My first thanksgiving

This was the first Thanksgiving meal done by myself. Most of you already know that I don't really like turkey and all the fixings. Even pumpkin pie is pretty low on my list of eats. But I managed to put this humble meal together and feel that sense of accomplishment that many of you have felt for years. Here are our photos from the day:



Joel wasn't happy about having to sit at the table and wait, but after I threatened him enough, he forced out a half-cheerful smile for the camera. "A" for effort, Joel!








Time for some exercise:

Happy Thanksgiving

My children's smiles.
My husband's laugh.
My mom's steadfast love.
My brother's understanding.
My dog's constant warmth.
Health, safety, prosperity, and kindness.
My Savior's grace.
Heavenly Father's constant care.

Have seeds of joy and thanksgiving stored up in your heart
And always keep a spade for sowing.

Joel's Party

Happy Birthday to my bouncing baby boy! 5 Big Years.

To Our Old Shoes

To skate in the valley of Kent you see
On ice with three dear friends and we,
Our shoes we traded
For boots well bladed
Adventurous we felt such glee.

When toes went numb and backs bent down
We seated ourselves and rested a round,
Watched the zamboni
Shave ice like baloney
We waited and fussed and frowned.

Then our turn came again to skate
Our legs held out but toes did hate,
Stop and go
Start and woe
For some other day we'll wait.

But alas our toes won't rest warm yet
Our dear old shoes a thief had met.
Oh what despair
Not under our chair!
So our socks went home all wet.

To my surprise the next day a call
A sudden warm fuzzy on a wintry fall
"Your shoes are here."
"I'll be right there!"
A round of forgiveness for all.

Biscuit Boys

When I was a girl, there was a man who called me biscuit, all the time. I did think it was embarrassing, but when you're a kid, it doesn't much matter what you think. I'm not going anywhere with this. I'm just jotting down the memory before it disappears into oblivion.

Tonight, I made biscuit boys. Why, you ask? Is Suzanne a budding Martha Stewart? Nope. Perhaps, I'm just resourceful. If I don't have buttermilk, I'll use skim. If I don't have a biscuit cutter, I'll use the gingerbread cookie cutter my mom gave me for Christmas. Good girl.

Anyone want to register shock that I made biscuits in the first place? Yup, I got my hands all covered in flour like my grandma taught me. What possessed me? It was the magic Apron. Put that baby on, and something's gonna get made!

So, I married a Halo warrior

Chapter 1: Understanding the Halo warrior without playing Halo
Chapter 2: Making eye contact and avoiding guilt
Chapter 3: Meeting the other warriors in person
Chapter 4: Discovering vast amounts of "me-time"
Chapter 5: Rescheduling TV time and sleep cycles
Chapter 6: Jealousy's overrated
Chapter 7: Picking a suitable, quiet project
Chapter 8: The "sexier-than-the-TV-screen" body
Chapter 9: The marathon Halo weekend
Chapter 10: Giving up and going to bed

Preschool dropout

One day, when Joel's grown into some terrific airplane pilot or architect, we'll look back on today and laugh about how he got kicked out of preschool when he was 4 years old.

*sigh*

Could we have been given a more strong-willed son?
Couldn't we just turn off certain traits until they have found their useful places in society?
Couldn't I have the perspective of a parent of 15 years instead of the one of 5?

This is one of those days when I feel like I've failed him.

Today, it's hard to laugh.