Thanksgiving Memories....

Thanksgiving 2009....so much to be thankful for!!! After an insanely busy week and weekend... and me not feeling well...I finally got around to posting our pictures! We were able to celebrate with family from my side and Ron's....see family in from out of town...it was a nice day! The Gorecki family at my mom's house...Meghan 16, Sara 14, Ronnie almost 8 and Anna 5...Ron & I....old! LOL
" Grammy's Girls"...Tina 13, Sara 14, Lauren 20, Anna 5 and Meghan 16

Our little Angel, Ty with his best friend, Anna....
One of our many "sister" pictures...(they always put me in the middle!)

My mom and I at the end of a wonderful meal and visit...and then it was off to Ron's mom's house....
Where we were thrilled to spend time with Ben, Crystal and my Great-Nephew, Hayden, who were visiting from Delaware. I FINALLY finished Hayden's quilt in time to give it to them. It ended up much bigger than I thought....so it should last him a very long time! He is growing so fast (and is so darn cute!)...even if he is giving his mommy and daddy a run for their money! LOL(that's what babies do!)
Great-Grandma, RoRo....dancing with Hayden in the kitchen.
Ron's sister , Mauren....otherwise known now as "Grandma ReRe" with Hayden...he looks so much like his daddy did as a baby!

This is what little girl cousins do when they have nothing else to do...."draw" on the condensation on the door with their feet...check out Anna and Julia!

Ron's brother Sean was in from Chicago...Ronnie LOVES spending time with Uncle Sean!

~Friday morning, the girls and I got up and headed out to do some shopping. First, we hit Starbucks around 8am (Sara treats every year) ...then headed to Joann's Fabric for some great sales...from there, we headed to Michael's for more craft supplies/gifts....then we visited my great aunt in the hospital...after which we had the BEST pizza (hey...we needed nourishment for the rest of the day!)...then to the resale shop and Family Christian stores....finally home to decorate for Christmas! Thank goodness Meghan had made an extra casserole the other day...we were able to pop it into the oven, then light a fire and relax when we were done!

Yesterday, we did a lot of cleaning and then.... RoRo took 3 special little girls to see the play "Madeline's Christmas"...cousins, Anna, Molly and Julia. They had a great time, then she treated them to Sarris' for icecream! What a treat!
Anna picked out her "princess" dress to wear to the play

The happy girls after the play and icecream...

~We spent the rest of the day cleaning up....made some popcorn, watched the Crippled Lamb....and hit the hay! Today...after a wonderful time of worship and a timely sermon on "rejoicing always, praying continuously and giving thanks in ALL circumstances"....only possible with the Holy Spirit!

Hit the grocery store after church...then Ronnie has his friends, Steven & David over for the afternoon....it is so nice outside!!! Yesterday...the Lord provided us with a FREE basketball hoop! I've wanted one since I was young...I wanted one at the old house, and I've wanted one here....yesterday, someone was giving one away for FREE....what a blessing!!! We've had so much fun already! (Ronnie can't believe I can play basketball!) Not only does the Lord provide for our needs...but He delights in giving us the desires of our hearts! Now it is off to finish dinner....do our devotions for Advent...light a fire and have a special beginning to our Advent season! God bless everyone! ~Sue~

Happy Thanksgiving!

Quote: "Your blood, has washed away my sins...Jesus thank you!!! The Father's wrath completely satisfied...Jesus thank you!!! Once your enemy, now seated at your table...Jesus thank you!!!"
Sovereign Grace Music

~This is the song that was going thru my head, all night long...I woke up with it this morning, and as I quietly lay in bed, I realized that THIS is what I am most thankful for! May everyone have a very, very blessed Thanksgiving!~

~Sue~

Priceless.....

These are a few of my favorite things....dough rising for homemade dinner rolls....
six pumpkin rolls DONE...

a little calico kitty by a fire....

kitchen help from a 5 year old....
Priceless!!!

Thankful Quote of the Day...

"Let the thankful heart sweep through the day and, as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings!"

~Henry Ward Beecher~

Special memories with Ohio Friends!

On Friday, Ron's day off...we headed out to Ohio to spend the day with our very special friends, the Teeter family. As I may have mentioned on here before, Jolyn and I were reunited as friends by our Heavenly Father last year...after a 20 year absence...and reunited closer than we ever were in the past when we were growing up...true "Sisters" of the heart! It is wonderful that our husbands get a long so well, too! So...we headed out....got to their home, relaxed for a little while, before heading out to a buffet resteraunt that Jolyn's dad manages for a HUGE, wonderful lunch/early dinner....after being thoroughly stuffed, we all went back to their cozy home to laugh, visit and relax! Here is Jolyn, my Meghan, her Autumn and me talking and visiting. Meghan is embroidering His/Hers pillowcases for a friends wedding coming up soon, and I am crocheting an afghan for the new married couple....Jolyn was admiring our work....she is so uplifting and sweet!!! A little background...she had a brain anerisym years ago, and is doing so well....but she is a constant reminder to me of how precious every minute is...especially with family, children and those that you love....you never know when that will be gone.
Anna and Autumn...Autumn is so sweet and cheerful...so giving, so good with Anna! She stayed with us for a week this summer and was such a joy to have! Can't wait until she can stay with us again!

These two....Sara and Autumn...their birthdays are only weeks apart....and they hit it off right away....true soulmates! Together...they crack us up!!!
Jolyn and my Meghan....we all love Jolyn so much!!! Both of the girls love talking to her about things and sharing things with her....she is just so loving and sweet!

~We forgot to take any pictures of us! Or the hubbys! But....we all had a wonderful time visiting and talking. We got to know Jolyn's son, Michael a little better...he is very quiet, so the fact that he stayed home on a Friday night to visit with family friends, was very nice for a 16 year old boy to do!

I have to remind myself to be grateful....grateful that we are so close now, and that they ONLY love alittle more than 2 hours away....and not wish they lived 20 minutes away!!! I have to do the same with my friend, Stephanie who also lives in Ohio....I guess, since I've conquered my fear of driving on the interstates, that 2 hours isn't THAT far!!!

Jolyn and Mike....thanks for the great visit! Next time...the football hall of fame (not for me!) ...and LEHMAN'S!!! Can't wait! Jolyn...don't stress over Thanksgiving....enjoy!!! Love you all! ~Sue~

I'm dreaming of a White Christmas....

Last week, Meghan & Sara and I had the fun priviledge of going to see Irving Berlin's White Christmas performed at a local highschool. This is one of our very favorite movies, and to make the evening even more special...we were able to see it with good friends AND watch one of our dearest friends perform in it as well. Wonderful job, Miss Bella!!! The girls outside posing in front of the sign...from left: Arianna, Grace, Meghan, Tess, Michaela, Morgan and Sara
My beautiful daughters! I love doing special things with them...making memories...time seems to be going so fast...I blink and they are 14 and 16!

We were greeted by our friendly "elf", Tori...a friend of ours from church who was helping usher. Doesn't she make the perfect elf?!

Bella is dancing front and center with the long, flowing brown locks! She is a wonderful dancer, but she really looked professional out there!
Bella, on the right, singing with the chorus...
It is always so good to get together with "my" friends, too....like my friend Renee on the left, Marybeth (the proud Mama of Miss Bella!) in the middle, and me
The girls after the show. We all had such a wonderful time!!! Great job, Bella!!!!

A great way to start off our holiday, Christmas season! ~Sue~

Perspective...and "teenagers"....

First, I would like to say that I really, STRONGLY dislike the term "teenager"....in todays society, it conjures up images of selfishness, rebellion and disrespect....but not ALL young people are like that, nor should they be lumped into that category.

At the moment, my two oldest daughters are 16 and 14....and they are wonderful! They are responsible, caring, very, very helpful....and they actively look for ways to serve our family and make my life easier...especially on my bad 'fibro' days. They are both learning to be keepers at home.....and enjoy learning homemaking skills. Of course, these are not the only things they do with their time. Like all young people their age, they enjoy many friends and fun get togethers...but they also love all of us just being home as a family.

For the past few days (ok, longer than that) I have been having pretty bad fibro flares....Sunday afternoon, it put me in bed. But...these two have helped with their little brother and sister, helped with meals and cleanup, laundry, cleaning....as well as carrying a pretty full load of highschool work this school year. Sunday, while my wonderful husband took my two little ones to a train show...the girls and a friend, cleaned up lunch, then after I put a roast in the oven, the girls peeled all the carrots and potatoes and got them ready....then the 3 of them went to Starbucks for the afternoon...while I napped. It was so wonderful to sleep, then to wake to a yummy dinner, everyone home...and the girls friend stayed the whole day...which was a blessing to be able to spend time with her.

Here is the 'clincher', if you will.....Since Monday morning, my Sara (14) has been sick. Meghan has pitched in and helped take over Sara's chores, and she has made dinner two nights in a row while I took Anna to dance class on Monday...and worked at danced yesterday.....not only did she make dinner...but they were GOOD!!! She outdid herself yesterday, making a sweet/spicy glaze for the chicken, and a glaze for the carrots....presenting the wild rice on steamed zucchini...and even made an apple cobbler for dessert....all while I wasn't home. She enjoyed the creativity, and the domesticity.

My "teenagers" and I enjoy each others company....and would prefer to do everything together than with anyone else. Tomorrow night, (if everyone is healthy) just Meghan, Sara and I are going to see a musical performance of "White Christmas"....it is one of our favorites and we are so looking forward to this! There is no one else that I would rather see this with than Meghan and Sara!

They are such wonderful young ladies...and we are so proud of them!!!! I am very, very blessed to have my two "teenagers" right now!!! Love you, Girls!!!!

SIckness & Sue Thomas

First off, I am sick.

Sick as in 100.8 degree fever (mild), a devilish headache, and a sandpaper throat.
Let me tell anyone who doesn't know: being sick is a pain. MAJOR PAIN!

Okay, now that I am done updating everyone on my physical health, time for a monologue on (my favorite show EVER): Sue Thomas F.B. Eye.

Man, I love this show! It stars Deanne Bray, Yannick Bisson, Rick Peters, Ted Atherton, Enuka Oma, Tara Samuels, and Mark Gomes. (That was by memory)

The whole plot is that SUe is a deaf FBI agent who does all these cases. In most episodes a new case each episode (and the occasional 2-parter). Now, this series plays on Gospel Music Channel and is totally family-friendly clean... some episodes might be a bit scary (involving terorists, murders, etc) but most are clean-a-reeno. So check it out everybody! It is on channel GMC everyday at 4 pm & 8 pm... WATCH IT-LOVE IT- POST ABOUT IT!

PS: For anyone who has watched the show (I know Ella has!)do you think the character Jack Hudson :) has on eye makeup? I say NO WAY, but some people disagree (*cough* Meghan!)