what samantha is up to

The one thing the girls never seem to tire of is cooking! Since Samantha is in to everything, Anna Kate has moved her cooktop to her bed!
Even Samantha has great fun putting things in to the pot, stirring! and putting the lid on!
She has decided she really likes this rocking chair. I thought it was an affinity for the chair, but, in fact, we now find her climbed onto just about anything, including the ottoman in the living room. 
Here she is showing off her moves . . .

Anna Kate sings again!

Anna Kate is learning two songs for her school's Christmas play and some lines! Hopefully, we'll be able to video and upload that, but, for now, here she is singing to me at the bar in the kitchen!

thanksgiving, and a bit more

Every year, we spend the weekend before Thanksgiving at the Camp of the Woods in Speculator, NY, with all the Campus Crusade for Christ staff in the Northeast. This year was our third year, and even we, being relatively new, can see the growth in the region, not the least of which happens to be through offspring. Lots and lots of little people! The Camp is fantastic. It was so life-giving to be with old, good friends. Of course, among our girls' favorite people were the Betts boys! Those same boys we camped with this summer. Here is Jack, Anna Kate, and Lucy . . . sorry, Josiah, Titus and Samantha didn't make it in!

After a great weekend, we headed home on Tuesday. Laundry! Grocery shopping - yes, I bought my turkey on the day before Thanksgiving, and it was okay! :) And Gramma Maggy arrived on Wednesday! Yea!
We were thankful! I love the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, and I'm trying to instill this in my children. So it was on all morning, followed by the National Dog Show. Good, holiday TV. Accompanied by pumpkin and cranberry scones. Mmmm . . . Even Daddy watched.

Thanksgiving Day, November 27, also was cousin Decker's 16th birthday! Oh my! I was 16 when he was born - the day after Thanksgiving that year. We had to talk to him and his mother - travelling from Phoenix to CA for a great birthday celebration! Here's Lucy talking to him . . . Samantha wanted to talk to Decker, but since she either eats the phone or pushes buttons and inevitably hangs up, we wouldn't let her. (Oh yeah, and that's our great, new fireplace insert behind her. Not only do we have continual fires now that it is cold, but there is a fan that uses the heat to actually heat our home! Brilliant! Thanks, Dave!!!)"Holiday Lunch"
Finally, Thanksgiving dinner! This picture does not tell the true story: My mom did lots of the prep, but here she's taking the picture. I learned how to make stuffing and stuff a turkey this year! And, when it was time to "finish up" to get to the table, the girls had to watch Daddy carve the turkey. Good thing we have that handy bar! It's just as I imagined, when I kept asking for that bar (without the broken collarbone, of course!). You can, by the way, also see the valences our friend Myra helped me make for the kitchen and our new kitchen blinds (cellular - insulating!!!). There's a new pantry curtain which coordinates, too, and I'm totally inspired to get the office done, but my sewing machine is getting fixed (drat!) . . .

Daddy did an expert job carving that turkey.

The girls waited patiently.

Of course, we had pie! The girls helped make the whipped cream; they love licking the beaters (when we're finished). Then, I looked over and saw Lucy take the newly licked clean beater and scoop out another beater full of whipped cream!
Anna Kate had to try it too!

We tried the wishbone, but it wouldn't break. It's still drying on our windowsill. I think we'll still try to break it, just for fun.