Annual Tradition

Matt and I got out of town on Friday (by ourselves!) for a little overnight trip. This has become somewhat of an annual tradition, as Matt's parents are usually available to watch our kids the weekend after Thanksgiving. I know--brave and loving Grandma and Grandpa--taking on six kids. We usually enjoy the trip as a belated anniversary get-a-way and this year, as our last trip before the baby comes.

We ate a nice dinner Friday night at a little French restaurant in a tiny town that happened to be celebrating its annual "Christmas Kickoff" weekend, so after dinner, we meandered downtown to watch fireworks in the snow. Then we crossed the street to see the movie "Secretariat" in the renovated historic theater. We sat in the balcony and enjoyed the movie immensely, except for the noisy teenagers in the very back row (we should have known better than to sit where we did). After the lady in front of us got annoyed enough to go back and scold them, they did calm down and we were able to watch the dramatic ending of the movie in peace and quiet.
Matt and I also relished our being able to have uninterrupted discussions over the weekend. We were able to talk about some of the deeper subjects for which we never seem to have the time. Matt even indulged me with trips to two thrift stores. He also joined me on a couple of coupon shopping adventures.
When we got home late afternoon yesterday, we found the Christmas tree all decorated and all the kiddos and Grandma and Grandpa safe and sound (although all were a bit tired). Grace and Grandpa cooked and baked up a storm while we were away, so everyone had been well fed. As nice as it is to get away, we always miss our kiddies and our own bed. All felt familiar again when I awakened at 3 a.m. to eat my snack and start another load of laundry.

A picture of the homemade Boston Cream Pie that Grace made while we were away. Boston Cream Pie is a long time favorite of Grandpa's. Grace made it as a belated birthday gift to him. It wasn't popular with everyone, though. Jude took one bite and declared, "Ick!"

Happy Thanksgiving

Last night we had our annual Mayflower Dinner as we cuddled up in blankets in the coldest, darkest part of our house (the basement fruit room) to listen to Daddy read by candlelight from Margaret Pumphrey's book "Stories of the Pilgrims." As an ocean sounds cd played in the background, the kids ate dried beef and learned about the pilgrims--their tenacity, perseverance and deep faith in the One True God. Those people desired better lives, not just for themselves, but for their children and childrens' children. They were willing to sacrifice mightily (even unto death) to achieve that desire, always giving thanks to God for His providence and care, not matter what befell them (good or ill). Amazing. What dynamic and real faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. What a spiritual heritage those first men and women left us.

Today we're headed "over the river and through the woods" (or across town, anyway) to Grandma and Grandpa's for a Thanksgiving Feast. All sixteen cousins will be in attendance and a thirty three pound freshly butchered turkey will be in the oven. Even though this past year has held various trials for many of us, we will all give thanks to the Almighty God for the many blessings He has lavished on each of us as we gather around the bounteous Thanksgiving table.

Snow!

Culinary Pursuits

It's official. I'm on a diabetic diet to keep my gestational diabetes (glucose intolerance) under control. The good news--I'm able to control my blood glucose levels through diet alone. Even though my fasting (morning) blood sugars are a bit high, my doctor says I don't need to go on medication because my sugars are great the rest of the day.

I met with a diabetes counselor last week to get some ideas for bringing my fasting blood sugar down and she suggested that I either take a walk at 3 a.m. or eat a snack at that time. "If I were you," she said, "I'd opt for the snack." No kidding. So I've added an early morning snack to my routine (cheese and a sugar free pudding--yummy!) and it seems to be helping.

The counselor asked me how I was doing emotionally with the change in my diet. I said, "Well, I'm pregnant and sometimes I just get crabby about it." She said, "You're eating to live, not living to eat." That's never been one of my strong suits, but God is teaching me through all of this. We're studying Isaiah as a family this year through Bible Study Fellowship. In one of the lectures, the teaching leader said, "God can use anything to discipline His people." So instead of complaining, I've been trying to learn from the discipline, which is not a bad thing.

Even though I'd rather be cleaning closets and getting Christmas organized and just leave dinner prep to my two oldest girls, I've been forced to make time for meal planning and meal making due to my dietary restrictions. Grace's specialities--Thai noodles, chicken spaghetti and baked macaroni and cheese--just aren't part of my life right now. Neither are her cinnamon rolls :(
So instead, I've gotten creative with the crock pot. My mother-in-law gave me the America's Test Kitchen cookbook "The Best Slow and Easy Recipes" as a gift last year and I've been using it a lot lately. The recipes are quite a bit more work on the front end than the usual run of the mill crock pot recipe, but the end products are very tasty. So far we've sampled chicken Provencal, chicken curry with potatoes and carrots, Thai chicken coconut curry soup, beef goulash and beef stew. Another benefit of branching out of my usual cooking rut: Matt's been delighted. There's nothing he loves more than being greeted by the aromas of exotic spices when he walks in the door at night.

I've also been roasting a lot of vegetables including, cauliflower, butternut squash and brussel sprouts. Grace and Elizabeth have been keeping me supplied with homemade wheat bread, cooked sugar free pudding and sugar free jello salads so that I don't feel completely deprived. I've found that I can even indulge myself with one piece of Hershey's Bliss dark chocolate after lunch without it affecting my blood sugar levels.

I have yet to face the plethora of food offerings during the holiday season, but a healthy baby is a strong motivator. I can hardly wait to meet the little guy. And I guess I can take the advice I gave my firstborn son a few weeks ago, "For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it." Heb. 12:11

Rearranging Nest Feathers

Once I realized that I have approximately five weeks to get through Thanksgiving, Christmas and any pre-baby chores I'd like to accomplish, my nesting instinct kicked into full gear. I've spent the last week cleaning closets, purging, reorganizing, ordering Christmas presents and getting blankies, clothes and burp cloths put away for baby Isaac.

What is it about pregnancy and the NEED to clean closets, anyway? At any rate, I do have some pictures I'd like Matt to upload to the blog and some cute kid stories to report and I'll get to all of that--after I get a few more closets cleaned.

Fall Leaf Fun

A Treat for the Man of the House

Blackberry pies--my great grandmother's recipe--made with a friend's offering of her frozen summer bounty--for Daddy--because he works so hard to provide for his brood.