We are having a most relaxing long weekend and I thought I would take a little while to sit and work on a blog entry. I’m cozy and content in my pj’s at 6pm, the children are eating popcorn and watching an old Disney movie (Parent Trap). Little Seth is feeling under the weather and is right by my side here on the couch, snoring. Sarah is down at the other end, sleeping, too. Husband is puttering around in the kitchen finding something to munch on.
Thanksgiving day was a delight, full of busy preparations that began the night before. We welcomed my dear parents, my sister and her family, my brother Isaac, and some special guests; our Pastor and his family. It was an honor to have a houseful of people we love for the wonderful holiday meal.
I made; orange jello salad, seafood pasta salad, homemade rolls, sweet potato casserole, squash, wheat pilaf, roast turkey with homemade stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn casserole, and cranberry sauce (from the can, is what we like). I had lots of help from MOM (made the gravy and stuffing), Mary (helped peel potatoes and did lots of other helpful things, too), Grace and Abbie (made the corn dish), and Jacob mashed the potatoes. I didn’t do any cleaning up afterwards, Amanda, Jason, and Rich did it all.
We took a 5 minute break to take the picture on the porch before the sun went down. We only took one shot and then the children stampeded back indoors.
Grace, and Rich;
Grace, Abbie, Mom (holding Sarah), making the corn casserole;
Jacob, Mom, and Ethan;
Mom enjoying the baby;
Dear Dad, and Sarah Joy;
My mom brought Sarah her very first box of baby snack food. They are called “rice rusks” and they are a solid, crispy but light, rice cracker. They melt in baby’s mouth so they are safe for her to eat early on. Sarah just loved it (she broke it right in half and had a piece in each hand) and we very much enjoyed watching her eat it.
My beautiful sister, Amanda, and Sarah;
My Mom and Dad spent the night here and on Friday morning, mom spent some time reading to the little ones,
And Dad played Nerf War with the boys;
My parents left on Friday because my Dad had to get back home for the weekend, he is preaching in their church on Sunday.
Rich and I waved goodbye to them and then had the quietest day here at home that we’ve had in a long time. The only negative part of the day was that Grace had a little bit of stomach upset. (Nervous that it will spread to the rest of the family? Me too.) Other than that, we had such a restful family time, didn’t go anywhere the whole day long.
We read books, watched a little TV, and of course I had fun playing with my baby.
It was getting chilly in the house so I found a sweater that my friend Amanda had crocheted for Seth, and put it on her. It fit perfect and looked so warm and old-fashioned.
Just the sort of thing I like.
Sweater: Handmade by Amanda
Dress: Hand-me-down from Grace
Pants: Baby GAP clearance
Booties: Handmade by Mama
This morning, Saturday morning, the sun came out bright and beautiful. I sat on the couch with two soft babies in my lap~
(I held the camera up over my head to take this one)~
I spent an incredibly lazy morning, holding Sarah and reading my big book.
Later on, Rich went running on the treadmill while I took my shower. Then we went for a walk together with Seth. It. was. freezing. cold. But I was happy to get some exercise. When we got back, I held Seth and he fell asleep in my arms. Rich and I wanted to get out of the house for a couple of hours so we left Jacob to babysit.
We finally found a high chair. Ours was old and broken and yucky and I’ve been searching for a new one. We went to Babies R Us and I didn’t like ANY of them. Then we went to a local furniture store, and found a wooden one. After seven babies, I have my opinions about high chairs. LOL
Seth slept the entire time we were gone and when he woke up he had a fever. He’s been sleeping on the couch and Sarah was the first one who got to try out the new chair.
She eats rice cereal every evening now with some fruit. It has taken weeks of patient attempts for her to get to the point where she is actually getting a good amount swallowed, and down. 
The children are now looking forward to Christmas. Ethan hung a Christmas wreath on the door and Grace put a Nativity window-cling scene on the window. She put the wise men way far away and said that every day, she will move them closer to baby Jesus.
I already have the majority of my shopping done and I am looking forward to spending quiet (maybe not actually QUIET, in this house) times with the children, making things and baking. I want to make Sarah another pair of booties, and make a few corn bags, to give as gifts. I finally found some economical whole cloves (at Costco) to make those oranges with cloves stuck in them. They will smell so good. We will soon make our paper chain and gingerbread houses.
I’ve had to save this post a couple of times so I could do other things in the meantime. Rich is studying for his Sunday School lesson, Seth is still sleeping on the couch, the children are upstairs playing, and Sarah is so distracting, laughing to herself in her swing, that I really must be going now, so I can scoop her up and snuggle.
Thankful so many things, and for you~
Shanda
Good to be Home 
What a great reflecting, thankful post you’ve written! How can it be that your Jacob is so VERY tall? Weren’t he and Ethan pretty evenly matched for awhile? The boy has grown!! And the adorable outfit you dressed Sarah in…you should do a photo shoot. Precious. Enjoy your Sunday friend!
I so enjoyed all your pictures! I’m glad to hear you’re having such a good weekend.
wow what a wonderful time. glad to hear you had such a wonderful time together. I love the holiday memories that can be made. what a blessing. hope that little seth is feeling better soon.
What a cozy sounding weekend.I am quite jealous. We’ve had such a busy and crazy past week!Thanks for sharing with us. =) I always love your posts.
I’m glad you had some good family time. Hope Seth feels better soon and the rest of you stay healthy. I can see the resemblance between Sarah and her grandpa. Love the picture of her dressed in her booties etc.
What a great sounding weekend!!!!We have found that if one gets down with the stomach flu and the rest start drinking grape juice before they feel at all sick–It will be a great help in the others not getting it!!!
Your weekend sounds lovely and your family is beautiful.:)
What a wonderful, full, cozy weekend. I loved seeing all the posts of the family together and enjoying the day! I will pray that sickness will not spread and little guy gets well fast. Sarah’s little outfit is so so cute! David wants to make some of those booties for our grandbaby that is coming in march. He keeps reminding me!
What a lovely weekend you had. I enjoyed every word you wrote and every picture you shared! Your family is beautiful!
What a blessed time you had. Your thoughts on the highchair was cute. I think if anyone should know, yes, it should be you.Happy Sunday to you and your family.
So sweet. I still have the sweater I made for Lucy, but Dave thinks it is too girly for boys. :). I will have to make them their own, I guess. Glad Sarah is getting to wear it! you are right about waiting awhile for the tree. We will have to in the future. 🙂 this year, we felt like it was one of those things we had to do right away just in case the babies come. It is so pretty. This morning, Lucy was downstairs and I could hear her pulling ornaments off! She is so busy. I am sure seth is the same. Love you, dear friend.
wonderful picture i wish i wa with my family my brother was in the vineyard for the holidays
Your holiday weekend sounds like it was amazing. There is nothing anymore perfect than family time. I’ve had a great weekend as well. I must tell you that the outfit on Sarah is beautiful. She looks like a little doll. Hope you have a great Sunday with the family.
Sounds like a wonderful weekend of great memories!
My kids watched Parent Trap (The old one) today. 🙂 What adorable pictures and what a great family picture with your extended family!! I LOVE the picture of the boys and Grandpa and love seeing the Legos in the background! Looks just like my basement only Gideon wishes and prays he had another brother to play them with! 🙂 I am so glad you had a wonderful and relaxing weekend. Thursday was a blessing to us also and I had our first Thanksgiving at our new house in the country…Blessings abounded. 🙂 Have a blessed rest of this Sunday evening!
looks wonderful~i can’t believe how tall J. is getting and each time i see a pic of your sister i think how pretty she is!so great you got a shot of everyone together. that’ll be a treasure in years to come.
Love Sarah’s little outfit with the sweater on!!! Glad you all had a wonderful weekend, hope the sickies goes away soon!
It was fun to see all your extended family–what a houseful you had! Hope that you’ve rested up and NO ONE ELSE GOT SICK!
I love the new chair! She looks so happy in it! Your house was FULL this Thanksgiving! I am so glad you convinced them to go out on the porch to get a picture, it will be a nice way to remember this year!Her outfit is so so so dear! Amanda did a a great job on that sweater and I love the booties! The big book looks like a dictionary! Seriously, or one of those huge all in one encyclopedias.Poor Sethy I hope he is feeling better soon!
I loved the family picture on your porch. Bare trees and some bare feet! Hope the illnesses leave your house soon. We’ve battled a few minor things this past week, too, and I’m the one blowing my nose today! I had always wanted a high chair like the one you chose. But, I stuck with the easy to clean plastic trays with the wide lip to prevent spills.
I sigh with content when I read your blogs. I just love all your family happenings and your big big family is something I always wanted growing up as a kid. I am enjoying my precious little baby girl though for sure!
hi shanda…….sounds like a perfectly wonderful weekend, even with sick kids thrown into the mix. motherhood takes a lot, but we definitely get more in return, don’t we? thanks for sharing all the photos. enjoy your week.