Thanksgiving 2011

We were blessed with fellowship on Thanksgiving Night that has been founded on many years of friendship. The first generation (our parents) refers to themselves as the "oldies but goodies" have been hanging out since the 1960s and they started sharing some holidays in the 1970s until it became an annual tradition in the 1980s. 

I am thankful for the endurance of this tradition, through 3 generations. As I've entered middle-age, I have come to appreciate seeing how each family grows and changes through the seasons of life.... for at least the past 30 some years!! Special thanks to the faithful families who have hosted in the past. Thank you Jesus!

sisters

These two busy playing plants vs. zombies

Watching football (foreground) and playing chess (background)

the kitchen is often a favorite spot for great conversations. Food: yummy pumpkin soup in a pumpkin!

Facing off with a staring contest

Typical lounging in the family room

Beautiful ladies

Sweet friendship

Starting to feast on the main dishes after prayer

One of the blessings of the ways things work out with the kids' charter school is that school work is finished during school hours. We've been blessed to see each of our dear friends more often - before dad gets home - and also still have quality family time.

Our children here have been friends since our oldest were 3 years and our second ones were just toddlers.

This was sweet when Josh's buddy shared her native american clothes and drums with him and they encouraged each other to make Native American masks/head dresses; while the older ones got innovative with building Lego creations. The littlest one was a social butterfly flitting between the kids and mothers! This was a blessed time together with friends who make a point to assure that  you feel special. That's a gift from Jesus. We are each precious in the sight of the Lord.

It is that time of year that gratitude begins to pervade as we are more aware of receiving God's blessings and we choose contentment. In this funny and sentimental Thanksgiving video, we recall that no matter how messy our lives get, we can be thankful for what God has given us. Enjoy this Video by clicking here from the Skit Guys with me!

November birthdays

Our life has been so filled with abundance of adventures, travels, experiences together; that I've recently had a new appreciation of quiet times hanging out.

Paul, Minda & Gina celebrate another year :-)

My biggest treasures on earth of course are the relationships given me, so how perfect to spend time with my husband, children, family and friends. We started Saturday night with dinner and the Pacquio boxing match and lingered through Sunday. Pete made his traditional Sunday morning breakfast of pancakes (that blesses me each week!).  I got to do just what I wanted to do for my birthday this year - read a new book, do a bit of scrap booking, post some pictures, and relax with family

Simple Pleasures

I enjoy how the Lord takes our simple traditions and gives us more blessing out of them.

 We just happened to calendar this morning as the one to pick up our harvest pumpkins, and it was so cool that spur-of-the-moment after church, it turned out the Lord planned for us to fellowship at the pumpkin patch. Yay! I love that :-) It is so cool to  leave space in our 'over-scheduled' lives for the Lord's surprises!

Genesis 8:22 “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.”

Outstanding Assemblies!

Throngs of students, teachers and parents gathered together on campus and got the knack of Native American customs including "knife" making, resounding drums, story telling and shaping clay pots. This was a nifty parallel to Aidon and Josh's recent studies of farming in colonial America. 

Freshly painted faces. Can you find the feather?

Adhering glimmer!

 Tasting morsels of Native American foods. Choice samples were dried fruits and dried meats.

Making pots from clay. These may be used for water!

Isaiah 64:8 Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.

Hidden Places

 A pal and I related to the fact that the Lord knows the innermost desires of the heart! She said that it is amazing what HE has in store for us, all we need to do is cling to HIM.

 I love how God is in the DETAILS of our lives!

 Way back in September, Josh had asked if we could please PLEASE make a big pile of leaves and jump in it.

 I delighted in his simple, down-home fun desire, with him. Yet, we couldn't figure where to go around here to find leaves. at. all.

 In the middle playing at our friend's house, she suggested we go outside and rake up some leaves.
 

 When I looked out the window at the sea of leaves, my eyes grew in size!

 And I was tickled at how God knows and searches our hearts. 

 I love the simple pleasures that are a part of a child's life.

 I am honored to have a front-row seat in the life of my children.

 Lord, you were not kidding when you said that your thoughts of us, 

number the grains of sand on the shore.

 Thank you Jesus, for being in the minutia of our lives.

The Art of Geometry

 What an engaging and innovative way to look at mathematics! 

 I savored touring interlaced shape arrangements alongside my children.

The first thought inside this sphere for Josh was to try to roll a coin, as is the practice at many science centers:

 An itty-bitty rendition of the climbing formation was ready for construction:

 Reflections of light and image:

2 Samuel 23:4 ''He is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings grass from the earth.’'

 Colors of the light spectrum

Genesis 9:16 "Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”

The youngins get a charge out of the Air Show for a second year.

Guys Night Out with Dad!

 loud booms, jets, copters, tanks, brave military, and evening topped with spectacular fireworks

Proverbs 4:3 For I too was a son to my father, still tender, and cherished by my mother.