Thanksgiving Photos

The face behind the camera... My sis used my camera this year at our Thanksgiving dinner. No wonder I had so many good photos to share. Here's a few moments from our day at Mom and Dad's house.

I'm thankful for Little B... His first Thanksgiving.

My "newest" nephew.... Little B...4 months old.

I just think my little nephew is too cute!!

Cousin #2 playing in Nana and Poppy's leaves. What fun!

Playing Frisbee with the guys... yes, barefooted! What can I say? All boy!!

Watching the TN Titans with Uncle T.

Thanksgiving Traditions

There's something special about tradition. Merriam Webster defines tradition as, "the handing down of information, beliefs, and customs by word of mouth or by example from one generation to another without written instruction."



Our Thanksgiving tradition (since two years before I was born... the year my mom and dad were married) has been celebrating Thanksgiving day with my mother's family. Aunt Karen's family (my two cousins) and my Papaw and Granny would always gather in our home. Everyone had their "specialty" they brought for dinner. My heart is sad with the realization that things change. Even though Aunt Karen's family no longer gathers with us and my Granny has been in Heaven for a numerous years, Papaw's voice still rang out in a thunderous voice as he blessed the food and our growing family each year. Yesterday it was missing. His health prevented him from gathering with us.



My thankful list could go on for eternity. A godly husband, a son that knows Jesus as his personal savior... but this year I am reminded of the godly heritage of my family- both my mom and dad's family. I am blessed by the choices of prior generations... and I am thankful.

Mini-Vacation

Last week, we had a home school field trip to Cades Cove.
We decided to make a mini-vacation of it.

Almost 17 years ago we spent part of our honeymoon at Hidden Mt Resorts.

I've lost count of how many times we have been back since then.
It is still a favorite for us... even Little Man.

Little Man snapped this photo while I was fixing chili for dinner. The funny thing to me what the items in the foreground: nasal spray for pregnancy congestion (my midwife said the only time she wants me to reach for the Afrin is during labor!), prenatal vitamins, and a tomato- which I just can't eat enough of. A month ago it was avocados... now it's tomatoes.
[So what does that mean, Carmen?]

Life is good! Look who had his own king bed... but ended up sleeping between dad and me!

Ranger Beth used my guys to show how the pioneers in Cade's Cove
would have built their homes.

Making a pioneer toy with the other homeschoolers.

Oliver Cabin where we had our class.

One more hike before heading home.

Don't Poison the Family on Thanksgiving

Little Man told me the other day he sure would like to have turkey for Thanksgiving. What? We have had turkey every Thanksgiving since... well, forever. Then I realized ours doesn't look like what you see in ads and on TV. Mom pulls the meat for us. So instead of a golden brown bird on the table that has to be cut, my family has a huge plate of white meat. Who knows, I might try cooking a turkey this year. Gotta learn sometime, right?

For years, Liz Tarditi's mother tried to kill her family with turkey. Not intentionally, of course, but invariably, sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas, someone in the family developed flu-like symptoms. Mother blamed it on the weather and whatever influenza was going around, but the truth is they suffered from mild food poisoning that zapped their resistance and required weeks to fully recover.Tarditi, a professional personal chef, says the way to avoid "the flu" and make sure the holidays are as healthy as they are happy is to practice safe food handling techniques when preparing the Thanksgiving turkey.Most poultry contain small amounts of salmonella bacteria that, when ingested, can result in a variety of afflictions all the way from slight illness to death. The way to kill salmonella in food is with heat and on surfaces with an antibacterial agent.Professional chefs and caterers are required by law to handle food in such a way as to not poison their customers. They treat all poultry as if it has live salmonella. Unfortunately, most non-professional cooks don't take similar precautions so lots of people get sick needlessly, but rarely make the connection with their kitchen.

Every kitchen needs an effective antibacterial solution, but don't spend $6 for a 12-ounce bottle of cleaner. Make it yourself: Mix one gallon of cool water (no warmer than 70 F) plus one teaspoon of liquid bleach. If the water is any warmer, the bleach will evaporate; more bleach will harm some surfaces and fabrics. Measure carefully and stick with this perfect, dirt-cheap recipe that will not harm wood, paint, marble or fabric. Regularly sanitize all surfaces with this bleach water, particularly those that may have come in contact with raw poultry, including the inside of the refrigerator.

Clean out your refrigerator before you go shopping for a turkey. Make a place for a large sheet pan to catch the raw run-off drippings while it sits in the fridge. Leave the turkey wrapped and place it in the fridge on the sheet pan. Even sealed in plastic, it will drip. Let the frozen turkey thaw naturally. It will take one day per five pounds. Don't take it out and leave it on the counter to speed it up; don't try to quick-thaw it by placing it into the oven at a low temperature, or in a sink full of water. Don't "blast" it at 500 F for three hours before company arrives.Thawing a turkey any way other than in the fridge on a sheet pan for several days invites trouble because it increases the chances that bacteria will make it through the cooking process alive and well.Even if the turkey is thawed completely by say, Tuesday, just leave it fully wrapped in the refrigerator. It will still be excellent on Thursday.

Tarditi does not recommend stuffing the turkey. As the bird cooks, raw juices drip into the soft, absorbent stuffing. The stuffing may be steaming hot when you spoon it out, so you think it's fully cooked because the bird is. It's not. Turkey must reach an internal temperature of 165 F, and so must the contaminated stuffing. It's nearly impossible to cook a stuffed turkey to perfection and also guarantee uncontaminated stuffing.Prepare your stuffing as you always have, but bake it in a separate foil-covered pan while the turkey's roasting. After the bird is fully cooked and out of the oven, mix some of the roasting pan drippings and fat into the stuffing before you make the gravy.

The easiest way to roast a turkey is to set the oven to 325 F. Place the turkey in a roasting pan, season with salt and pepper, and put it in uncovered. It will take about three hours for a six-pound turkey; add 10 to 12 minutes for each additional pound, up to six hours total for a 25-pound bird.Check internal temperature two-thirds of the way through the cooking time using a meat thermometer inserted into the thigh meat. It's done when it reads 165 F. Let the bird rest for 20 minutes before carving for juicier and more flavorful meat.

Article by Mary Hunt

True or False

Remember back when we were taking tests in school? The true and false sections were somewhat of a relief to me compared to the discussion questions. At least I have a 50/50 chance if I did not know the answer. Yet, even to answer the true or false questions, I had to know the "answer." I had to know what was correct-truth.

I am so very thankful for our church fellowship. Our meeting this weekend challenged me to continue to be learning, growing, understanding the doctrines of scripture.

A post from a friend and mentor over at http://blog.achristianhome.org/2008/11/22/you-just-gotta-wonder-that-7-day-challenge/ confirmed to me what we had read and discussed last night in 1 Timothy. You may have heard the following story before. Still... it is such an awesome reminder to me.

"The American Banking Association once sponsored a two-week training program to help tellers detect counterfeit bills. The program was unique. Never during the two-week training did the tellers even look at a counterfeit bill, nor did they listen to any lectures concerning the characteristics of counterfeit bills or denouncing the manufacture of counterfeit bills. All they did for two weeks was handle authentic currency, hour after hour and day after day, until they were so familiar with the true that they could not possible be fooled by the false." E. George's Pursing Godliness

Oh that we as Christians would only allow truth into our homes. I want my children to be handling the real thing so that when they have finished their "training program" they will easily recognize false things.

"... charge some that they teach no other doctrine, nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith. Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience,

and from sincere faith, from which some, having strayed,

have turned aside to idle talk, desiring to be teachers of the law,

understanding neither what they say now the things which they affirm. "

1 Timothy 1:3-7

The New Trail

I have been freezing! Maybe it is because my iron level is a bit low.... maybe it is because my maternity clothes are not "weather appropriate"... or maybe it has just gotten colder. (It was 17 degrees this morning when I awoke.) Whatever the reason- I'm cold!



Last weekend, my guys bundled up to head out into the woods. Later in the afternoon when they returned to the house, they ask me to come along with them and see their project. Okay... I admit I was not very enthusiastic. But when I got to the driveway, there set Granddaddy's Kubota RTV warm and ready- like a carriage.

We drove a couple of miles into the woods to a brand new trail! They had used the Bushhog and chain saw to cut a new hiking trail. Wow! I'll sure enjoy hiking when it warms up. For now, I think I prefer the RTV.

I Stole This

When I visited my sister's blog, I just had to steal this photo. I thought you might not visit her blog. It's too cute to miss.... my youngest nephew in his Bumbo. He and Baby Boy will be about 9 months apart... is that right, sis? And by the way- would you put the Bumbo on the list of hand-me-downs?

I'm Convinced

Friday of this week, we had an appointment with our nurse midwife. Even though we had the level 3 ultrasound a couple of weeks ago, there was something special in my mind about this date. Maybe just because I knew it was "The Official" ultrasound- complete with DVD :-)

And yes, I am now convinced of the gender of our new family member.

Welcome Baby Boy

This pregnancy has been so different for me that I just "knew" it was a girl. But from the looks of things- I was wrong! We are so thankful for him and praying he will grow and develop in God's perfect timing.

Febreeze and Smoke

I told you last weekend how much I enjoy Saturday mornings home alone... This morning, I am freezing instead of snuggling with my cup of tea. Blame it on pregnancy hormones. Seems everything these days from a stuffy nose to brain fog is the fault of hormones.

I had a dumb moment Thursday. The house seemed a bit chilly and damp. So I headed to the basement to build a fire in the wood stove. I thought I was opening the damper. But instead, I must have left the damper open all summer. SO instead of opening... yep, I closed it. It didn't take long before smoke was rolling up the staircase and even coming under the walls in the basement. Little Man came to my rescue with fire extinguishers, cordless phone and a cloth so I could cover my nose. We got the damper opened... and what do you know? It quit smoking. But what to do with all that was already in the house?

Yesterday, we left all the windows open while we were away at an appointment. We "Febreezed" the furniture and draperies when we arrived home. The windows are open again this morning - and I'm freezing! But thankful I didn't do more damage than I did.

Views From My Week

Mmm... more applesauce and dried apples. Sure was an easier project when my guys did all the peeling and cutting. (Thanks for the suggestion Mom to Cherubs!)

Yum!

Sunday evenings usually find us spending time together watching a movie and making popcorn in the Whirley Pop. But last night we added hot chocolate to the equation. Our recipe is below.

We've had the DVD, "Fearfully and Wonderfully Made" by Answers in Genesis for some time now. For some reason, we had never gotten around to watching it. Maybe our delay was a blessing in disguise. It was extra special to us knowing that God was performing those very miracles in our own family. If you've never watched it, it is well worth locating. Check out: http://www.answersingenesis.org/media/video/ondemand

Winter Warm-Up Hot Chocolate

1/2 C semisweet chocolate morsels
2 C skim milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp cinnamon

Melt chocolate into milk over med heat. When milk begins to froth add spices. Continue to stir. Makes two servings.

Home Alone

Have I told you how much I enjoy my Saturday mornings home alone while my guys are at work? When Sweetheart built our home he included wonderful windows in our bedroom where I can stay snuggled up in bed and still enjoy the view. Ah... one of my favorite things is Saturday morning in bed with a cup of tea, my Bible and my laptop.

But this morning.... well, I'd rather be with my two guys. Instead I am home fighting a bacterial infection. We've been planning since the start of football season to go to homecoming today. I so enjoy the festivities... the Tennessee Walking Horse, Smokey, the band, the Power T ...Okay, I admit it. I go for the Tennessee traditions...not the game. Plus it was my last chance to see Phil Fulmer coach. I'll miss Coach Fulmer. I believe he is a respectable man. Good Luck wherever the future takes you.

Our 17th Annual Hayride and Cookout

Fall is just not fall to Little Man without planning a hayride and cookout.

What a blessing friends are to us!

So why are we changing the clocks this weekend?

Mom and Dad gave us a grandfather clock that is a treasure to me. It was handmade and give to my parents by their employees when I was about five years old. It now sits on the balcony in our home overlooking the living room.

When it comes time to adjust the clocks for daylight savings time, it's a pretty simple procedure. You either punch a bunch of buttons or spin the hands of the clock you are setting. But not on the grandfather clock. Today I will need to stop it on the hour, then tomorrow start the pendulum again at the same time. Got me to thinking... so why it is we monkey around with the time every year?

I decided to do a quick search and find out "why." Because... "trick-or-treaters" are safer (seriously!), there are possibly fewer traffic accidents, energy conservation, fewer violent crimes, increased voter turnout (what?), and people like it. Well, I don't. Let's just leave it alone ;-)

The book of Revelation tells us in Chapter 10, there will come a day "that there should be time no longer"... Wow! Difficult for me to comprehend.

Be sure and reset those clocks tonight. By the way, just why is it at 2:00 am? Check out http://www.webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/b.html for a cool website all about daylight savings time.