Thanksgiving

Our thanksgiving was wonderful!  The week was filled with friends and family and all the things to be thankful for. 

It started the weekend before when one of my nearest and dearest, Skippy, came for a visit.  Tim took over on full-time baby duty so we could kick it like old times {aka: eating late at Applebee's and going to see Twilight....you know the super fancy kind of outings}.  It was the kind of weekend that is good for the soul.  I am so geeked that we now live "close" to each other. 

I had just enough time to change sheets, wash towels and get the final groceries bought before "Poppop" {aka Tim's dad} arrived.  Although T.J. has only seen Popop twice he warmed right up!  I really don't think there is anything sweeter than seeing grandparents {long past the time their body wants to cooperate} crawling around on the floor with grand babies.  Having Poppop with us was such a help!  I was able to get things ready for Thanksgiving and not have to worry about what T.J. put in his mouth or what he was getting into when the house suddenly went quiet.

 

Tim's sister Kim also came for Thanksgiving.  She was in charge of dessert...and did not disappoint!  Kim brought 3 pies for the 4 of us!  Let's just say I am still munching on pie :) 

 

 

Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures of Kim with T.J. except for this one...gotta love and Auntie who takes over on diaper duty.

 

The meal turned out great, I realize I am bragging by saying that, but I was really pleased with everything!  I choose a turkey breast instead of a full turkey since there was only the 4 of us.  I used a Barefoot Contessa recipe, best turkey I have ever had!  I grew up always having a large extended family Holidays, so it was a nice change of pace to have a small intimate meal. 

Places got set

 

Bibs where on

 

 

 

Dinner was served

 

 

 

Plates were full

 

All in all, there was a lot to be thankful for!

Halloween Now and Then

When I see my fat little elephant I am filled with love, contentment and thanks.  It's funny to look back and think about life a year ago, or even 2-3 years ago.  I could have never imagined all that God had in store for me and now our family.

  One year ago, Tim and I went to a Halloween party as Dog the Bounty Hunter and his wife.  It looked a little something like this :)

We were crazy excited to meet that little basketball in my belly, nervous about all things first time parents get nervous about, but most of all I think we were both in a bit of shock and awe.  Due to "not so great" news from doctors, we had prepared ourselves to never have biological children and begin to pursue the idea of adoption in the future.  So here we are, 5+ months along and finally showing......this was more real than we could believe!

Two years ago, Tim and I were just settling into married life.  I was adjusting to life in Hawaii and he was adjusting to a woman in his home who kept organizing and moving things around.  Life seemed like a bit of a dream, we had only KNOWN each other less than a year.  Yes, known.  Not dated, not married, but actually met less than a year prior and here we were happily married. 

Three years ago Tim and I didn't exist in each others worlds.  It was about this time that I got a call from Betsy saying she had "met my husband" at a Halloween party. *Insert my eye roll.  Betsy had on many occasions tried to find a proper suitor for me.  She, like any happily married friend wanted to help me.  I will say over the years, her attempts got closer and closer.  However, when she called I was sort of seeing someone and I couldn't imagine that this stranger living across the world could really be "the one".....Well, well, well was I wrong!  After Betsy's persistence and Tim's pursuit of me, a stranger.  I thought, well, I guess I can agree to this date.  After all, he's paying to fly me to visit Betsy and take me on a date....umm, ok!?  Needless to say,  three months later we were engaged and 4 months later we were married.

I am continually in a state of shock in awe when I look at my life.  God has always been faithful. He has been faithful in the little things and in the big things.  Even when I am undeserving of it.  In my best efforts, I  could not have planned my life as perfectly as He has put it together.

Our First Fall

This fall has been absolutely wonderful!  My heart is full of all the things I long for during this time of year.  It has been filled with apple orchards, pumpkin patches, train rides, old friends, new friends, long drives, Amish furniture, quaint small towns, wood burning fires places and lots of baking!  After every adventure I mean to blog, but alas life gets away from me. And if I'm being totally honest, sometimes the addition of T.V. into our lives for the first time in our marriage gets a bit addicting....I'm hoping the novelty wears off really soon or I may be putting my self on restriction.  Anyway, here is the overview in pictures........

Apple Orchard:  On my last post I showed pics of our family outing to an apple orchard, but T.J. and I went a second time with my new friend Marisa and her little one Evie.  This time we went to Larriland Farms.  It was perfect.  A big red barn, petting zoo and orchards on rolling hills as far as the eye could see.  My only disappointment is that I didn't get more of the Mitsu (the apple T.J. is holding) apples.

Fall Festival and Pumpkin Patch:  The Coans joined us which meant T.J. got to hangout with his best buddy Oliver!  It is so fun to watch these two together.  They are so delightfully different and it's fun to watch them interact with each other.

 It was so fun to set the boys up for pictures.  I was able to catch one of Oliver when he kept tasting the pumpkin over and over!

Trains and the Amish:  I have decided that driving to Lancaster is my favorite thing to do.  There is something so simple and beautiful about driving through 'Amish country' not to mention totally intriguing (AND the Pottery Barn Outlet is a nice incentive)!!  On this trip we went to the Strasburg Train Museum.  We didn't go to the actual museum, but we did buy tickets for the real train.  It was a really lovely ride with lots of beautiful farm land to look at.



T.J. was completely memorized by the train!





Not sure if you can read this, but the 'General Conditions' were pretty funny; no spitting tabacco, check your pistol and men shoveling and pushing snow :)



This is the Amish treasure we came home with.  I was so excited!  Highchairs are so unsightly and when you only have 4 chairs, you can't give one up for booster, so this was PERFECT!



Cold Weather Alert:  With winter at our door step it was time to start preparing.  How better than a cute knit owl hat and mittens....I mean come on, could this get any better?