Whewww!!

What a very busy but wonderful week last week!
D was off from "work" so we dug 383 holes with a 3' auger, mixed lime by the shovelful into the dirt from the holes, refilled the holes and marked the exact location of the tree for each one. Wednesday I came in from that job at dark, made salads (7 Layer and apple cranberry), tea, pecan pies and a pineapple casserole for Thursday's Thanksgiving meal. The next morning we started back in digging, liming and filling as soon as it was light enough for us to see. I put out the rolls to proof about 8am, and by 10am came in to clean up and finish cooking - peeling 15 pounds of potatoes to cream, making pumpkin pies, and baking the casserole before our 1pm lunch. Wow, oh wow, did Gran outdo herself again with scrumptious turkey and dressing and yams, in addition to my food and my SIL's great fudge pies, beans, peas, collards and cherry pie on top! After eating our fill and doing the dishes, I had a most wonderful time with all 6 of my children (I'm counting my soon-to-be daughter-in-law already because I love having her as one of "my children"!!). We played Apples to Apples, ate more dessert, talked, laughed, ate another piece of pie, played more Apples to Apples and finally called it quits on both the games and food!

Friday we finished digging, liming, refilling and measuring tree holes (along with doing dishes here left over from Thursday). Saturday my youngest daughter and I had a special day together with lots of good girl talk while we traveled to and from my "other Matt's" house to see the new baby that EK and I tried to bring home, but even with sleep deprivation Matt, Lindsey and Lindsey's Grannie wouldn't give her up! So we had to settle for lots of good memories of holding that little precious one and giving Lindsey a birthday hug, too. If they lived closer they might have to worry about us trying to sneak her away!

Sunday was another wonderful shower for Russ and Katy. Aunt Wanda, "Aunt" Janet (she's a cousin but all my children call her "Aunt") and Gran really had a shower that was fit to be in a magazine it was so beautiful and the food so good. I am just overwhelmed at how blessed I am to have such a remarkable, loving, creative and generous family!

This week will be busy, too, as we strive to get the house back into order after a week of neglect last week, start to decorate for Christmas, deal with computer printer problems, hair appointments, getting some work done on the van, regular things like piano and dance and Awanas, and have a few things to do for wedding preparations, too. [BTW, for those who knew about Ethan's accident, his leg was not broken but the bone was chipped. Praise! Thanks for the prayers and notes. He's back up and running (literally) now!]

Have a great start to December!