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A delightful autumn vacation

I still need to download pictures from our week-long vacation with my family over Thanksgiving and a short visit with Britt's step-mom and little sister when we returned. Unfortunately, I don't know that we took very many! Meanwhile, here's a quick recap of the highlights which I know weren't captured on film...

* I do wish I had pictures of how tightly we packed our van. Imagine taking all the food and additional kitchen equipment needed to make dinners every day for a week, including the Thanksgiving turkey and trimmings for a group of 17. Just before we left, I had to buy a second rather large cooler to transport all the fridge & freezer stuff. Poor Ben! Loading and unloading were both a big job!

* Early in the week, we had the opportunity to "earn" $100 worth of "mad money" to spend at the resort by at least one couple attending a sales luncheon. We signed up Kurt & Barbara, and insisted to Ben that he & I should join them. He was a total (self-proclaimed) curmudgeon about it at first. We convinced him that we were going on a double date, someone else was paying for the meal, and our parents were keeping all the children. How great is that?! Add to it a fabulous sales person and tons of laughter among us all. We made a terrific memory.

*On Thanksgiving evening, we loaded up the whole crew and headed to the Water Park from 5 to 10 p.m. The $100 mad money kept us from spending even a single dollar. And we had a blast. My sis & I trekked up almost four stories, time and again, to zip down the water slides. We relieved our husbands so they could go have fun, but my Ben was content to go down once and then head back into the Lazy River with James. And at 7:30 when we needed to take three toddlers back to put them in bed, Ben let me stay while he went back with my folks and the children. What a guy! That left me, my sis and Kurt plus their three boys to ride the raft slides, racing each other to the bottom. Camden and I agreed that the red slide was the best. It had a steep drop at the bottom that left us breathless.

* Each evening after we put the children to bed, most of us gathered to watch an installment of HBO Films' version of John Adams, based on the book by David McCullough. After the first episode, my sister decided to let Camden stay up to watch and counted it as history. It was so well done. I just wish I'd read the book first.

* We were sad that my brother and his family were not able to join us. They were fully planning to come up until the last minute when Greg's wife began to experience severe back/leg pain and one of their boys was having trouble breathing. We especially missed them on Thanksgiving Day.

I am grateful for God's grace in giving us these times away together. I love watching James play with his cousins. I love cooking and eating together. I love the sweet memories we make when we're just hanging out. I look forward, God-willing, to many more times together in the future - with Greg & Sharon, too!

Two-Words

For my own "remembery" -  

James started saying 2-word phrases very consistently yesterday. We're hearing such things as:

"Daddy go?" (Where did Daddy go?) 

"Hop peas" (help please)

"Giga home?" (Is Grammy here?) and 

"anny gone" (banana gone)

He sings all the time... and "talks" for his toys... a very fun season!

Mr. Clean

On Monday, James' chair had crumbs in it. Without a word, he went to the pantry, opened the door, pulled out the broom and attempted to sweep out the crumbs.

I wish I'd had the camera handy... what a picture it was!

My Sweet Helper

I love these pictures of James helping Mommy in the kitchen. He loves to do whatever I am doing... sweeping the floor, picking up toys, doing dishes, changing laundry. It is fun to have him help me - even though it usually takes a bit longer and requires a little more work on my part. But oh how sweet these times together are. And how quickly this season will pass!

Birthday Present Fun

Here is our boy, playing with a few of his birthday presents...

Grammy P noticed that James had enjoyed playing with cousin Anna's baby dolls so she gave him one for his birthday. She brought it in a basket along with a pillow and blanket she had made. I have loved watching James take care of this little doll with great care. He holds it very gently, feeds it bottles, then places it tenderly back in its bed and covers it with the blanket.

Each time he plays with the doll, I ask him if he'd like a baby... he says, "da-da." And so I pray for God to bring him a sibling some day soon.

Bless The Lord, O My Soul

I promised Ben that whatever the outcome of the election, I would say today, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy Name..." For your refreshment, here is Psalm 103 in its entirety. Here is truth. Here is reality.

Psalm 103 (English Standard Version)

Bless the LORD, O My Soul
Of David.

1 Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name!
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,
3 who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6 The LORD works righteousness
and justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.
8 The LORD is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
10 He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
13 As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.
14 For he knows our frame;
he remembers that we are dust.

15 As for man, his days are like grass;
he flourishes like a flower of the field;
16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
and its place knows it no more.
17 But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting
on those who fear him,
and his righteousness to children’s children,
18 to those who keep his covenant
and remember to do his commandments.
19 The LORD has established his throne in the heavens,
and his kingdom rules over all.

20 Bless the LORD, O you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his word,
obeying the voice of his word!
21 Bless the LORD, all his hosts,
his ministers, who do his will!
22 Bless the LORD, all his works,
in all places of his dominion.
Bless the LORD, O my soul!