Catch up!

Sorry it's been so long since I last posted! Life has been pretty busy and hectic too! Let me try and catch up!

Let's see, since I last posted, our son Dave had a birthday. He turned 35! Boy he's getting older!!

He also made a pie that day. His very first apple pie. (I just coached!)

It turned out pretty well. This was right before he trimmed the edges. Every man needs to know how to make a pie! My husband taught me when we first got married! Now I have pretty much taken over the pie making! 

Then on the 22nd we put on a Thanksgiving dinner at church for the folks that come out to the food pantry. We fed about 150 and there were about 40 church people involved with the production- either cooking or setting up or serving. 

Behind the scene in the kitchen

Serving and being served!

The eating of the feast!

That was job, but it was so much fun and I heard from one woman myself who was really appreciative. I love doing this kind of thing! 

During the course of things my husband came down with rosacea. He broke out with welts all over his face, poor guy! He's seeing a dermatologist for it. At first the ointment she prescribed was too strong for him. Now he has it regulated and has learned some foods he has to stay away from, like hot spicy foods, chocolate, and changes in the temperatures of food. He can't be eating a hot meal and then drink ice old ice tea or something. 

Right after that was our Thanksgiving at home. We attended a Thanksgiving eve service at the Presbyterian Church and then the next day was our feast day! This year we were 10 less than last year. We only had our immediate family minus our Maine son and family. They decided not to travel with such a young baby. In Japan (where the mama is from) they don't travel long distances with an infant until he is 6 months old! But son Nick told his wife that they ARE coming for Christmas! It's required by HIS mama. 

 Son Andrew peeling potatoes. He's wearing the Halloween spiked rubber collar he found under the couch!

Son Dave is back in the kitchen too.

 

 Dad making the gravy! That's his official job. Make gravy and slice the bird!

Son James being cool!

Daughter Danielle set the table

 

 Katie looking pretty for the camera!

Cedie (our sweet old lady dog) sniffing the wonderful scents!

We decided to set up a serving table

After dinner when most everyone else wondered off in "food comas" (Andrew's quote!) Danielle sat down to enjoy desert! Look at that smile!

And that was Thanksgiving. Lots of work again on my part, but well worth it! I love holiday meals and fixing them too! Although I do miss our friend Sondra, who passed away in 2010, who we always traded years for the Thanksgivng dinner.

Next on the calendar was a beautiful wedding next door at church. The bride was just beautiful and everyone was so happy! It was a truly joyous wedding!

Then came the funerals! First a brother of a woman in church passed away. He had had cancer and a surgery, but passed a few days later. Next the brother of my husband's secretary unexpectedly passed away! 

Since then we have heard of 4 more deaths of people we know. One was an old friend and mother of 3 kids and a wife to a great guy. The doctors say she had a severe allergic reaction to some food she ate and ended up in acoma and life support and then passing! What a shock! 

And yesterday was our youngest son's (J's) surgery to his knee. He has OCD (not the compulsive kind!) (osteochondrosis dissecans) on both tibias- the large boned on the top of the legs. It's down between the knee bones. it's  hollowed out holes that have developed there. Two on the right tibia, one on the left. The doctor says it's genetic. He's adopted. - So the doctor operated on the right one. In bout 3 months he will get the left one done. ~ The surgery was an hour then recovery was an hour. J stayed very composed for a 13 year old. (My husband said I did very well too! Ha Ha!) The doc said he has never seen this condition on someone so young. Usually it is elderly patients. And I looked up the statistics. Only 30 out of 1000 people even get this! ~ Well- J hasn't felt much pain yet because he's on pain meds, and I must say, so far it has been hard to keep him down with his leg elevated and iced! He will be on crutches for 4 weeks! Good luck with that! They won't know for a year when they do another MRI if this was even successful! It takes that long to heal!

So that's my life lately! I have been thinking of picking up a part time job now that my youngest isn't homeschooled any more, but I don't know if I have enough time! When would I fit it in?
Now onward to Christmas! My favorite holiday. I have started pulling out the Christmas decorations and today I plan on making some lists, and making Christmas cookies!

Last year's cookies!