Cookies!!!

(In my head I'm saying that with the voice of the Cookie Monster - it's more fun).

We had a ladies only Christmas cookie exchange on Thursday, and it was SWEET! Each of us brought a delicious treat to share and enjoyed a type of dessert buffet as we gabbed. Really, who needs Christmas to spark this occasion? I think this should be a year-round festivity!

Everybody say Baklava!!!! This became our festive exclamation for the night. I think it was the sugar talking.... we did get a little crazay! (L-R: Megan, me, Autumn, Jaimie, Leslie, Amanda, Kate, and Krista)

Thank you, dear Autumn, for modeling our treats for us. We joyfully partook in turtle cookies, mini caramel pecan cheesecakes, white chocolate peanut butter truffles, sugar cookies, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, chocolate mint cookies, butterscotch haystacks, chocolate chip cookies and white chocolate raspberry cheesecake bars. Mmmmmmmmmm, can you say sugar??

Happy Thanksgiving!

This year we struggled to list the amount of things that we are thankful for simply because of the sheer magnitude of the blessings that God has bestowed upon us. We are not worthy, and we feel the weight of His bountiful love and blessings. What could we ever do to repay Him; we are overwhelmed! In the joys He brings to our lives, His Fatherly goodness and lovingkindness are warmly felt. And through our trials, we also proclaim God's incredible faithfulness and grace in how He uses these to teach us and to make us more like Him. Truly, truly how great is our God!!! We cannot thank Him enough!
This year we joined our friends Rachel & Brian and Sara & Russell for Thanksgiving. None of us have family in the area, so we adopted each other! Everything was perfect.

( L-R: Brian, Rachel, Russell, Sara, Kevin, Isaac, and me)

Hanging out outside after our delicious Thanksgiving dinner. We played some "Hill-Billy Golf" as Brian calls it. It was a gorgeous day!

"Say 'sneeeeeeze'!" (This is my new way of getting him to smile. That word makes him laugh, and it's the cutest thing!) Isaac preferred to play in the rocks, in accordance with his love for getting dirty. He also preferred a hot dog over the turkey (what's up with that?).

Me and my Sweetie, waiting for our turn to play "golf."

A little reminiscing before putting the food away. Mmmmm, that was goooooooood. We had a feast of all the traditional food: turkey & gravy, mashed potatoes, rolls, stuffing, cranberry jello salad, and green bean casserolle.... followed by PIE!! But we devoured that too quickly to catch a picture...

And how about some leisurely Ping Pong to get the heart rate up?

After warming up with rounds of ping pong, the guys challenged each other to a duel - or two... "Corn Fed" (a.k.a. Brian) and Russell engaged in a sword fight that ended in tragedy for Russell. Excellent stance, Corn Fed.

We ladies opted for a more civilized and sophisticated pastime - Scategories!

Whew! What a fun time...

For Fun

I watched Addie with Isaac on Saturday afternoon while Todd & Mindy went out for some alone time. We spent a whole lot of time playing outside.... it was so fun, I'm glad I had my phone in my pocket so I could get some snapshots!

Addison wanted to help push Isaac in the swing, and she did a really good job!

He hasn't been too fond of the swing until now, but he warmed up pretty well. In the end, he didn't want to get out!

Little artist

Just hangin' out.

2nd Annual Flag Football Game

The tradition began on the day after Thanksgiving last year, and this year's turnout confirmed that the fun will continue! Our two small group Bible studies got together for a battle between the Red and the Yellow. Kevin has now had the pleasure and prestige of being on the undeafeated Yellow team. They pounded the Red 18 - 14. Way to go Yellow!!

Getting started.

Kickoff!

Go Yellow! Go Michelle! (L-R Mark, Megan, Jake, and Michelle)

Huddling to come up with a play to squelch the Yellow.

But it didn't work... hee hee.

Though they tried to look tough, the Red just couldn't swing it. They were good sports though.

Meanwhile, we enjoyed other pasttimes with the kiddos. That's right, Addie, take your baby for a walk.

Amanda and Caleb - Weeeeeee!!!

Isaac liked the "goggie" (a.k.a. Panda, naturally)

Caleb and his big bro Levi
Krista took Isaac for his turn down the slide.

I wish I had gotten this on video... to say the least, Caleb was really enjoying running down the hill. Just imagine "Aaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh" emphasized by heavy stomps the whole way down.
The boys

Time for cupcakes!! (Todd with Addie)

And nursing some wounds.
Mmmmmmm, they were so yummy. The perfect time to celebrate some November birthdays.

Roger and birthday girl Colleen

Jason and birthday girl Rebecca

Birthday boy Jake with Jaimie

Me and Autumn

The perfect landing - soft and sweet.

My Little Sous-Chef

Usually the first thing on the agenda when I get home is to get dinner made, and consequently, Isaac has come to spend a lot of time with me in the kitchen. We've gotten in the habit of cooking together, and I think we both mutually enjoy it very much. I know you're probably thinking, "But he's only ONE!" And my response is, "I know, isn't it cute?" Isaac has always loved to watch how I make meals, even as early as a few months old (I kid you not!), so he usually wants me to hold him while I cook. He used to astonish me with his level of attention when he was only 6 months old or so as I moved around in the kitchen with him in one arm and ingredients in the other. And so it goes...

Well, Isaac is growing and sure getting heavy. And my biceps, while they have grown much stronger since having him, can only bear so much while attempting to put something together for dinner. And so out has come the stepping stool and an apron! I believe Isaac has earned a promotion in the kitchen and now stands with the chef! (With much attentive supervision by his multi-tasking mother, I must add.)

Sporting his abbreviated apron for the first time (ahem, Karen, do you want a pet project? I know of a handsome little candidate for a pint-sized apron of his own...)

Isaac's daily plea

My usual reply, "You wanna see what Mommy's making?"

He really is so attentive to every detail. Look at that concentration!

Isaac usually gets to have a spoon or spatula so he can help me stir things on the stove. Granted, he had to reach a little further this time because I put him just far enough away as to not get burned (h's holding a spatula but it's black, so you can't see it very well). You should have seen his expression of satisfaction after stirring all by himself!

Oh the triumphant glee! "My heart runneth over." I love my little Sous-Chef.

Go Seahawks!!

Kevin and I got to go to the Seahawks/Cardinals game in Phoenix on Sunday. It was a blast, and we had so much fun together!

Now let me back up to tell you how it all came about...

Kevin and I have been making efforts to clean up our finances with the help of Dave Ramsey, and we have been focused and making strides to this point. For those of you who are familiar with his Ramsey-isms, we have been attempting to live on "beans and rice, rice and beans." :)

Well the game was coming up and our friend Tom was trying to get a group of people together to go to the game and tailgate, etc. It sounded like so much fun, and we really wanted to go. But the tickets were $50 each. We reluctantly declined in an effort to stay focused. But we really wanted to go...

... Well, the very next day, Kevin's co-worker, and our mutual friend from church, Scott got us tickets to the game for free! It was as if God, like a proud Dad, was saying, "Good job. Go on to the game - it's on Me! Oh yeah, and how about field-level end zone seats?"

They came out on the other end of the field, but that didn't stop us from cheering all the louder for our Seahawks as they ran out onto the field. We actually got seated in a small pocket of fellow Seahawk fans, so we found some allies amidst the sea of red.

Our National Anthem and a huge waving flag!

Kickoff!

Decked out in our gear...

Oh yeah, they really are that close! And these guys are HUGE!! TV doesn't do them any justice - in person they are beasts!

So much fun... must have been while the Seahawks were winning.... It was an epic battle of the birds - at least in the first half. But in the second half, the Cardinals turned on the after-burners and burnt off the feathers of our Seahawks. Alas, our team fell apart and lost... but that didn't squelch our enthusiasm - too much. Thank you, Lord for this treat!