Wednesday, December 3, 2008

things we have been doing

We had a quiet Thanksgiving this year. My brother moved away to Laos this year and wasn't going to be here visiting for the first time in many years. We also started moving out of our apartment on Wednesday and were moving the entire weekend so we took a break and spent a few hours at my parent's house on Thanksgiving day. This is a picture of me and my amazing son who has said several times lately that we do not have enough pictures of just the two of us together - so we thought we had better capture the moment.
These are my incredible parents who bless us constantly. They are such great examples of serving others - they both volunteer at too many places to count and are always ministering to those around them - especially us.
For dessert, my family is not really into pie. I know this is a sin - no pumpkin, no pecan, no pie period! So my mother decided to do something that they would all like instead. She created an ice cream sundae contest. Whoever had the most creative invention would receive a major prize - and it wasn't going to be a lamp in the shape of a leg!

Emma created an ice cream mountain with a chocolate slide on one side - she called it an avalanche - a very innovative idea!
Not sure what my normally very creative husband made - I think he was in a bit of hurry to eat all of that ice cream before it melted.
Cody made a blob head thing out of his - another formidable entry!
However, my creation won - I received a wonderful Starbucks gift card. It was a candy land forest with gummy bears on a chocolate/caramel trail. I thought it was pretty imaginative!
I guess there was evidence that the food was good - the table was beautiful but I forgot to take a picture of it before we ate everything. So here is the evidence of a great Thanksgiving dinner! Thank you Mr. or Mrs. Turkey for giving your life for our feast!
My adorable daughter, Emma (the one on the right) danced with her performing group friends the day after Thanksgiving at the festival of the trees. They were fantastic and amazing as always. I love watching her dance - she comes alive & is so in her element. I love that and honestly, am a little jealous of it at times. God has given her a special talent and she uses it with all of her heart. I am so proud of her!
On Sunday we went bowling with my hubby's family instead of going to church - shhhh...don't tell anyone! We then went to his sister's house for a great dinner.
Last night we took our kids out to dinner with a gift certificate we got for a gift - it was so fun to talk over dinner about heaven and our thoughts about God. We also went to see the tree in downtown Portland but for some mysterious reason it wasn't lit up last night - what the heck?!?! We had a beautiful time anyway, wandering through the relatively quiet city, hanging out with two of our favorite people.
Today my family and I visited with Mrs. Tappan for a half hour or so. Her husband who was 77 died in a tractor accident on May 11th. They had been married for 53 years and they had 5 or 6 kids. They own about 50 acres or so across the field from us and all of their children have homes on the land. The Tappan family believes in God and they will see each other again in heaven. What a great but bittersweet story she shared with us. He would consider himself lucky having died on his tractor - that was how he would have wanted it. What a beautiful testimony of what is really important in life. Thank you Mrs. Tappan for sharing your story with us and thank you God for the simple reminder today of what this life is really about.

8 comments:

The Aldridge's said...

Thanks for sharing all of the pics! I love the shiny green pants, very festive. How is the move going? How much longer, or have you finished?

Cheryl

meleea said...

we are sitting here now still unpacking boxes - but i think that will last for awhile. we are slowing getting settled though.

Julie D. said...

very cute, sundaes, meleea! great pic of you and cody! Love ya!

Anonymous said...

My ice cream thing was very creative. You just didn't get it or you were jealous. I think your parents were playing favorites. Want to have a do over ice cream contest?

Lee Ann said...

Looks like lots of fun. Your great conversation over dinner is encouraging to me :-) Sometimes I wonder if we will actually have a family conversation. I know it will come. I see little snippets of it, but it's just nice to hear that it does happen.

Anonymous said...

Curtis, that is just not true!!!hers was the best.

Valerie said...

I love the Tappan's. They have been lifelong friends of my parents and their children baby sat me. I have good memories of their home and until we finally caved and got a fake tree (I know, I know) we use to go to the Tappan's farm and get our tree. I miss that and I miss Dale's big smile -- his smile was so big and warm you couldn't help but feel warmed by it.

Trish said...

WHAT??? No pie? That is almost un-american. But funny that none of you are big pie fans! And the sundaes are a great family tradition!
Glad you had a great Thanksgiving! I think a quiet, intimate dinner sounds heavenly sometime!