Let it Snow, Let it Snow

We have experienced something very new for us, SNOW on the day after Thanksgiving! Being from Louisiana I have only seen it snow a handful of times there and it is usually in January or February, if at all. We went to the store and while we were in there is started to snow and by the time we came out the parking lot was covered and the boys were throwing snowballs they had made from the top of our car. The snowflakes were sooooo big and beautiful. I have to say that I was a little nervous on the car ride home because one spot we were at must have been a little slick because when Jon applied the breaks ever so lightly we wobbled and wiggled a little back and forth, good thing we were almost at a stop at the red light so we were not going fast. So instead of breaking we just downshifted and the rest of the ride home was fine. These pictures are of the kids when we arrived home. Jordan is just too cute she wanted to say that she had some snow but she kept saying, "look I got a snowman" :) Soooo precious. We have all of our Christmas decorations up (which is not a lot, at least not to my normal liking like we had in the states). It all looks great and the kids had a blast. They talked Jon into getting colored lights for the tree (we have always had white because he prefers it that way). I did not really care on way or the other about the lights, I grew up with colored lights but I also like the elegance of just the white. I can see why the kids like the colored ones though, it is more kid friendly tree this year. Hope you all enjoyed your day of shopping and resting or whatever you do the day after Thanksgiving. I did feel a little sad about missing the time with my mom to shop but I have to say that when it snowed I felt a lot better. There is definitely give and take about living in a foreign country. I do not get to go out shopping but I get to have SNOW!!!!

Thanksgiving Traditions

Well, if you know me then you know I am really big on traditions. I guess that comes from being a part of a family that was big on traditions. It makes you feel like you are a part of something and the memories of the year before can be brought back again because we are doing the same things that we hold dear. Well, this year things are a little different for us. We are an ocean away from family and the things that we are used to on Thanksgiving. We had Thanksgiving dinner with just us, Jon, and I and our three children. It was really nice. Although I did all of the cooking and it took all morning, I felt accomplished when we sat down to a wonderful meal and my husband says, "this is the best Thanksgiving meal I have ever had". That means so much to me. The kids and I made a Thankful Tree. We gathered real leaves and then made ones that we could write what we were thankful on. This is a new tradition and one that we will be doing again next year! I found a website that showed what pilgrims and Indians would have looked like and lived in and ate. The kids had fun with that. I hope that all of you had a wonderful day and enjoyed old traditions and started new ones.

Catching up

We got a box in the mail today from my mom (thanks mom). She mainly sent it because I needed some thyroid medicine from the states and was running out but she always fills it and stuffs it as much as she can and the kids love opening them.

Jordan sporting her new "priness" stuff from Grammie!

(Notice the pj bottoms and socks) We got the packages this morning!

Logan eating a fruit by the foot he got today!

Hayden showing off the new car that he got in the box!

We took the kids to a duck pond at the base of the mountain to take their pictures today for our annual Christmas card and they loved it. It is cold here so that was funny for us because normally when we are taking out pictures for our Christmas cards it is hot and we are sweating in our outfits!

After getting some good shots (which I will post at a later date) we went shopping for the Thanksgiving dinner supplies! I will be making cornbread dressing for the first time (my mom makes to best ever, it is my grandmother's recipe that we have been having for Thanksgiving/Christmas since I could eat! It will be different this year because it will just be our little family around the table sharing what we are thankful for and eating a grand meal. I think the thing that I will miss most is the day after Thanksgiving shopping sales. I know you say that sounds funny but I am not so sure it is the shopping or the sales but it is the special time that I share with my mom that I am missing the most. We will just have to make up for it when she comes to visit in December!! Yep my mom, dad, sister and Brad (soon to be brother in law) are all coming on Dec. 26th. I am soooooo excited. I really do miss my family a bunch. They are so much fun to be around.

Well anyway, I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving no matter where you are in the world. There is so much to be thankful for. I know that I have been blessed beyond measure!