Annual Pie for Breakfast

 Once again it was time for one of our children's favorite traditions.  PIE FOR BREAKFAST!  One of my favorite things with this tradition is that all our children help prepare the desserts the day before Thanksgiving.  They all have their favorite so we make quite the variety. This year we made Turtle Cheesecake, Pecan pies, lots of pumpkin cake rolls, pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, coconut cream pie, oreo cream pie, key lime pie, and a chocolate cream pie!  Then we had countless other desserts brought by wonderful friends that join us each year for our tradition. Again we had around 100 people join us Thanksgiving morning.  It is so fun to see those that have been coming for 6 years since we moved here and those that are new each year.  Joel and I laugh because sometimes people walk in our home and we have no idea who they are! It's a great way to meet our children's friends and their parents.

 This year Joel took a few pictures of the shoe and coat piles! :) And this year it was not snowy or cold so there were no boots, hats, gloves, etc! Such a fun time!

November Highlights

Spring is such a great example in our family.  She works hard on whatever she is involved in and is so self motivated.  She is making great strides in trumpet and cello.  She often reminds us to have family scripture study each day and is such a help with her younger siblings.

 Sunday mornings are full of picture perfect moments.  I don't capture them often enough, however.  This particular morning Sammy asked Mary to comb his hair for him.  Not sure why, but it made Mary's day to be able to help him.  And, I just love to see Joshie in his tux!

 Falltime in Ohio.  These pictures were only a day apart from each other.

 When I found Sara playing the piano she looked at me and said, "Me Thomas!"

 Joshie won a limo ride from school for the "laps for learning" fundraiser.  He thought it was so cool.  The limo picked them up at the school and drove to lunch at Bellacino's Pizza then back to the school.  He thought it was cool that there weren't seatbelts on the limo but he thought it would be bigger than it was.

 Sammy still loves Cub Scouts and is excited to be a Bear and work on new requirements.  He ended up with 17 arrow points as a Wolf and wants to get that many as a Bear.

 Joel had vacation days he was going to lose if he didn't take them off.  This particular day he stayed home yet needed to call in for a conference call.  He decided to have Sara and Jacob join him on his conference call.  Thank goodness for the ability to "mute" his side of the conference call.

 'Tis the season of concerts.  This was the first Stow Youth Symphony Concert Thomas and Spring participated in.  They played at the Festival of Trees in Akron.

 This is what Sammy looks like when he helps in the kitchen.  I am still learning to be OK with the mess he makes when he cooks because he enjoys being with me in the kitchen.  His smile warms my heart.

 Our spread for Pie for Breakfast.  We were blessed to be joined with over 100 friends on Thanksgiving morning.  Our counters were full of yummy creations and our home was full of friendly conversation, laughter, and kids playing.  It is the highlight of Thanksgiving for us.  This year over 70% of our friends that came were from our neighborhood and community.  It has definitely evolved into more than just friends from church.  We love it.

Sammy has become very interested in photography.  Loved this when we saw him looking at the pictures he had taken during the week.

Grandma & Grandpa Come to Visit

My folks were able to come and spend almost 2 full weeks with us.  They were here for Sammy's baptism, Thanksgiving, game playing, Circle K trips, Handle's Ice Cream, and lots of other fun times in between. They spoiled the kids taking them to school in the morning so they didn't have to leave so early to catch the bus. Mom helped me learn how to make pillow blankets while she was here too.  I am slowly learning how to sew...only wish I would have learned from her when I was younger and still at home. Since most of the birthdays in our family my mom had a great idea to celebrate all the birthdays with one big party.  The girls helped Grandma with planning some fun Minute to Win It games.  We all had a great time laughing and trying out the challenges.  Grandma got an Ice Cream Cake for dessert which was a big treat for us all.

I loved the week of Thanksgiving. Joel was off work and was able to be home and it was a very relaxed and fun time.  My mom and I were able to go shopping together, without any kiddos, a few different times.  That was such a treat for us and a rarity in the past few years.  I am so grateful for my mom and for the wonderful relationship we share.  We don't need to be doing anything fancy to enjoy our time together.  I only wish we could be together more often but we appreciate the moments we do share.  

The day before Thanksgiving we baked, baked, and baked some more.  We made pies, pumpkin cake rolls, pumpkin muffins, and also some Thanksgiving dinner things that could be prepped the evening before.  Then we had our traditional pie for breakfast on Thanksgiving morning.  This continues to be a favorite tradition for us and for many of our friends and neighbors.  A quick count came out to a little over 100 friends that joined us in our home that morning.  It was wall to wall people, laughter, food, and fun.  Then, my Aunt Karen, Uncle Scott, and cousin, Tiffany and Teighlor joined us for Thanksgiving.  Tiffany is living in Ohio now and her parents came here from Arizona to visit.  We were so happy and grateful they joined with us on Thanksgiving.  It was amazing to have so much family with us.  This was the best Thanksgiving we have had in a very long time!

We decorated for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving and watched the traditional "Polar Express."  Grandpa joined Thomas and Joel on the youth temple trip Saturday morning.  Thomas has found and prepared 10 family names to take to the temple from the Powell side so Grandpa was able to baptize him and then he and Joel confirmed him fontside for those family names.  That evening Grandma and Grandpa took Thomas, Spring, Sammy, and Mary bowling.  This was a fun time for all.

Sunday we went to Historic Kirtland to look at the nativity display.  Monday evening we were able to go to the All City Orchestra concert in which Thomas and Spring both performed.  Thomas on the violin and Spring on the cello.  Grandma and Grandpa loved being able to see this concert.  Thomas' violin string broke in the middle of the concert just before he was to perform with the High School on the piece he arranged.  Fortunately, it was able to be replaced and the show could go on.  Lots of lessons learned with that experience.

Grandma went to transformer school held by Josh and Gideon so she could learn how to be a transformer and play with them.  After a while of Joshie trying to teach her Joshie decided, "Grandma, maybe you should just be a person because you're not so good at being a transformer!"  We laughed about this all week!  Grandpa, however, passed transformer school!

Yesterday, the fun came to an end as we had to take them back to the airport.  Looking back I wonder where the time went.  We wait so long for the time to come and then the time just flies by while they are here.  It was a wonderful time together.  It was great that the kids were off school so much and we could just enjoy the simple pleasures of being together.  I am so grateful for the time they took to come and spend with us.

Thanksgiving

Our Thanksgiving began with the traditional "Pie for Breakfast."  This event gets bigger and bigger each year as our children keep inviting more and more friends and neighbors.  This is their very favorite part of Thanksgiving and they would be very content if that is all we did on Thanksgiving day!  In fact they were telling me that I could go into labor and have the baby anytime before "pie for breakfast" as long as Dad was able to be home for it, or I could have the baby anytime after noon when it was over.

 

We were blessed to have over 80 people come and go throughout the morning in our home.  There were friends from church, school, and the neighborhood.  Thomas had both of his school teachers and his piano teacher and their families come as well.  There was a buzz all morning and a house full of people talking, laughing, and spending time enjoying each other's company.  It was absolutely beautiful outside (nearing 60 degrees and bright blue skies) and the kids loved jumping on the trampoline and playing in the back yard.  Joel mentioned that at one point he just stood back and soaked it all in.  From one end of the house to the other there were people just happy and talking and laughing.  There were groups of little kids eating and talking like mini-adults and a backyard full of kids running and laughing.  How blessed we are to have so many wonderful friends that bless our lives and the lives of our children.  When we are so far from family it helps to have these wonderful friends willing to come and share in this tradition.

 

We encouraged people to take some pie home with them this year so we weren't left with quite as many leftovers as we have been in the past; however, we still had so much left.  Our kids didn't mind too much.  We had a relaxing rest of the day and enjoyed a quiet, well as quiet as possible in our home, dinner.  The kids wanted to spend most of the day outside playing football, basketball, tag, and hide-and-seek.  They came in for dinner and went out again and played until well past dark.  So glad they did because today the temperatures have drastically dropped and snow is expected by evening.

 

I have so very much to be thankful for:  My parents, siblings, Joel, our children, the opportunity to stay home with our children each day, temple covenants that give us the opportunity to be eternally united with our families, and the knowledge and testimony of God's love for each of us individually.   What an abundant life I have.

Thanksgiving

We were so blessed to have some family come and visit with us for Thanksgiving.  Joel's cousin, Tracy, and her family came to visit from Indiana.  Spring was so excited to finally have more girls in the house than boys since Tracy has 3 little girls.  The kids all had fun playing and spending time together for the days they were here.  We enjoyed our traditional "pie for breakfast" on Thanksgiving morning.  I really think this is the kids' favorite Thanksgiving tradition.  This year they invited friends from school as well.  We had probably 20 families join us and at one point there were 30 little kids in the house...all under the age of 11!  It was great to share in all the different pies and, more importantly, in the associations with all these wonderful people that truly bless our family's life!

It was fun to have the help of everyone in preparing dinner.  I am so grateful for a husband that enjoys helping in the kitchen and for children that love to help cook and are becoming very independent and capable in the kitchen.  I loved Thanksgiving this year as it was relaxing and enjoyable to be all together.

The following morning we were able to take Dustin & Tracy's family to the John Johnson farm in Hiram and then to Historic Kirtland.  We love being in these sacred places.  Mary and Sammy both told me that evening that they love coming to Kirtland and it is their second favorite place to go (Palmyra being their most favorite).  We were able to witness the Christmas lighting Ceremony at Historic Kirtland.  I loved it, as did all of our family.  After the lights were turned on everyone joined in singing, "Joy to the World." I found myself overcome with emotion during this to the point that I could not sing.  I thought of the joy this season brings that the whole world takes time to remember and worship our Savior, Jesus Christ.  Then I thought of the sacred ground I was standing on...in the shadows of the buildings that this same, Jesus Christ, came to testify, teach, and witness to the Prophet Joseph Smith.  The Spirit was overwhelming and powerful.  Joy to the world, the Lord is come...Let earth receive Her King!

Thanksgiving Day

We started our morning with the traditional "Pie for Breakfast." We invited some friends from church over to share in this tradition. We had the MacPhersons (and their family that was visiting), Pflugs, Browers, Burgesses, and the 4 Elders for pie. In all we had 24 children and not nearly that many adults! It was fun though and we enjoyed the time visiting as most stayed for a couple hours. It was nice to have some friends to share this tradition with us.

After everyone left we worked on getting dinner ready. Joel decided to do the turkey in the rotisserie this year and it turned out delicious. We enjoyed the time preparing the meal together. During dinner Joel read all the things that we had put in our thankful box for the month. It was fun to read what everyone was thankful for and it helped us all to remember the little things in life that we have reason to be grateful for. It was a wonderful day together.

Day of Thanksgiving

We had a wonderful day yesterday as a family. We had the traditional "pie for breakfast" in the morning. We invited friends that were going to be in town to enjoy this tradition with us. We had over 50 people join us and lots of delicious pies. We enjoyed the time to visit and share in each other's company. The kids all enjoyed playing with their friends for about an hour in the morning. Then we set to work getting dinner ready. Thomas helped make the green bean casserole and the mashed potatoes. Spring, Sammy, and Mary helped with the homemade rolls...easily the favorite part of the meal for the kids. We were fortunate to have a couple from our ward, the Jones, enjoy dinner with us.

I am so grateful for a day set aside to remember our many blessings and to express gratitude for all we have. I am so blessed to have a wonderful family...my parents and siblings, Joel's family, and our little family that we have been so blessed to start. How grateful I am to know that these bonds and love can be eternal if we we choose to live worthily of that in this life. I am grateful for our Savior and His love for us and for temples of God which makes eternal families a reality. I am grateful for Joel's job and the freedom it provides for me to stay home and be a mom to our children. I am grateful for the peace and comfort we enjoy each day as we are together with our family.

Making Memories

Mom and I found some card making kits for the kids so Friday afternoon Thomas, Spring,and Sammy made the cards. They all made one and sent it to Great-Grandma Skipper (Spring). We enjoyed helping them and being with them while they made their cards.

Then Grandma and Grandpa gave Thomas his birthday present early since they were here. Thomas was so excited to open it and even more excited when he discovered it was a LEGO set. He immediately set up making it. It was cute to watch him want Grandma to sit with him and help him because he always makes them on his own but he just wanted that special time with Grandma. He has made and remade the set many times already.

While Thomas was working on his LEGOS Spring convinced Grandpa to play twister with her. Grandpa was a great sport with it and provided us all some wonderful entertainment. Spring was giggling so hard and we were all laughing. Grandma even came in and took her turn playing. We got some great video footage that will serve us well for blackmail purposes!

Mary enjoyed all the cuddle time she could get with Grandma and Grandpa. She was so cute with Grandpa especially. She would walk over to him and get his attention so he would pick her up and cuddle with her. She would also flirt with him and do all she could to get his attention. She definitely loves cuddling with her grandpa. Grandma was also successful at potty training Sammy!!!! He is doing really well and we are so grateful for that. It was a great week that ended so quickly yet we are so grateful for the time was all shared together and the many memories we were able to make that will last forever in our hearts.

Happy Thanksgiving

We had a great Thanksgiving this year. It was so wonderful to have my mom and dad here with us. They surprised the kids when they drove up to our house as we got home from church last Sunday. It was such a wonderful week with them and it went way too fast. I loved having the time with them and I know the kids did too. I just wish we all lived closer so these visits could be more frequent but we were sure thankful for their willingness to make the long drive.

On Wednesday Thomas woke up with a sore throat again so he stayed home from school and we took him to the doctor. He has strep AGAIN! This is the third time in 24 days that he has had strep. He finishes his medicine and a few days later he gets it again. So, he got a prescription and by the next day was feeling better. That afternoon mom and I made pies and the kids made their turkeys that we make each year. They also made placemats for everyone. We had a good time together.

I started to get really fevered and sick Wednesday night and it got worse through the night. The next morning Joel took me into the ER because that was the only place open until Saturday. I had a fever of 103 and I couldn't talk and my throat was so swollen I could barely swallow. I ended up having strep again as well as a viral laryngitis. Once I got some medicine in me I felt a lot better. We had invited some friends over for our "Pie for Breakfast" tradition. Thankfully, my parents filled in for us and took care of entertaining and carrying on that tradition for our children. Mom ended up doing most of the cooking that day because I was so tired. I am so grateful for her help. During the day the kids enjoyed having Grandpa throw them into piles of pillows and blankets! We had a member from our ward spend Thanksgiving dinner with us. He was just transferred to the NAS here but his family is still in Washington. Joel and Dad enjoyed watching football and we just had a great time sharing time with each other. I am always reminded of how the wonderful blessing that family is to me.