Thursday, November 27, 2008

Busy Thanksgiving Week

We have been out of the house every night this past week! Tonight will be our first night at home with our normal "routine." Even though we run a very unstructured life around at the Little Josephs, we realize that we have more of a routine than we thought we did when those little babies are tired for naps and the comforts of their own environment.

Monday night we hit up the Jolly Holiday Lights Lighting ceremony. We were all dressed up in our matching Hannah Anderson outfits that Grandma and Nanu Griebahn spoiled us with, and everyone was enthralled with Iain and Fiona. It was very touching to see many people cooing at her, but keep your hands off people!! The little girl does not like strangers touching her! The event is to support the Make-A-Wish-Foundation, and we drove through the lights with the songs of the season playing on the radio. We had the babies in the front seat with us so that we could point everything out to them, and crawling along at a snail's pace we thought that they would both be glued to the lights. Fiona is probably still too little to focus on everything going on outside the car, but she did very well. Iain was desperately trying to keep his hands off of the steering wheel, radio, power window and locks, so when he could no longer contain himself we pulled over and put everyone back in their restraining car seats.Tuesday night we dropped Iain and Fiona at a friend's house and headed downtown for the Festival of Trees and Lights Gala. Mom and Dad had bought me a beautiful formal gown and I was decked out with my wedding shoes and jewels. Jake and I looked good together, and we had a great time looking at all of the beautiful trees all decorated with different themes and visiting with people. The gala benefits Blank Children's Hospital and the Child Life Program at Blank Children's Hospital. Although our experiences at Blank have been traumatic for us, I was especially thankful for the Child Life Program that helps distract children when they are in the hospital. When Iain split open his eye and needed sutchers , the Child Life team talked with Jake and I about what we could do to help Iain while they fixed him up. They played with him and blew bubbles to distract him during the work that they had to do.Wednesday we celebrated Becky's 58th birthday at Graze. We had a good time with all of the family, and Fiona snarfed down the ice cream cake that they brought for dessert. After dinner, we went to the Josephs for some stale leftover birthday cake. I only mention this, because I was planning a beautiful German chocolate cake for her birthday, but they decided to just eat the leftovers that were already 3 days old. We then watched Joseph home videos of B.J., Trisha, and Jake growing up in order to indoctrinate Sable (B.J.'s girlfriend) or at least give her fair warning into the true life of the Josephs growing up. *wink wink* Speak now, or forever hold your peace! and peas!We spent Thanksgiving in Des Moines this year and had all of the usual dishes that go along with a "Traditional" Thanksgiving meal. I was excited to find a twist on an old favorite: Tex-Mex Green Bean Casserole. Trisha brought the GBC this year and added corn to the mix and substituted Chicken Tortilla Soup in place of the cream of mushroom that is the standard. In place of the nasty onion rings, she crushed red tortilla chips on top. It was very tasty! My pies, even with the mistake, were quite good and mostly gone after the day. I requested the turkey "frame" and I am making a delicious "Turkey Pot Pie" soup out of the left overs. Iain ate all of his turkey salad and half of mine for lunch today. Sometimes he is so fussy about food, but when he is hungry he just clears the table!I am very excited to cook again tomorrow in preparation for the Griebahn dinner that we will have in Iowa City on Sunday afternoon. I am making a spice cake with German frosting (the sticky stuff with coconut and pecans) and I am also going to sneak in a maple, pumpkin cheesecake as an alternative or accompaniment for dessert. I will be starting before 10:30 at night this time, and hopefully will NOT make any tragic blunders that would ruin the outcome of my desserts and send me into bed in hysterics! The Griebahns are not as forgiving as the Josephs in the culinary arts that we all attempt.

Jake and I have so much to be thankful for this year, and although we like to count our blessings throughout the year, it is a wonderful reminder each November to search your heart and find contentedness .
Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
Serve the LORD with gladness: come before His
presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD
he is God: it is he that hat made us, and not we
ourselves; we are the people, and the sheep of
his pasture. Enter into His gates with
thanksgiving
and into his courts with praise: be thankful
unto Him, and bless His name. For the LORD
is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth
endureth to all generations.~ Psalm 100


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