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!)

Sunday suppers...and good friends!

No pictures this time...forgot to take any! LOL Yesterday, we had our dear friends, the Henderson's, come visit with us from Ohio. First, I took Ronnie and Anna over to play with their golden retriever, Gunner....how they love this dog!!! Anna, especially loves Gunner. He was so happy and excited to see them! Anna had him doing so many tricks and playing that he took a long nap after we left! LOL Then, Chuck, Stephanie and their sons, Charles and David, came for dinner and the evening. We had such a great time!

Meghan and Sara helped me prepare dinner. We had a wonderful dinner of sauteed boneless chicken breasts, oven roasted potatoes, carrots, green beans, mushrooms and homemade dinner rolls....then homemade chocolate custard for dessert. Delicious!

After dinner, the guys watched the hockey game while Stephanie and I played "Clue " with the older ones. It was such fun! I think I used to be much more observent when I was younger! LOL

Anna cracked everyone up by being silly and repeatedly saying "pumpernickel bread"....which had everyone cracking up! Hopefully, we'll be able to get together again over Christmas, weather permitting!

~Today was Sunday...Ron was on vacation all last week, so he was able to go to church with us this morning! It was so nice to worship as a family! We came home to a crockpot full of homemade wedding soup and rolls...then Ron took Ronnie and Anna to a train show, and the girls went to Starbucks with their friend, Danielle.....so....after I put a roast in the oven , I went for a nap....and woke up at 5:30pm! It was so nice to sleep! I don't sleep very well most days...so sometimes when it catches up with me...I just collapse. Today was one of those days! It really blessed me so much to rest today!

Now...after a dinner of roast beef, gravy, mashed potatoes, carrots, corn, and green beans (which the girls cleaned up! Thanks, Girls!) The 3 older girls are finishing watching "Gone with the Wind"...while Ron and I watch "Nim's Island" with Ronnie and Anna...and eat some icecream...... a quiet Sunday with family...and a wonderful weekend with good friends! We have had a very blessed weekend! Now....another busy week! Tomorrow, Meghan & Sara and I have our monthly 'Maiden's' meeting...after Anna has dance, and Ronnie has hockey. Tuesday, more dance, this time for Sara....another cubscout den meeting here on Wednesday, then the girls and I are off to see a musical at a local highschool of "White Christmas"...we're very excited about that! And...hopefully, my dear friend, Jolyn, will be feeling better by Friday, so we can go to Ohio and celebrate her birthday with her! Hope you all have a blessed week, too!~
God bless you all!!! ~Sue~