff but she seemed a bit better than when we saw her for Mary's b-day.  We managed to start a game of SkipBo but had to stop to eat supper.

Road Trip

Potty Trained

Abram has had his fourth day of going poo poo on the potty.  It all started when we began praying for Georgie (Abram's 2 yr. old cousin).  We started praying every morning.  Soon Abram wanted to pray for Georgie and that spurred the desire to go himself!  A friend of mine said potty training is such a bitter sweet time, signifying their growing up BUT I am thinking it is more like dark chocolate - delightful in every respect.

Abram

Raisins and Presidents

We are studied the Mayflower voyage and founding of the Plymouth colony last week.  Last week we looked at Jamestown and the week before that Roanake.  We are going through the Veritas Press history cards.  Anyway it is amazing to think of our nation's beginnings in light of the recent election.  Wednesday when I was serving snacks I passed out nuts and raisins.  In the past I have been in the habit of sprinkling some chocolate chips in with their nuts.  Because we have been sick I have been avoiding the chocolate so served the raisins instead.  Jacob said "are you serving raisins because Obama won?  I know we are going to have to stay really healthy for when we have socialized medicine."  On that note. . .I really appreciated Jenn's Blog write up.

Birthday Shopping

I had a blast shopping with Kari last Friday but you will have to visit her blog for an account of the action!  In fact I had so much fun I thought it was MY Birthday but am glad to only have one a year.

Chloe on the Move

Chloe is already trying to pull herself up! A few days ago she
pulled herself right on top of the train box. Tonight she did it again.

Chloe on the Move

Sickness Hits the Household

The bug started with Abigail almost two weeks ago. It hit Abram
next. Then Mary and Baruch. I followed a day and a half later.
Drew and Jacob fell on Monday night (or Tuesday AM). What a nasty
virus. The residual respiratory gick lingers yet!

Chloe

Mary Elisabeth really wanted to dress Chloe up and have me take her
picture. Here she is all decked out. After I took several the girls
wanted to put dresses on and have their pictures taken with her.

This Weeks Memory Verse

Psalm 121:3 & 4

He will not allow your foot to slip, He who keeps you will not slumber.

Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.