Visiting HoHo

I always look forward to our yearly "HoHo" visits. But I'm always a little anxious since I usually have one child who is terrified of the man in red. This year our trip went very smoothly. We were the first ones to see the old man after his lunch break, so no waiting in line! I watched and waited for a meltdown that, to my great pleasure, never came. We were not, however, successful in getting Luke to smile. But, hey... when you're getting 4 children together in one picture, you take what you can get. The most precious part of our visit is when each one tells Santa what they want for Christmas. Thankfully I got that on video. How sweet!

Missing Mimi

My mom died on February 21st of this year. I've always heard that holidays are hard for those who have lost loved ones. Now I'm experiencing it myself. There was a vacant spot yesterday at the Thanksgiving table where once it was filled with a beautiful face and an infectious smile. I still see here frequently in my dreams. I'm thankful for those times when I feel as though I'm with her again. We will never let her memory die. In her honor, I'm posting one of her famous recipes. This was requested at every family gathering. We love you and miss you, Mimi!

Orange Salad

24 oz. cottage cheese
8 oz. Cool Whip, thawed
1 small box orange Jell-O
1/2 cup pecan pieces (optional)
Mandarin orange slices

Mix well the first four ingredients. Garnish with orange slices.

'Twas the night before Thanksgiving eve

I know it may sound crazy for me to go through all of the fuss of making a big Thanksgiving dinner for just the 6 of us, but I love spending all day Wednesday in the kitchen cooking and baking. I used to bake a whole chicken instead of a turkey, but last year I decided I needed to practice up on my turkey-baking skills. Who knows... one day I may have a household of children and grandchildren to feed on Thanksgiving and I want to be ready!! My only concern this year is that the turkey won't thaw out in time. I have the schedule already made out. 8:oo - start baking the cake. Next, make the cornbread for the dressing.... More cooking and baking until 12:oo when the star of our dinner takes over the oven. In the midst of all this preparation, I'm carving out time to spend with my children to talk about what this season means. It's more than just the continual feasting. Thanksgiving should not be just a day on the calendar; it should be an attitude that we carry in our hearts all year long. Yeah, I know you've heard that already. But how do we instill a truly grateful spirit in our children? The most important thing I feel we should remember is to lead by example. I know my children have heard me grumble and complain over trivial matters and I'm not proud of that fact at all. But when I look at all I have, all I've been given, and most importantly all Christ has done for me and my family, I can't help but swell with thankfulness. May we all remember God's blessings and share our gratefulness with those closest to us this holiday season.