thankful

This year for Thanksgiving we kept things pretty small it was just us and uncle Teeny (cuz his wife was in Mongolia). We had a good time though! I made an Amazing turkey! If you haven't discovered a brined bird you should meet one, asap. I also made yam apple casserole (delicious) stuffing, green beans( not casserole kind) and a cherry blueberry pie, kinda happened on accident the pie but it was delicious anyway! I will be making a recipe tab on here to share my recipes for people interested :). And Teeny brought mashed potatoes gravy and the pumpkin pie. And our little family tradition Jesse made Fry Bread! Wont be sharing that recipe sorry folks, (I don't even know it! All his and his families) but know that it's delicious and maybe one day we'll have you over for some ;)

Anyway lots of yummy food and of course football if you know my J even a little bit you know there are lots of sports going on at our house. J has an injury from hockey he is trying to heal from so the boys didn't go to the turkey bowl this year instead they played football on the xbox and watched a game or two. Maia enjoyed it too, and her Tinker Bell Movies.

I just wanted to share a few things I feel especially thankful for this year. I have mentioned before my dear friend who lost her daughter just over a year ago, she was expecting a little boy this January but unfortunately tragedy struck again. Her little boy was still born at 29 weeks, the week before thanksgiving. When I heard the news my heart broke all over again for her and her family. I remember the pain I felt learning that my friend had suffered such a loss once, but to suffer the loss again double broke my heart! I think about her often and keep her family in my prayers. Especially this time of year it has made me especially thankful for my healthy little Maia who is getting so big! And that little one still growing and developing is progressing well. Although I still feel a little paranoid at times about all the what if's I know the Lord will take care of us, whatever happens. And I know he is taking care of them friends of mine too!! I think daily of ideas of things I want to do for them but I am waiting for the right idea to strike me.

I am thankful for my Parents. I love my Mom and Dad. They are just so great ya know? My mom helped me TONS with organizing my house while she was able to visit after Halloween. and my Dad is just as great even if he wasn't able to come help this time. My daughter loves them so much its adorable when she talks about Yaya and Papa and their doggie 'Nielnen' (Melvin), but I am married and have more than two parents! I am a lucky girl to four of them! My fox Mom and Dad are quite amazing as well! They have been sp supportive to us while we are way out here in Iowa. After all they've been through the program too, they know just how crazy it can be! Even though we don't get to see our families as much as we'd like to we still love them and think about them often. Maia includes them in every prayer we say :) (also DARLING to hear her say prayers!).
And I have many many siblings we love and care about and MISS so much too! My siblings and Jesse's and all their respective spouses and children. Such a large family I have and am grateful to be a part of.

 PIE

I got creative with left over Cranberries :)

Perfect.

Our Holiday Feast!

Had to tear them away from the football ;)

LEFT OVERS! Left over wreath is my tradition, its delicious, almost as exciting as dinner the first time around.

Anyway lots and lots more has been going on too! I am still in Primary and enjoying it very much we are currently getting things ready for the New Year, LOTS of work but it's worth it. ICAA has been equally busy we did a fundraising Holiday Bazaar of sorts and it was fun! Wish we'd have sold a little more BUT we will do another for sure! Our shirts for this year came in and are so awesome I'm excited to start handing them out this week! AND we have Christmas break coming up NEXT WEEK!! So easy to fall behind blogging, but inexcuseable because I check blogger like all the time...Ugh I'll do better :) Lots to update for Christmas time with the 10 year anniversary of my families house fire when I was younger, and Lib's wedding! I will have PLENTY to write about, and some photos to share too!

What to do when you wake up in the Kitchen

I have been told I talk in my sleep, I have sat up and yelled at my dog that was not there in my sleep, even sent a few text messages in my sleep but I haven't ever been caught sleep walking until last night. So I had just brought my daughter back to her bed, she needed a little cuddle time in the middle of the night, and was having trouble getting back to sleep, or so I thought.

I heard a cabinet door close in my kitchen! I sat up and said "Jesse someones downstairs!"
He replies "Dang kids! I'll show 'em!" At which point he jets off down the stairs and I heard a few slapping sounds, and a "Bad Dog!" then another slap or two and a dog growling, then some pummeling noises.
"Come on down!" was next so I started off down the stairs and the floor and stairs seemed especially loud to be sneaky going down to see what was going on.

I couldn't see anyone, so I turned on the lights and still nothing so I figured J probably wasn't telling me to come down he was telling intruder and his dog to go down to the basement so I peeked out the window and there was also nothing there, I kept thinking "what is the world is going on?! What a crazy night!" Then I hesitated towards the stairs and turned on the light, SURPRISE there was nobody there!! And no one had been there! I still couldn't realize that what I thought had happened was all in my head, so I went back up stairs, but not before peeking out the window in the front to see if just in case J was out there with a culprit. Still no one there.

I turned off the lights and went back upstairs, only to find my husband sound a sleep in our bed.
I said allowed "wait how did you get up here so fast?" and he didn't even stir.
I layed back down in my bed realizing that it had all been a dream! My heart was pounding and I could not get back to sleep, after not too long J got up and was surprised I was awake so I told him about my dream before her got ready for school.

Things I should have realized? My husband keeps a sword under our bed for such occasions as intruders, even if we hear something outside he grabs it. I think its cute and manly, in the dream he didn't grab his sword RED FLAG also when he ran downstairs the floors didn't squeak. If you've been to my house you'd know that's impossible even the toddler makes the floors squeak.  So when I became conscious in the kitchen when I turned on the light I should have just gotten a snack and gone back to bed. Instead I tried to tell myself I wasn't crazy something must have been going on, something was going on I was walking (and searching) in my sleep. So if YOU wake up one day in your kitchen, just grab a snack that's worth getting up for :)