Thanksgiving and the presence of those we love

The Thanksgiving Holiday is upon us again.  How quickly another year has gone by.   The older I get the more treasured the Thanksgiving Holiday is to me.  Life has brought many struggles to my family and I, but none of which are uncommon to us all. I have come to realize the struggles of life act as a purifying fire, that refines us like gold, removing the dross, and leaving behind the beauty.  As each year passes, the beauty of all that the Lord has done for us becomes brighter and brighter; while sorrow and struggle though often in our midst, fades.    How can I not wake up each day with gratitude that the Lord has richly blessed me.  As the Holiday approaches, I am more consciously filled with the Thankfulness that wells up in my heart.

Last week, four treasures came home for a visit;  Nathan, Himilce, Elon and Asher. As all the hopes and dreams of life come and go, nothing compares to having your children and grandchildren in your midst.  We had our own "Thanksgiving" the Saturday night after they got in, and delighted all week in their presence with us; their coming and going was dear, because even though they were sometimes visiting friends or re-exploring home, their presence was with us.  This makes me think of my relationship with the Lord.  How He loves when we seek to be in His presence; we don't have to be "eye to eye" or "one on one" every second of the day to appreciate  being in each other's presence constantly.  I remember my Mom telling me once that even if we didn't talk on the phone or see each other every day, she felt me "there".  Our houses are close to each other, and we feel each other's presence.  Now she lives half the year in Las Vegas near my brother Dave, and  half the year here I miss her presence when she's away. Of course we still talk on the phone, but there is something more about being in the presence of those you love.

Let us come before His presence with Thanksgiving.... Psalm 95:2

Nathan's Gift

My son Nathan is a photographer and film maker.  The Lord has given him exceptional talent and our response to all his work is "wow"! As Mom's are we not all  amazed at the talents and gifts of our children?  I am constantly amazed at all 7 of my own.  Nathan is no exception.

Himilce has the gift of beauty.  With the touch of her hand she multiplies beauty to people, rooms, food and more. While Nathan and Himilce were here,  Nathan took some family pictures and Olga's senior pictures.  Himilce helped him with Olga's senior pictures. They make a great team. Here are the results.   Thanks Nathan and Himilce.

      

Fall

Fall brings with it a multitude of happy rituals that bless our lives each year as they appear.  This year fall came in warm and golden, but was interrupted somewhat as Winter tried to barge in ahead of schedule.  Our family was just in time to pick chilis before Jack Frost put an end to that bounty.  The pumpkins seem to hold out a little farther into cold weather, and even though snow came in at least 4 different times, those pumpkins were fat and cheery through the end of October.  We've had great delight in seeing many old friends this fall.  Some through chance, and others through delightful times such as Roxy and Danny's harvest party; which we have enjoyed off and on for many years.  In the old days we used to plan a homeschool harvest party and it was the one time of year everyone was able to come together and share a bowl of chili, have hayrides, enjoy games and family fun.  Roxy and Danny have kept up the tradition, and now we have opportunities to see many friends, as well as another generation of children with their children. 

Here are some pictures of the fall happenings.  I may not be able to fully describe each picture, because I seem to fall into the "special ed." department of blogging when it comes to managing my pictures together with script.  So until I get another visit from Elizabeth and Marie, I may be in that state for a while; But here's to Fall and to many dear friends and family that bless our lives.

Animal Crackers/Graham Crackers

I found this recipe for Whole Grain Graham Crackers/Animal Crackers on a  blog called heavenlyhomemakers.com/blog , when I was looking for animal cracker ideas.  I tried it and it was really good;  The only problem with them is that you keep eating them.  Steve just loved them as well, and we finished up one batch in one day, and then I made another.  The first batch I made, was chocolate.  We loved it.  The second batch was just the regular "Honey Graham" Recipe, we loved it too. This is a tasty, healthy cookie and worth trying. 

Ingredients

2 1/4 whole wheat flour

1/2 cup dehydrated cane juice (also known as Rapadura or Sucanat found in health food store)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

4 Tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 stick butter 

For Chocolate Grahams, add 1/3 cup cocoa

Instructions

1.     Preheat oven to 350*.

2.     Melt butter in a saucepan. 

3.     Stir in water, vanilla and honey.  Set aside

4.     In a mixing bowl stir together dry ingredients.

5.     Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until you form a ball.

6.   Cut 2 pieces of parchment paper to fit the size of your cookie sheet,

placing one on the cookie sheet, the dough on top of that and the other sheet on top, and then roll out to the shape of the cookie sheet; ( I didn't do this, I  simply used a rectangular pizza stone and rolled it directly onto the pizza stone, using a piece of wax paper to cover the top while I rolled.

7.     Remove the top sheet of parchment or wax paper and cut animal shapes with cookie cutter, or with a pizza cutter, cut into squares for grahams.  Prick with fork if desired.

8.     Bake for 18 minutes.

9.     Turn off oven and leave crackers in oven 5 or 10 minutes longer in order to crisp them up.  The original recipe suggested doing this even longer, but with the pizza stone, 5 minutes was truly sufficient.

10.     Pull apart and lift from cookie sheet with spatula.   

11.      Serve and enjoy.

Animal Crackers and Cocoa to Drink

There was a little book that we read quite a bit when the kids were little and even today it brings back the sweetest memories to me it.  Out of the little book, was a favorite poem that we loved.

The book was called "A Merry-Mouse" book of Favorite Poems" by Priscilla Hillman. The pictures were really sweet.  The Poem is called "Animal Crackers" by Christopher Morley.  It is definitely in my list of "Cozy Things".

                                        

Animal Crackers

by Christopher Morley

Animal Crackers and Cocoa to drink

That is the finest of suppers, I think,

When I am grown up and can have what I please, 

I think I will  always insist upon these.

What do you do when you're offered a treat?

When Mother says, "what would you like best to eat?"

Is it waffles and syrup, or cinnamon toast?

It's cocoa and animals that I love the most!

The kitchen's the coziest place that I know:

The kettle is singing, the stove is aglow,

And there in the twilight, how jolly to see

The cocoa and animals waiting for me.

"Where's the Cozy?" continued...

The dictionary defines the word cozy as follows: 1. enjoying or affording comforting warmth and shelter especially in a small place. 2. to make oneself snug, comfortable and warm; marked by friendly intimacy.

My girls and I have our own definition of the word "cozy" and it  has become one of our own personal family words, and has often been a part of our everyday vocabulary.  I wonder why?   The answer I think lies in the meaning that we have attributed to it, and how we feel about its meaning.

Family definition: 1).  A happy, safe situation  which delights the heart with a sense of peace and comfort. 2).  To be warm and snug and in the company of  those whom you love, or with a good book in which you delight, often with a fine cup of something warm to drink, such as tea, cocoa or coffee. 3).  A general feeling of contentment derived from a certain atmosphere of quiet joy and beauty;  generally sustained by a crackling fire, a warm bed, or a soft seat,  a good book, something baking in the oven ; especially on (but not restricted to) a cold night, in the presence of a warm cat, or dog. 4).  A quaint tea party of loved ones with no outside factors to hinder or interrupt a delightful and sometimes long awaited chat. 5). A delightful snuggle with the love of your life in a warm bed watching a favorite movie followed by a snack that delights the heart; or as Pooh himself would say; "a little smackeral of something". 6).  A snowy morning, still dressed in pajamas, surrounded by the children/grandchildren in whom you love.

Synonyms:

Love, joy, peace, contentment, good books, crackling fire, cups of hot tea, warm cinnamon rolls, soft blankets, good friends, babies in jamies, cushie slippers, cinnamon toast, purring kitties, flannel shirts, pumpkin pie; any pie, hot buns with butter and honey, warm milk, hot bowls of soup, chili or stew, eaten by candlelight, accompanied by warm cornbread, or biscuits, peaceful music 

Favorite Things

Here are few of my favorite things:"The Sound of Music", and the Von Trapp Great -grand Children Which I found while looking for this song