Thankful

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with our friends the Campbells.  While the adults enjoyed some quiet conversation in the dining room, the kids held free reign in the kitchen.  They made pilgrim & Indian hats,

and decorated the table with crayons held in cute little pilgrim hat holders that Annabel made.

They also played Thanksgiving bingo (although I can't tell if it was the game or the candy corn that caused such a stir!)

It was a great day filled with loads of delicious food, friendship and laughter.  After it was over and the last dirty dish was cleaned and put away, we enjoyed a few minutes of rest together, reliving the day. 

We have so many things for which to be thankful, and we are especially blessed with wonderful family and friends both far and near.  You have touched our lives in so many different ways, and we are incredibly grateful.  Thank you, and Thanksgiving blessings to you all!

Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

Since we moved into our new place in the middle of 2014, we've been doing dishes the old school way:  wash, rinse, repeat.  Actually, since she turned 7 last year, Annabel has been doing most of the dishes.  But with our new after school program schedule, there just isn't enough time in our compressed evenings to finish dinner preparations, eat, do dishes, complete homework assignments, take baths, and get ready for bed - let alone catch up on the news of the day and indulge in some snuggle time!

Jordan finally caved, and we bought an efficient new dishwasher last week.  Annabel and Thane are still expected to fill & empty this new wonder, and there will definitely be old-fashioned, sud-filled dishwashing lessons in Thane's future.  In the meantime, however, we are thrilled to fill our new-found free time with some reading.

Stack, start, done!