Simple Dinners, Simple Pleasures.

Thursday's fancy feast was wonderful. There was a huge variety of plates, platters and bowls overflowing with wonderful, delicious flavors. We served dinner on the best tableware, the table was laid with a beautiful tablecloth, and the juice was served in fine stemware.

But, when it comes right down to it, the simple meals at home on a normal Sunday in late November are just as sweet and satisfying as any fancy holiday meal. Tonight, my husband made a delicious roast ham/sweet potato/veggie/roll dinner, complete with candles and sparkling grape juice in plastic wine glasses. We sat at the table, gave thanks to our amazing God, and enjoyed the simple joy of being a family. We cleaned up together and settled in to watch the snow and just be a family.

Now that's something for which I am forever thankful to my God.

Thanksgiving Highlights.

We returned home today from a wonderful Thanksgiving tour of families. We started out Tuesday night with a drive up to the snowy North country to my parents'. The kids were both thrilled when we drove through the country roads to see them drifted over with more than a foot of white fluffy snow. We arrived to Grandpa and Grandma and all the wonderful sights of Thanksgiving--berry wreath on the door, pies cooling on the counter, basketfuls of gourds decorating the table. Wednesday was a day of relaxation, as the most productive thing we did all was make this family of snow men, each to match our personalities. We had a blast outside building these snowmen, throwing snowballs, and running around like kids! I think this may be our Christmas card photo this year:

One of the things I love about going to my childhood home for the holidays is waking up to the yummy smells of turkey and all the fixings wafting up the stairs on Thanksgiving morning. Once again, we were blessed with an abundant variety of wonderful food for a delightful meal--turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes with gravy, squash, corn, brussel sprouts, salads, cranberries, green bean casserole rolls, and sparkling grape juice....all topped off with pumpkin pie, pecan pie, my Harvest candy swirl cheesecake, and ice cream. It was a blessed time of abundance of food and family time. I was thrilled that both of my grandmothers could be there, along with my grandfather, as well as my sister, brother, sister-in-law, and sweet little niece who was in sweet form in her little white dress and curly barely-there piggytails.
The day was filled with the kids making their Christmas list, watching the Macy's parade, resting, playing Racko, watching Samantha dance, and just sharing laughter with loved ones. I am all too aware that my grandmothers are aging quickly, and declining physically, so it was especially wonderful to share the day with them.

After dinner, we drove one hour to Matt's parents, where we played more games and enjoyed time with our family there. After everyone left, the kids and I watched the Charlie Brown Pilgrim special, which made for a great opportunity to teach the kids about these early settlers, their struggles, and their faith and hope.

Today, while we did not do the crazy 4:00 shopping thing, we did venture to a few stores to pick up some pajamas for the kids for Christmas Eve. We are really trying to simplify and avoid the crazy consumerism of Christmas. Matt and I then enjoyed breakfast out--just the two of us--and watched a couple of high school state final football games before driving home. We arrived home to a refrigerator full of hot, spoiled food....GROSS! Apparently, one of the alphabet letter magnets had prevented the refrigerator door from closing before we left, so it was open for the past 4 days. The really bad news is that I had just gotten groceries before we left, so over 100.00 of groceries were ruined. On the other hand, the good news is that the refrigerator was really hot and we probably easily could have had a fire, so we feel blessed that it wasn't worse. The lesson....watch out for those refrigerator magnets!!

Well, I am headed off to Michael's to take advantage of a few bargains. Kennedy is starting to paint a paint-your-own nativity set that we found at K-Mart, so that will be a month-long project that will be fun for the kids to create. The rest of the weekend will bring lots of home time, cleaning the carpets tomorrow, taking the kids to see "Bolt", watching football, and hopefully not a lot else! Enjoy!

As Requested...Harvest Candy Swirl Cheesecake.

I have had several requests to share my recipe for my Harvest Candy Swirl Cheesecake. This is a recipe I have adapted over the past 8 years, and it is what people in my families expect me to bring year after year. Last year, I decided to change it up a bit and brought a pumpkin dump cake instead, and I thought I would be disowned! So, once again, I am returning this year to the tradition....Enjoy!

CRUST INGREDIENTS:
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mini Morsels
FILLING:
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 (15-ounce) can LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
4 large eggs
1/2 cup NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup chocolate morsels
TOPPING:
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup Heath bar crumbles

For Crust: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease 9-inch springform pan. Combine graham cracker crumbs, butter and granulated sugar in medium bowl. Press onto bottom of prepared pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup morsels.

For Cheesecake: Microwave remaining 1/2 cup chocolate morsels in medium, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 30 seconds; stir. Microwave at additional 10 to 20-second intervals, stirring until smooth; set aside and cool to room temperature.

Beat cream cheese, granulated sugar and brown sugar until smooth; beat in pumpkin. Beat in eggs, evaporated milk, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg. Remove 3/4 cup pumpkin mixture; stir into melted chocolate. Pour remaining pumpkin mixture into crust. Spoon chocolate-pumpkin mixture over top; swirl.

Sprinkle white chips and butterscotch chips on top. Sprinkle Heath bar.

Bake for 60 to 65 minutes or until edge is set but center still moves slightly. Run knife around edge of cheesecake; loosen and remove side of pan. Cool completely on wire rack. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Enjoy!

Old Red Chair.

It's been a while since I posted photos here, so I thought I would do a photo-based posting today. I am feeling a bit better, though not 100% today. The good news is that I have caught up on sleep, as I slept 16 out of the past 24 hours. I think my body was really in need of a good concentrated rest like that.....and now I get to catch up on the piles of laundry and dishes that piled up in my absentia from being Mommy yesterday.

The photos above were taken at my parents' last weekend. This old red chair was in my dad's garage, and it was the perfect prop for some last-minute fall photos. The kids were freezing but were good sports. Good thing, because now those leaves are covered in a foot of snow.

Today is a crazy day filled with laundry, packing, and holiday baking. We are leaving tomorrow to drive north to my parents' house for Thanksgiving Day. I am making my famous harvest candy flurry cheesecake, along with bacon balsamic brussel sprouts and cashew-bacon layer salad. My stomach is still pretty queasy so non of that sounds good to me at the moment, but hopefully by Thursday, my tastebuds will be back to normal. Happy Thanksgiving preparations!

Sunday Fever.

I think I'm stressed. I was sitting in church this morning, had just taken communion, and felt this intense wave of fever and nausea roll over me. I spent the rest of the service in the bathroom and then sitting in the truck, followed by a 6 hour nap. I'm hoping this is a quickly passing thing, as I have no time for sick right now.

But, I'm thankful today for cooperative kids and a husband who kept the house running, the food going, and the DVD player cranking. I guess everyone at our house had a different kind of day today. Here's hoping that Monday brings health, energy and wellness....and that I can sleep tonight given my marathon nap today!

Blog Distraction.

As of late, I feel like I have lost a bit of focus with my blog. There are several reasons for this, including busyness due to the upcoming holidays, CRAZE at work related to piles of grading and lots of anxious students, the recent hospitalization of my mother, and my husband being gone hunting for several days. Basically, after making sure that the kids' needs are met and the house is {somewhat} presentable, I don't have a lot of gumption left. Hopefully, as the semester winds down and I settle into a more relaxed time, I will find some revitalization here.

It is 5:00 AM and I have been up for an hour. That is not unusual for me at this time of year, as I begin experiencing the anxiety that comes with end-of-semester responsibilities as well as the busyness of making sure all of the holiday preparations are coming together. Can Thanksgiving really be next week? I still can't believe how quickly the last half of 2008 slipped away.

As for Thanksgiving plans, we are going to be heading north to spend time with both of our families. On Tuesday, we will head to my parents where we will stay through Thursday after dinner. We will then head to Matt's parents for Thursday evening before returning home on Friday.

While up north, we will pick up a true north-country Christmas tree that will hopefully get decorated next weekend. I am not a black-Friday shopper, as I would rather pay 10.00 more dollars and NOT face the shopping craze. I actually have a pretty good jump on shopping this year and actually have a good chunk of my list taken care of already.

As for Thanksgiving cooking/baking, I will surely be baking my infamous autumn flurry cheesecakes. This is basically a pumpkin cheesecake adorned with chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, white chocolate, and heath bar crumbles. It is heavenly, and people ask for it every year. I have been making these for seven years now, ever since Kennedy was born. I am also planning to make cauliflower-bacon layer salad, another family favorite, and probably some squash bisque. Do you have any family favorite recipes that I should try this year?

Well, I am going to try to catch one more hour of sleep before starting the day with the kids. Happy Wednesday!

My Poor Neglected Blog.

I really have no excuse, but things have been really busy. That, and I have been spending more of my computer time on FaceBook catching up with old friends, so this blog has not gotten as much of my attention as it needs to lately. So, you may wonder what has been going on around here lately, and here are a few snippets:

• I am so buried in papers and exams to grade that I fear I will be grading until Christmas Eve.
• Parent teacher conferences were this week, and I am so proud of my kids. They are doing well in school, yes, but most importantly, they are showing strong character and care for others. That is what is most important to us as they learn and grow.
• I was also in charge of Teacher Appreciation meal for conference week, so that took a good chunk of my week. We did assorted soups/stews with fresh breads and salads. It seemed to be enjoyed by all....but I must admit that chiseling dried on soup from 10 crock pots last night after work was no fun...yuck.
• Did I mention that I have a ton of grading to do?
• We finally broke down and purchased a Wii for the kids for Christmas. Hayden is so worried that Santa might not know what a Wii is. I have always sworn that my kids would not have hand-helds or video games, because I just can't stand seeing kids with their nose buried in a game boy, oblivious to social interaction. We will put STRICT limits on this game, as I'm thinking of limiting their playing time to weekends. So, if you know of any good family games that won't promote cognitive ROT, please let me know! I saw a veterinarian simulation that looked pretty neat for my daughter, who is very interested in animals.
• Speaking of veterinarians, the other day, Kennedy asked me "Mom, can vetrinarians eat meat?" It seems that someone at school told her that if you were a vetrinarian, you can't eat meat. This made me smile. Leave it to those vegetarians!
• So, in my professional life, I am a little behind on my grading.........
• My dad just called to let me know that my mom is being transported to Traverse City for emergency surgery. I will be leaving sometime today to drive 3 hours north, so we would really appreciate your prayers.
• And, yes, I'll be bringing my grading along for the waiting room.
• PS--I really can spell veterinarian. :)

10 on the 10th.

Can it really be November 10th already. Seriously, where did the last 3 months slip away to?

To be honest, this has been a really challenging month for us. But it is one where God is as always proving Himself faithful, and where we are being stretched and grown by Him in new ways.

In the stress and craze of the month, quite frankly, I lost focus of my commitment to better health. I only walked a few times scattered through the month. My eating hasn't been as good as it should have been. I haven't made time for creativity.

And, do you know what? That is real life. One of the things I wanted to do differently this time around was to make changes that will be long-term, not just for some isolated period of time to lose a certain number of pounds. And there will be those periods in life where healthy living takes a back seat.

So today is about getting back on focus and starting fresh. In those times of refocusing, I am thinking about the following ten areas:

1) Taking a long albeit BRISK walk today.
2) Restocking the refrigerator with veggies, fruit and lots of healthy options.
3) Making a dinner recipe from my lowfat crock pot cookbook.
4) Taking some time to create this afternoon.
5) Making sure to get 8 hours of sleep tonight.
6) Finding a couple of health recipes for later in the week.
7) Playing out in the snow with my kids (if it lasts until after school).
8) Pray and ask God for strength and focus.
9) Have a long time in God's Word this morning.
10) Stay encouraged and not beat myself up.

So how has the month of November gone for you?

4 Commitments.

I did not vote for Barack Obama. I cannot rightfully and in good conscience vote for a man who endorses abortion generally and partial birth abortion specifically. I am encouraged to see what this election means for the civil rights of all people, and I understand the historical significance of this election.

I did not vote for Barack Obama. But I do want to support unity and do my part in working toward a brighter future for my children. I saw this on Facebook, as cited by the CEO of Tommy Nelson Publishing, love it, and want to say that today I am joining in making four commitments to President-Elect Barack Obama:

1) I will pray for him and our country.
2) I will assume his motives are good, giving him the benefit of the doubt.
3) I will not speak ill of him, even if I don’t always agree with him.
4) I will do all that I can to be a positive force for good.

Can you make these commitments?

Discussion at the Voting Booth.

**EDITED: I do welcome constructive comments on my blog but am not prone to validate comments from those who post anonymously. Hence, while I would welcome dialogue with the party who left the third comment on this post, it is obviously not possible. Remember that these comments were made by innocent children, just trying to figure it all out and just sharing their views for their own benefit, oblivious to anyone around them.....and that if the conversation of a 5-and-7 year old pair of kids would sway people in their voting stance, then maybe the stance wasn't solid or full of conviction to begin with.**

I decided to take both kids with me tonight as I voted, as I desire them to learn and internalize that voting is an important part of our responsibility as Godly citizens. So imagine when, as I was voting, the kids engaged in this discussion full-volume, with several people trying to vote around them (made me embarrassed and proud all at the same time!).

Hayden: Mom, vote for Baracko-Mamma.

Kennedy: No, Hayden. Barack Obama doesn't believe in Jesus. And he thinks it's OK to kill little babies in their mommies' bellies. We need to vote for John McCain

Hayden: Oh, Sorry. Mommy, vote for John McCain.

Kennedy: And, Buddy, it's OK because no matter who wins as our president, we know that Jesus is in charge.

Hayden: Yeah. Jesus and God and Mommy and Daddy, right?

Yes, my sweet boy. So right.

Thankful for the Lamb.

On this monumental day in our history, I am simply thankful for one thing.

That no matter what happens today, and no matter who is named as our next president....Jesus still reigns, and His will is going to reign.

In the words of one of my past student, "With all these elephants and donkeys running around, it's important to remember..........

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE LAMB.

Godly Friends.

Our family is going through a time of soul-searching right now. We are looking at where we have come from, what has transpired in the 3 years that we have been in this job and community, and where we sense God leading us. These are hard questions to ask. We are not sure who to trust right now, and some people who we thought were friends have let us down.

As we are in this time of some uncertainty, we are so very grateful for some friends that God has placed strategically into our lives. The Smiths were one of the very first families to reach out to us when we moved here 3 years ago, and they have remained a family who we love, trust, admire, and cherish. Today, we were able to share a delicious meal of ham, potatoes, corn and baked apples with Marcy and Kevin, and their four wonderful children Sawyer, Braden, Ali and Logan. They have been Jesus to us in so many ways, and we appreciate their support and love.

Even in this place of uncertainty, though, there is so much to be thankful for. Tonight, I am thankful for a fire in the fireplace. I am thankful for warm quilts, and my little girl giggling next to me, and my energetic little boy, and two good jobs for my husband and I. I am thankful for the bright red color of our flaming bushes that is so beautiful against the tan siding. And, most of all, I am thankful for the Smiths.

What are you thankful for this second day of November?

And I'll leave you with the following quote, which reminds me to look for and take the time to appreciate the little simple things:

"I know a lot of you folks have come out to the farm and you've seen the words, and a lot of you have asked me, 'how could this have happened?'. I don't know, but it has happened... at a time when we really don't see many miraculous things. Maybe we do. Maybe they're all right there around us everyday, we just don't know where to look."-Homer Zuckerman

November Thanks.

Over the past two years on this blog, I have dedicated the month of November to highlighting those areas, people, things, and blessings for which I am thankful. In each of my courses, I have challenged my students, in the opening minutes of our class meetings, to share with each other things for which they are thankful. It seem like such a simple effort to utter words of thanks...to take the time to verbally articulate those things for which we have gratitude.....but I have found it to be a very powerful influence over my thoughts and perceptions. In short, living by the discipline of seeing and thanking God and others helps me to see the blessings even more as I walk through my day-to-day life.

I am finding it hard to believe that it is November. Didn't school just start? My kids are now done with their first marking period, Halloween is done, and the stores have jumped full-force into the Christmas season. I really hate that Thanksgiving often gets glanced over as people move toward Christmas.

To me, Thanksgiving is about the soul. It is about celebrating a way of life. The discipline of thanking God and others. The cozy warmth that comes from turning inward to home and soul as the weather outside gets colder and darker. Thanksgiving highlights family and friends and home and harvest. I just love this month.

Today, on the first day of November, I am giving thanks for simple Saturdays at home. Cleaning the house. Spending time with the kids. Staying in pajamas until 4:00 pm. Getting an extra hour of sleep due to Daylight Savings Time. Reconnecting with the past. Looking forward to the future. Kisses from my kids and dog (husband, too!). Safe returns home. And so many more simple pleasures that are easily overlooked.

Thank you, Lord, for the rhythm of the week and how it leads up to the weekend. Thank you for Saturdays and that tomorrow brings a day of worship, fellowship with friends, and rest.