Thanksgiving Pie R Squared

Time to blog again!  I was so glad to have taken so many photos on Thanksgiving.  :)

After the guys woke up from post-meal naptime, the younger guys started tossing out hints.  Thomas was the first, because he's 14 and a growing young man, and is almost always hungry, and is always up for eating dessert, especially Thanksgiving pie.

Yep, there were six pies total.  My mom made a traditional French apple pie, and a pumpkin pie.  I added a pumpkin pecan, lemon buttermilk (my favorite), French coconut (Danny's favorite), and a traditional pecan pie.  Six pies.  Nine people.  You do the math.  :)

So the pies were divvied up, doled out, and deliciously enjoyed.  Oh, we also had fresh whipped cream and Andy's frozen custard.  We love Andy's.  :)

Enjoy the photos.

 My kid brother, who got me hooked for good on photography.  His camera is better than mine...

 My dad has a sweet tooth.  Is this seconds or thirds??

Lemon buttermilk pie with fresh whipped cream.

Back to life,
Christine

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captured by Christine Anne

Our Day of Thanks -- Post-Mealtime!

As I worked on editing the rest of our Thanksgiving pictures, I found yet one more thing to thank the Lord for--the fact that He allowed me to take so many photos!!  Usually I have five or six, and that's it.  But I get to post a "Thanksgiving, Part II" today!  Yay!

Okay, back to the story.  :)

The meal was prepared, cooked or baked, and set out on the table.  My dad gave thanks to the Lord for not only the food, but family, and health, as well.  Mealtime for our gang is always a talkative time, with laughter all around.  We share family jokes about the rolls and butter (sorry if you're not family!).  Mealtime is special.

There were a lot of leftovers this year!  We always worry about making enough food, but there's always too much.  Why is that, I wonder?  What a blessing, though, to have leftovers to share!  We usually share all the food among ourselves, making sure my bachelor brother has a good portion to take home.

Different people help each year to clean up.  My dad chipped in with rinsing some dishes and loading the dishwasher.

What invariably happens after mealtime?  You guessed it:

Our family warns you that you're fair game if you fall asleep!  We photographers have turned it into an art form, especially when we're on vacation.  Post-mealtime on Thanksgiving works just as well, too!  Happy naptime!

Back to life,
Christine

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captured by Christine Anne

FFG -- Our Day of Thanks Part I

My dear friend Lori hosts Friday Farm Girls at Heart every week;

please click on her button to visit her blog

and find out how you can participate!

I'm so glad Lori asked us to share our Thanksgivings today!  I'm not so happy that I don't have the time to edit all the photos I took!  That's okay, though, 'cause I get to share Thanksgiving over several posts--yay!

Every year, we spend a day or two in food preparation, then on Thanksgiving Day, pack it all up in the back of our Suburban and make the short 20-minute drive to my parents' home.

My mom already had a few Christmas decorations set out!  She is so much better at it than I am.  Besides the tree, I put one or two things out, and hope it looks good.  :)

The aroma of turkey roasting in the oven fills the house as we all eagerly tromp on inside to greet Grandpa and Grandma.  Everyone shares hugs, and Thomas takes the initiative of giving me one, too--he's so silly but he doesn't realize I appreciate it!

Of course, Thanksgiving wouldn't be complete without some football on TV.  My parents have a finished basement, which is nice since the guys turn on the TV down there, and the kitchen/family room area remains conducive for conversation and laughter.

Mom wanted me to take a picture of the turkey as it cooked.  It already looked yummy, but had a little longer to go.

Mom makes everything from scratch--and so do I.  I got her to show off her homemade applesauce, one of the guys' favorites.

Of course, having my camera meant I had to find some good photos!  I took advantage of the side light from the lamp to snag this image of Danny.  Nice!

Mom toasted me as we both worked to get all of the dishes ready.  There was a LOT of food.

Jacob spent the waiting-for-dinner time reading a book I had recommended.  He finished it by the day's end, of course.  Typical Jacob.

The turkey was done!

The table was filling up.

Time for the meal!  I forgot my tripod, so I'm (typically) not in the photo this year.  And I got just part of Jacob!

Of course dinner was filled with delicious food and lots of conversation and laughter.  My dad sure knows how to have fun!

And that's the end of Part I.  Now it's time to go do laundry, and to prepare for a trip to Wisconsin tomorrow!  (We're all excited about driving three hours to get a Christmas tree; how's that for weird?!)

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  "See" you soon!!

Back to life,
Christine

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captured by Christine Anne

Month of Thanksgiving -- Final Blessing 21

This post is the last post of a giveaway at Tamara's blog.

Please click on her tag below to read more!

As I reflect back on these days of giving thanks, I see just a drop in an ocean of things, people, and events for which I have thanked the Lord.  Today, instead of naming specific things for which I thank the Lord, I want to share a few quotes on thanksgiving which our pastor shared with us on Sunday as part of his study on Proverbs 14.

Thanksgiving is acknowledging our dependence on the Lord.

Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action.

If you are not content with what you have,

you would not be satisfied if it were doubled.

God is glorified, not by our groans, but by our thanksgivings.

And my personal favorite:

When asked if my cup is half-full or half-empty, my response is that I am thankful I have a cup.

Thank you, Tamara, for hosting this incredible meme this month.  I have enjoyed participating with all the wonderful ladies, "meeting" you all, visiting your blogs, and being encouraged.  THANK YOU!

From the rising of the sun to its setting

The name of the LORD is to be praised.

Psalm 113:3 nasb

Back to life,
Christine

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captured by Christine Anne

Month of Thanksgiving -- Blessing 20

This post is part of a giveaway at Tamara's blog.

Please click on her tag below to find out more!

Today I thank the Lord for my husband.  Fernando is as unique as his name, and we're all sure that God created him, then broke the mold.

I have said that his eyes are the color of joy, and he brings laughter like a good medicine to our home.  He balances me in every way!

He leads his family and his sons love him.  So do I.  :)

May he kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!

For your love is better than wine.

Song of Solomon 1:2 nasb

Thank You, Lord, for my husband.

Please visit Tamara's blog to find out more about Month of Thanksgiving,

to be encouraged by others' blessings,

and to participate!

Back to life,
Christine

visit my photography blog!
captured by Christine Anne

FFG--Scrabble and Settlers

My dear friend Lori hosts Friday Farm Girls at Heart every week;

please click on her button above to visit her blog

and find out how you can participate!

Halfway through Settlers of Catan

Farm Girls know how to have fun!  This farm girl loves board games, and playing with others.  We try to play games often, but sometimes there are lulls.  My favorite game is Scrabble.  I love words!

Having fun teaching Mrs. M how to play!  (She is laughing, honest!)

When friends come over for a visit, we tend to pull out the games.  What better way to have a laughter-filled evening!

Mrs. M learned quickly, and started stealing cards from her own daughter.  :)

The games always take longer, because we're joking, laughing, and telling stories between moves.  But this is what playing games is all about!

Thomas and my oven mitts...

My guys and I are super excited because we get to play tonight!

Back to life,
Christine

visit my photography blog!
captured by Christine Anne

Month of Thanksgiving -- Blessing 19

This post is part of a giveaway at Tamara's blog.

Please click on her tag below to find out more!

Today I thank the Lord for the dinner hour, that blessed time of gathering around the table for physical and spiritual nourishment, of fellowship together as a family, of prayer and Bible study as brothers and sister (yep, just one "sister") in the Lord.

O magnify the LORD with me,

And let us exalt His name together.

Psalm 34:3 nasb (emphasis mine)

Thank You, Lord, for our dinner hour.

Please visit Tamara's blog to find out more about Month of Thanksgiving,

to be encouraged by others' blessings,

and to participate!

Back to life,
Christine

visit my photography blog!
captured by Christine Anne

Tea Talk--Thanks Forever

Welcome to my home!

Sit and have a cup of tea with me and share a little time of relaxation and encouragement.

To join, click on Ruth's button above!

I'm having...a cup of strawberry rhubarb tea (in the photo below).  I drank out of this beautiful teacup that belongs to Lori when our family visited her house for Friday Game Night last week!

I'm feeling...a bit overwhelmed with to-do's.  That hasn't changed since last week, though.  I wish some of them would just float away!  But that won't happen, either.  And in the midst of the list, the laundry, and the dishes, and the...await me!

Lori's single-cup tea ball

On my mind...is our family get-together this Saturday evening!  All 11 of us (with my dad as the patriarch) will share a "breakfast at dinnertime" potluck this Saturday.  My sister-in-law plans to bring biscuits and gravy, which I can't wait to try.  She is a great cook!  We're getting together before Thanksgiving, because my brother and sister-in-law will be sharing that special day with her extended family, and will miss Thanksgiving at my parents' home.  Thanksgiving will start to be on my mind next Sunday!

I leave you with...a Bible verse of thanks, in honor of this wonderful season.

So we Your people and the sheep of Your pasture

Will give thanks to You forever;

To all generations we will tell of Your praise.

Psalm 79:13 nasb

Back to life,
Christine

visit my photography blog!
captured by Christine Anne

Month of Thanksgiving -- Blessing 18

This post is part of a giveaway at Tamara's blog.

Please click on her tag below to find out more!

Tamara has asked us to share Thanksgiving traditions and memories, which I will do today.  So today, I thank the LORD for Thanksgivings past, the wonderful traditions shared, and memories stored up.

Above is my mom's and dad's dining room, set with almost everything but the turkey.  My sister-in-law is placing her dish on the table--she is an awesome cook!  And my mom is simply amazing:  she makes a turkey with homemade stuffing in the bird, so delicious!  Plus, everything is from scratch:  the cranberry sauce, steamed broccoli (everyone's favorite vegetable), several types of rolls and breads...  I make sweet potatoes, lemon-garlic mashed potatoes, and one or two types of squash.

For dessert, my mom and I contribute several pies.  She usually makes two or three, and I usually make a couple.  We have French apple or cranberry-apple, pumpkin (I make a yummy pumpkin-pecan pie), lemon custard (a new favorite).  There are only three ladies in our little 11-person clan, but we all love to cook!

The day is spent in food preparation, amidst laughter, conversation, and the guys sneaking in to try to snitch food samples.  Our young men may pull out chess or Settlers of Catan or another game.  We usually share prayer and eat around 2pm, so that we can relax afterward with cleanup, and more fellowship and laughter.  We also talk about Christmas plans--in whose home will we have Christmas this year?  (There are four to choose from!)  What about gifts?  Gift ideas?

Around 6pm, the guys are the ones who start tossing out hints about dessert!  Out come the pies, whipped cream, coffee or tea...

Thanksgiving is a day of family togetherness, conversation, and laughter.  Since we're a mixed bunch, specifically Christian activities (reading the Word, etc.) are not done.  But we love our family and this very special day that we share together.

Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving,

Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.

For the LORD is a great God

And a great King above all gods.

Psalm 95:2-3 nasb

Thank You, Lord, for Thanksgiving Day, and the opportunity to give thanks to You every day.

Please visit Tamara's blog to find out more about Month of Thanksgiving,

to be encouraged by others' blessings,

and to participate!

Back to life,
Christine

visit my photography blog!
captured by Christine Anne