Giving Thanks 2020

We had a really mellow and really wonderful thanksgiving. The food was all so good! My dad “spatchcocked” and smoked a turkey and my mom did stuffing and gravy and green beans and a berry cobbler and berry salad. I made homemade rolls, an apple pie, a chocolate chocolate chocolate pie, cranberry sauce, crudités tray, and mashed potatoes.  Aaron contributed his traditional chips and dips/crackers cheese log and martinelli’s. We ate until we could eat no more! I had to lie down. It was absurd. But it was all so delicious! Here’s the recipe for Lacey Schofield’s cranberry salsa that she and Kasey now have us totally addicted to. 

It was wonderfully warm outside, so the kids jumped on the trampoline and rode bikes. We watched Home Alone for like the 4th time already this year, played cards (or favorite, this year, is called 12 days of Christmas) introduced the big girls to Downton Abbey (via Vid Angel), and the boys watched Star Wars in the loft.  We had a family zoom with the Willardsons and then set one up with all the Lawrences. It was fun to see cousin Matisse in Hawaii, Grandma Lynda and Grandpa Rob, and bring families together who are spread out all over between Utah, Canada, California, Idaho and Arkansas. Thankful for technology that has made this pandemic much more easily tolerated. We have so many friends and family who are very sick right now with Covid, and we pray for relief and a vaccine, soon!  

My dishwasher is still full of sour stagnant water, so we ate at my parents’ this year. My mom always sets such a pretty table. 

We have so much to be thankful for.  I loved watching the message of hope from the prophet last week. He encouraged us to practice more gratitude through prayer and outward expression, social media, journaling. Etc. I loved reading everyone’s posts and being uplifted by this challenge.

Cranberry Salsa: 

1 12oz bag fresh cranberries

1/4c fresh cilantro (or more!) 

4 green onions 

3/4c sugar

1 seeded jalapeño 

Pinch of salt

2 Tbs fresh lime juice 

Pulse ingredients in a blender or food processor. 

Chill in fridge overnight

Pour over a block of cream cheese and eat with crackers. Sooooo good! 

Willy Thanksgiving 2017

I may have gotten carried away with desserts, this year. I made an Italian Cream Cake, a Pumpkin Pie with the famous Emily L. pie crust, an Apple Blackberry Pie, and a Layered Chocolate Mousse Pie. 

My dad smoked a turkey and my mom made pioneer woman stuffing and sweet potato casserole. I made homemade rolls, fresh cranberry sauce, and mashed potatoes. We had my parents over for dinner and board games, and then Jimmie and Kasey M. And the  Missionaries came for dessert. We’ve got the sweetest set of Sister missionaries right now. I could just adopt them right up into my family.  Love them, and their efforts to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with the world.   

I’m grateful for the intentional season of gratitude. I have much to be thankful for, starting with these beautiful people I live with. 

I’m thankful for Aaron’s sense of humor, love for the Savior, and always quick obedience to God. He is selfless and generous, and humble. He is a wonderful husband who lifts me up and supports my endeavors. He is funny and makes me laugh everyday. He is honest and responsible and compassionate.

 

I’m thankful for Reese’s patience with me as I learn to parent a teenager.  I’m thankful for her sentimental love of tradition, her gentle and compassion heart. She is a fiercely loyal and uplifting friend. Im thankful for her love of service. She is always thinking of ways to bless others, from acts of kindness to leaving positive notes out for siblings to find. She is an excellent missionary and knocked on every door in our cul de sac to personally invite all of our neighbors to the Live Nativity and Noel. I also love her sense of humor. Reese drops perfectly times applicable movie quotes and song lyrics like a dream teen. It’s hilarious and a talent she inherited from Aaron that I love. 

I’m thankful for Quincy’s honesty. She is bold and brave. I’m thankful for her confidence in her maker and her belief that everyone was created perfectly. She recognizes Heavenly Father as an artist and sees people exactly how they are without trying to change them. I’m thankful for her big ideas and for her recent discovery that she can change the tone input home by choosing her attitude about things. She makes an intentional effort to play with her younger siblings and I love listening to her interactions with them. 

I’m thankful for Corbin. He is so good at being a boy and a little brother. If there is a screen, a ball, or food in your hands,  he will gravitate toward you like a moth to the flame.  I’m thankful for these easy routes to Corbin’s heart and his attention. I’m thankful for his love of facts, logic, and strategy.  I love to listen to him read out loud, or be in the same room when he watches a funny movie, because his laugh is so great. I’m thankful for the way Corbin watches and learns from examples, because I know he will grow up to be an attentive father. Corbin loves fun, loves to play, loves to win, and loves to keep moving.  

I’m thankful for Soren. He is such a pal. He appreciates beautiful things. He loves art and creating things. He is very self reliant and generally just an easy guy to be around. He is very coordinated physically and picks up new skills quickly with confidence and determination. He pals around the neighborhood with anyone who wants to play, but also is quite content to play alone. I’m so thankful for the invaluable peace he adds to the chemistry in our family. 

I’m thankful for Sloane. She is full of life and attitude and a million things to say. She is so funny. She loves everyone in our family and is a tiny bossy mama.  Sloane can get our entire family rolling in laughter. I’m thankful for the way she puts my face in her hands and speaks to me eye to eye, and the way she moves my shirt out of the way to put her cheek against my skin. I’m thankful for the flexibility she has shown this year, being usurped as the “baby” of the family, and sacrificing a lot of my attention for Wren, and then jumping right back into the roll anytime mama needs a baby in her arms. 

I’m thankful for Jaycee, for Allie, and especially for Wren, for sharing their lives with us. 

I’m thankful for my parents. Their move to Ar made it possible for us to stay in the home we love in a neighborhood we love without going completely insane trying to get everyone where they need to be. They make it possible for me to go to the dentist and court appointments, and take little ones to bio family visits. They’ve really saved me too many times to count. I would still be weeping over how to get kids home from school of it weren’t for their help. I’m so thankful my kids are getting to make memories with grandparents like their cousins have been so blessed to have. “Ride your bike and take _____ up to Lady” is  a regular phase around here and I love. I grew up living far away from grandparents and was always a bit jealous of friends who had grandparents at their piano recitals and school plays. I’m so thankful my children will have the experience of grandparents cheering them on at a game or performance. 

It’s good life 

Lawrences Gone Wild: girls day, the Amazeum, and Bentonville Square

Wednesday morning was girls day. We started the day off with orange rolls from crumpet tea room.  Then my mom, HolleeAnn, Amy, Kristie, and I went to true treasures, Table Mesa for lunch, and then to a bunch of the little shops off the bentonville square. 

I love these giant wood snowflakes from true treasures and really want to make some for my front porch. 

We did Table Mesa properly and ordered all the right things and shared and gluttoned ourselves until we were stuffed to the muff: Cheap dates, sweet potato fries with prailine sauce, hummus, guac, pork flautas, and of course, the key lime tres leches. 

Shirly's paperie downtown is a darling shop and everyone found a treasure there. I loved her trees and am on the hunt for some birch branches for my own birdie tree. 

I was also fascinated by the wooden itch tree. The price was outrageous, but I'd love to make one if I had time.  Can't you just see this on my porch?! 

Outings with my family are never short of laughs and adventure. On our way into Romo de Olivo, we had a fun encounter when we were pulled into a little antique emporium nearby. The owner told us her life story and then the life story of everyone ages ever met. Every story ended with, "it's not easy to be a hero, you know." The store wound around in a maze of furniture and odd treasures and there was no escape. We were holding back laughter at our incarcerating circumstances when I spotted a pair of genuine leather cowboy boots in my size. Excellent condition and only 30 bucks!  I broke all my thrift shopping sanitation rules and tried them on with no socks while my sisters cribged, they were beautiful boots though. Worth the risk ;) unfortunately they were slightly too big, though. The owner marched over and demanded I take them off, not because I was without socks, but because (in the thickest southern drawl) "boot fit is an important thing that should not be taken lightly." She forbade me to buy them because "Every time you wear those boots they gonna rub a blister on your foot, and then you will associate that blister with me. Y'all are welcome. It's not easy being a hero." Then we were shooed on our way out of the store with a "bless y'all's hearts" and "come back and see me tomorrow!" It was a true southern experience for my Californian sisters!

We met up with the boys and rest of our family (who spent the morning at the Amazeum) on the Bentonville square for ice cream, the Walmart 5&10 Museum, then lights. I had to laugh when I saw how Aaron has dressed Sloane. A random 18 month shirt, 0-3month pants, newborn socks pulled up over the pants to the knees, and the nursing hat. She had a mismatching hot pink snowflaked fleece jacket on, too, but it has already come off when I took the pic. I will say this though, Aaron dressed and handled 5 kids age 10 and under at the amazeum by himself and didn't call to interrupt girls day even once to ask questions or for help. It was a true "day out" for means super appreciated. Even if Sloane looked homeless when I saw her! ;) 

Family and cousin pics in santas sleigh. We went for the uh... Candid approach. 

That night, we ordered pizzas, visited, the played a zillion games of ping pong, farkle, and hearts, made hot cocoa, and watched Elf, and I visited with my sisters in the kitchen and made pie crusts and dough for rolls before bed. 

Thanksgiving Break

Thanksgiving Break kicked off with class parties. Q wore a cute Indian headband and macaroni "bead" necklace. Aaron and I took the kids to have a turkey "dinner" in the lunch cafeteria with Reese. She loves any opportunity to buy school lunch, and this time, she rediscovered her love for mashed potatoes. I thought most of it was questionable. Reese tried everything, to prove to us that she should be allowed to buy lunch more often. Aaron, naturally loved everything and finished his with a smile on his face. He loves cafeteria food.
No, I don't know what is wrong with him.

At Reese's class party, I chased Corbin around the classroom to keep him from going all Helen Keller on us and eating the cupcakes off of everyone else's plates. At least one of my kids isn't a picky eater. Reese colored and cut out a turkey, then wrote what she is thankful for on the turkey's feathers. She came up with: Family, chickens, Grandparents, school, church, God, toys, friends, sister, brother, Mom, Dad, scriptures, Mrs. Pledger, Jesus, Madi, and JacksonI checked her out of school after the party and we started our Thanksgiving break a couple of hours early.

Reese was delighted to read an email from Grandma Lynda for her.

We did some holiday crafts.

We did some holiday shopping, got flu shots, (except Corbin, his ears were too infected), had a play date with Jackson, Hannah, and Cole, and enjoyed having Daddy home for 4 days straight!

Thanksgiving dinner was superb if-I-do-say-so-myself. We took Bobby Flay's advice and cooked our turkey with 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth in the bottom of the roasting pan, brushed the bird with butter, and then buried it (literally buried it) in fresh herbs (thanks, garden!) Jamie Oliver style. The stuffing has already been bragged about.

I made Kasey's fresh cranberry sauce:

1 bag fresh cranberries

1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice

1/2 cup sugar

zest of 1 orange

simmer until cranberries "pop!"

Aaron has never liked cranberry sauce, but everyone gave this recipe 3 cheers, and described it as, "Is this jam or jelly? Know why? Cuz it is so so good.", "like pomegranates, but without the seeds" and, "it tastes like Sprite." ---the last one is from Aaron.

I don't know, either. I'm just happy he likes it.

I also made a pumpkin cheesecake, gravy, my mom's famous holiday dinner rolls, and a pumpkin cheesecake. Yum. I'll be posting the recipe and adding that one to the holiday dessert rotation. Really good stuff. I used Stacy's gingerbread pita chips and almonds in the crust, and put eggnog in my fresh whipping cream.

Aaron played in the turkey bowl with the guys from church, cleaned out a clogged rain gutter, raked some leaves, put the chicken's heat light on an automatic timer, went to the gym, and grew a baby beard over the weekend.

The "beard" is gone tomorrow. It isn't good, and I think it was inspired by Tony Stark's goatee when we watched Iron Man one night. Anyway, Aaron was so happy to actually have four straight days of not shaving to even have the chance to grow one. I can only compare this to how I feel every Monday during the wintertime. It's sort of like, "Yes! I'll be in pants every day from now until Sunday. Forget shaving my legs for the 6 days! Hmmm....unless I wear a long skirt this Sunday, then I'll have two weeks! Sweet!" I imagine Aaron felt sorta like that about his goatee thing. I'm still happy to see Tony Stark leaves us tomorrow and watch a non-hairy Aaron head back to work.

Home Alone, Cabbage Patch Christmas, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and Miracle on 34th Street were all watched, and we listened to a lot Michael Buble, Josh Groban, Nat King Cole, Lenka, and Old English Christmas, all while decorating the house.

Each of the kids went on a couple dates with Dad over the weekend. They went to places like the hardware store, out for a treat, Christmas shopping, to fill the van with gas, to lunch at Mc Donald's, to Walmart, or to pick out a live Christmas tree.
Yup. The Willys have a live this year.

With colored lights on it.
It isn't right, people.

What IS right is that we have the live 5 ft tree in addition to the fake 7 1/2 ft tree with white lights, 3 smaller trees, and a lot of garlands.

Five trees. I am so my mother, and I am totally ok with that.

We spent most of the weekend in pajamas, only getting dressed to go to the movie theater (a Willardson holiday tradition). We saw Arthur Christmas and LOVED it. Excellent movie. Entertaining for kids and adults alike. Go see it! Tomorrow!

I went black Friday shopping with Katie and we had a lot of fun braving the crowds together. You'd think that there would be a better looking group at Walmart at 9:30pm on Thanksgiving than at 4am the next day when at least half the people are hung over and/or half awake. Naw. Walmart rolls in the same standard crowd any day of the year from 9pm until 6am. Despite what I've heard on the news, I thought people were REALLY nice, this year. There were a lot of "after you's" and "here, you can fit that cart this way", and people were willing to help each other dig through the bins to find the right sizes of pj's and slippers for each other, or search out a certain video game for the person next to them. It was a great experience, and since we have 2 birthdays and Christmas, as well as 3 kid birthday parties to attend, this month. I was grateful for the good deals. I do hope that black Friday returns to it's normal date, next year, though. It's all fun and great to wait in line with friends and family to stake out a good price on a gift on black Friday, but pushing the sales back to 10pm on Thanksgiving day means a lot of people skipped dessert with their families to go shopping. I say we leave the actual turkey day alone and keep the fun and crazy shopping madness on the following day. PS-Katie, I am impressed with your shopping marathon skillz. Next year, we'll be armed with chapstick, gum, running shoes, water bottles, a mid-shopping/midnight snack, and the toys r us ads, baby!

Aaron and I spent the nights drinking hot cider or sparkling cider, watching movies, making plans for Christmas, talking about what our families are up to, cooking together (gasp!), and quoting our new favorite shows ("Look at the recipe! Where in the recipe does it say to put the mashed potatoes on Schmidt's face?!).

I think laughter accelerates how quickly the weekend passes.

Hope your holiday weekend was magical and filled with the company of those you love and enjoy. Here's to a great Monday. Cheers!

1 Little, 2 Little, 3 Little Pilgrims...

Ok. So I might have gotten a little out of control with the pilgrim thing. It started with Reese asking if I would make paper hats for the kids to wear on thanksgiving. I started to make paper bonnets (you know, like the one you wore at your first grade Thanksgiving feast?) but thought, "Huh. I could sew this pretty easily...."


And 30 minutes later I had cut out half a dozen bonnets and aprons from an old white sheet. I figured, as long as I am making two...might as well make enough for my preschool class, right?


Right.
But what about the boys? That's when the collars and vests started. I might have also made an Indian dress and 3 Indian vests. And bought a hat. And glued a "buckle" to the hat. And sewed that skirt for Reese. And made 4 collars and another shawl. And a bonnet and apron for myself....

I'm sure I am eating crow for the comments I made about tacky photgraphy a few days ago. I mean, look at us holding hands and running and everything...

But come on.

I think the result of my little sewing afternoon and photo shoot with kiddies speaks for itself.

I mean, really. shut. up. How cute are they?!

I reserve the right to brag. I'm also willing to admit that I love my kids even more with bonnets and buckles on.

I'm dying over Q's face, here. That one is a girl of a million looks.

I can't wait to add a few of these to our fall holiday photo collage.

Cheesy and shameless, yes, but I don't care. I love my little pilgrims.

Especially since they're more like this most of the time:

Stuffed to the Muff

Dear Self (and anyone who ever celebrates Thanksgiving),

Pioneer Woman's Cornbread Stuffing recipe is amazing.
It is even more amazing with this cornbread recipe.
Which is even more amazing when you mill your own fresh cornmeal from popcorn.

Then, turn it up to eleven and add green apple and pomegranates.
This is the stuffing you serve people you love. The kind you eat to be stuffed. "Stuffed to the muff" stuffed.
It's stuffing to the muffing.

Stick with this recipe, and you can't go wrong,
Meg

Roach Coach

It's the holiday season.
I am a bit (read: a lot) homesick.
The odd thing is, every time I think about my family, Ca, the ocean, and the gorgeous California weather, I crave tacos.

It's a pavlovian response. Thanksgiving = Family, Family = California, California = Super Taq, Super Taq = Tacos.

Or, to shorten the trail, Thanksgiving = Food, Food = Tacos.

I'm pretty confident that I could play "the Kevin Bacon game" with just about anything and end up with tacos in less than 6 degrees of separation.

Grandma Lynda, Come Back!

Rob and Lynda came to visit for Thanksgiving, and Lynda stayed with us for the following week. It was so fun to have them here, and the kids were in heaven. I was in heaven, too as I might have taken advantage of having a grandparent here and slept in every single morning. Corbin and Quincy loved getting to know their Grandma and Grandpa. I made the mistake of saving a bunch of pictures of the kids with Rob on the old laptop, and it finally gave up the ghost, a few days ago. Looks like we got the new one just in time, but I'm still sad that we lost some of those pictures.
Corbin quickly became Grandpa Rob's little buddy and follwed him around everywhere. If they were both in the same room, you could be sure that Corbin was somewhere near Rob, if not in his lap, with "PaPa" reading him a story.
Grandma Lynda brought a bunch of fun projects for the kids to do in her Mary Poppins Carpet Bag of a suitcase. I seriously think that she and Hermoine have worked out some kind of deal, and that her luggage is bewitched. One visit, she managed to bring us (among other things I can't remember): Aaron's entire childhood baseball collection, a remote control car, a remote control helicopter, a lamp and a rocking chair. Yes! A rocking chair! She is amazing. Or magic. Or both.

This visit, her bag was filled with goodness for the kids, and the fun didn't stop from the moment she arrived. My mom affectionately calls Lynda the "cut and paste Grandma" because that is where you fill find her. She is always making something fantastic with the kids, and they love it.
It was just a blast to hang out, laugh, do some crafting, cooking, and shopping together. Lynda is so loving and helpful with my kids. I rarely even changed a diaper or bathed a kid while she was here, not because I didn't want to, but because she beat me to it! She rocks.
She also helped me throw Quincy's birthday party. It. Was. Fabulous! I'll post on that another day, but for now,
We miss you Grandma Lynda!

It was evident when I got out of the car to wish you goodbye, and unload the suitcases at the airport. When I got back into the van after to drive away, I turned around and there were tears running down the cheeks of all three of my kids. They're going to miss you so much. They loved being spoiled by your undivided love and attention and it was really special to have you here. I think Corbin is experiencing withdrawals already and keeps climbing on the table, hoping you'll appear out of nowhere to play with him.

Thank you so much for coming to visit us. We love you!

Things that are Awesome.

Rob: Lynda, I sent you an email, this morning, and you haven't responded.


Lynda: I'm right here, Robert. Across the room? Why do I need to respond to your email?

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Aaron: Now, just hear me out. Wal-Mart is THE greatest thing that ever happened.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Lynda: John Wooden died?!


Lynda: Barbara Billingsley died?!


Lynda: Tom Bosley died! I knew about that one, but golly.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Aaron: What ever happened to the days when the CIA just went out and killed people? For good, I mean. Just the bad crazy people.


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Lynda: Robert you have a lot of grey hair.



Robert: Ok, fine. I'm going to start using Just for Men. Would you like that, Lynda?



Lynda: No, really. It's like I just realized it. I looked up at you while you were telling that crazy story and I noticed. You are covered in grey hair. A whole head full!



Aaron: Dad, with all that grey, they say you should go blonde. It's easier to cover the grey with blonde.



Rob: Ok. first thing tomorrow morning, Aaron, we're going to Sams club. It's going to take a 6 pack of hair color to cover what I've got.



Aaron: It's politically correct for women to color their hair. Men should just go grey.



Rob: You think you're going grey?



Aaron: Oh I know I am. People at work tell me that all the time. They're like, 'Hey! You've got a lot of grey.' And I just look at them and I'm like, 'uh. yeah, buddy. I know. It's because of you.'



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



Aaron: ...I mean, we've got Jason Bourne out there. What's he doing all this time, huh? Isn't Fidel Castro still on the loose? Get Bourne on that guy!



Lynda: Fidel Castro is like 89, leave him alone.

Meg: I like how Jason Bourne doesn't actually exist, yet we're debating over which dictator we should have fake-killed.

Aaron: Oh, he's out there.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Aaron: Huh. Should I not be this grey? I'm only thirty-four. It's all this stress! I can't handle it! Pass me the remote.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Meg: Quincy, you can walk. Don't make Grandpa carry you anymore.

Quincy: Are you too heavy, Grandpa?

Rob: Me? Yes. I'm too heavy.

I heart bunting

I take terrible photos.

I'm ok with that.

Despite recent popular belief, not everyone is a natural born photographer.

These will do.

Bows can cover a multitude of sins:

Big hair? Put a bow on it.

Ugly baby? Put a bow on it.

Crappy present? Put a bow on it.

Big butt? Put a bow on it.

Ugly wedding dress? You get the idea.

Bunting is like bows for your home! Put it anywhere = instant happiness.

Birthday parties, the baby nursery, under the patio...I'm seeing bunting everywhere and I am in love.

I made this Give Thanks bunting today, and suddenly, my home feels all Thanksgiving-ey. (but with a bow on it)

Be Grateful

I'm grateful for simple, meaningful, Family Home Evenings.

Thanksgiving-the holiday without enough decor

I have a lot of cute Halloween and Christmas decor, but my home looks a little barren during the Thanksgiving stretch. I got a crafty itch last week and made this acorn wreath with Kasey and Tia. It took way longer than it should have, but I love it. The blog where we got the inspiration has them sprayed with a bright white paint. I like mine natural , but gave it a heavy coat of shellac so it has a glossy shine. I want to get some orange ribbon to hang it with, but burlap will do for now.
speaking of burlap...it is everywhere! I've seen a fazillion burlap projects on blogs lately, and after a trip to pottery barn on Saturday, I see why. Burlap at pottery barn =burlap everywhere else! Today, Katie came over and I used burlap to cover an ugly little wire cornucopia that I'd found at a garage sale over the summer. It turned out pretty cute, I think. I had fun working with burlap, and am working on a couple of ruffle wreaths to hang on my dining chair backs for Thanksgiving.

The acorn candy dish was at Hobby Lobby today for 66% off. I love acorns and couldn't resist getting it for $5. I have a few other acorn theme and burlap projects that I'm working on that I'll post when I finish them.

I'm grateful for my hot glue gun. Not just because it is super handy and I can use it to make fun projects, but because every time I use one, I think about the time my mom sat on her hot glue gun and melted her clothes to her skin. bwahahahahaha! Not so funny for her at the time, but it always makes me laugh...and look twice before I sit down when crafting with girlfriends!