Monday, November 28, 2011

A Virginia Thanksgiving

We had a really nice time hosting Thanksgiving for the whole Small family this year and were glad to take some of the load off of Lynda, who is working her way back to full health after finishing six months of chemo (yay!).  We particularly enjoyed having Justin and his girlfriend April stay with us--I think I've said before how much fun it is to have our siblings stay with us, now that we are all grown up.  Fun fun.

We spent the weeks before the meal planning menus and buying groceries and prepping ingredients, so it was super fun that the food all turned out just right--Jason's cider-brined turkey was seriously the best I've ever eaten...in spite of the raw meaty brine spilling all over the counter and floor at just the wrong time the night before!


"These mashed potatoes are so creamy!"
Cider-brined turkey, golden and delicious!
We ate:

  • Cider-brined turkey with cider gravy
  • Sausage, apple, and sage stuffing
  • Garlic-thyme mashed potatoes
  • Roasted Brussels sprouts with grapes
  • Green bean casserole
  • Tapioca Salad
  • Pies and sugar-free chocolate trifle
Gathered around the table
We spent the rest of the weekend doing a variety of things, including visiting the Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum and trying to find a solution to our major Thanksgiving Day plumbing situation--thank goodness for Justin and George!  Fun visit and great people with whom to celebrate all we're thankful for!
At the Air and Space Museum



Thursday, November 24, 2011

Thanksgivingness

I've been learning to practice thanksgiving this year, particularly after reading One Thousand Gifts this spring (Most Significant Book of 2011, so far).  I'm not very good at it yet, but I am recognizing the truth of what the author says in the book--that when we look for ways to thank God, joy pours into our lives.  She says that "thanksgiving is the manifestation of our Yes! to His grace."  I love that.

I also love this:  "When we lay the soil of our hard lives open to the rain of grace into our broken skin and deep crevices, life grows."

So I've been practicing--a few things each day that I'm thankful for, a practice I started in June and have kept up (unfortunately) sporadically since then.  Here are a few of the things on my list so far:

* Pigeon pose at 6:15 a.m.
* Pictures of Krystal with us on vacation.
* Heavy Carter asleep on me.
* The sound of Jason awake upstairs.
* Jenny.  And her prayers for me.
* Irish breakfast tea.
* Ecstatic news about Lynda's cancer.
* A flock of green beans hiding under broad leaves.
* Recess hours.
* Skinny jeans (who would have thought?).
* The downward slide of the week.
* Peaches in the CSA.
* Polyjuice Potion in "Luminos" font.
* Mason on the phone.
* Long dinner talks on the deck.
* Amy's birthday playlist.
* My iPad.
* War movies without papers.
* Jason's hand on my hip in bed.
* Anne of Avonlea.
* Red Robin french fries.
* 165 beats per minute.
* Bouquets of sharpened pencils with Dawn.
* Tapioca salad ruby-red in Aunt RaVae's footed bowl.

I hope you have a moment to look for the things you are thankful for today, as well.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Good morning!

It's 7:56 a.m., and, after a trip to the doctor yesterday, it is the first night in at least week I haven't kept both of us awake with my coughing.  And I only had to get up to go to the bathroom once last night!  Hooray for a whole night's sleep!

It's a good thing, too, because I have so much to do today to get ready for Thanksgiving guests tomorrow.  My list includes:
* Figure out how I am going to set the table...and find the china...
* Make pies (it's a good thing I love to eat them, because I do not love to make them).
* Decide what to do with the box of winter clothes not yet in my closet that aren't going to fit me much longer anyway.
* Decide what to do with the box of maternity clothes in the basement (thank you, sisters and Andrea!) that don't fit me quite yet.
* Go boot shopping (because that is a priority right now...).
* Clean the whole house, in hopes that Justin and April stay with us for the weekend.
* Work out.  Just once.  Come on, you can do it!
* Make someone's Christmas gift.  Because starting homemade gifts in late November is the best way to keep the holidays stress-free?
* Go to Costco.
* Eat breakfast.

I actually really do need to eat breakfast--my stomach is growling, and I finally feel like drinking warm beverages again (tea, oh how I have missed you!) and have delicious, (fatty, sugary) chocolate-caramel coffee creamer in my fridge, calling my name.  Pretty loudly.  But instead I am sitting here hanging out on the internet.  I'm reading a few blogs--a new one I like so far here (suggested to me as a fashion blog, because I put the worst outfit together yesterday...and then went shopping and to the doctor and to dinner and to Bible study in it.  Yikes.), my favorite one of Dawn's here (if you are not reading this blog yet, you are behind the times, my friend)--and then imagining I have time to make something like this during the afternoon (you'll note it is not on the list, so I'm not optimistic).  It is really the opposite of being productive.

This entry is really random, but I am going to start trying to let a little less time elapse between posts.  That probably means a little more randomness.  Be prepared.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

10 Year Flashback

Here's the thing:  it feels like it's been 10 years since I graduated from college.  A lot has happened in 10 years, and I have started to learn things about being a real grown up--things like how to apologize when I'm wrong, how to show up to work early and stay late, how to put together a budget and stick with it.  It's been a good decade, but a decade nonetheless.

Class of 2001
Classic Senate Pic

But then we all got together in the lobby of our junior year dorm and ate the amazing donuts our RD used to make every Wednesday night, and time kind of melted away.  Ten years has apparently been good to my college class, which made my 10-year reunion extra fun.  Of all the reunion groups at NNU's homecoming, we had the largest, and yet I got to talk to most of my former classmates and felt like there was still a genuine connection.  Over 10 years I have learned to appreciate the common ground I can start from with these people.  I was very, very glad I made the effort to go!

How well do you remember your roommate?
with Marbs and Andrea
There was the official reunion lunch--complete with the newlywed-esque Roommate Game AND the afore mentioned donuts--and then there were the fun side events.  Amanda hosted a lovely book club tea at her house.  Andrea and I squeezed in a really nice coffee break.  Kristy had a large group of people over for dinner and laughing and a little Rock Band.  I like how boundaries between groups and people have loosened since our five year reunion.  So fun.  The only thing I missed was Krystal (and Jason, the party pooper).

Rock Band at Kristy's

Since NNU is about 15 minutes from my parents' house, I also got to spend a stolen weekend with the fam.  Love those boys.  It was full of activity but very, very fun.

Coop and I, doing what I do best these days.

Thanks to Marbs for most of the pictures, since my camera broke within 15 minutes.  She is as dependable as ever. :)

If I have to be at a desk...

... at least this is the view from my window.  Pretty spectacular.  I came home yesterday to the most amazing fall day--mid-60's (a nice break from the frigid Idaho mornings!), sun and blue skies, golden leaves practically glowing on the trees.  Nate, my window-sharer, and I have been looking forward to this lovely moment all summer.