Early morning and late evening pick-up at the airport...

 to send my love to Mexico on Sunday for the week.

 A couple pictures sent back...of warm sunny places!

Waiting right now to go pick him up!  And Christmas will welcome him in the door!

 We have enjoyed our time off school with friends and family...extra sleep, yummy food, and our cozy home.

 Teddy talked me in to putting lights out on the banister.  This afternoon we added two little trees too...since we don't have room inside our home.

And we are enjoying the beginning tastes of this holiday season

 The first batch of Chex mix made the house smell so good!

 I still do not like the process of getting a turkey ready to roast!  Gag. Yuck. Bleh.  But the final product always tastes so yummy!

 It is now Sunday night...and I have successfully roasted and picked apart three turkeys!  I'm glad I don't have to do another one on Thursday!  We are getting ready for our Thanksgiving Feast at school on Tuesday...so I helped with the turkey preparations.

 We enjoyed our family Thanksgiving dinner on Saturday afternoon.  Our week has a little different structure to it...so we enjoyed our early family time.

Teddy is fascinated with the wishbones this year...he has cleaned all three!  Pumpkin pie is always a wonderful way to end a Thanksgiving meal...even if it was a few days early!  Mmmm...now...what to make for the Pie and Praise service!

Snapshots of our week

 In looking back over the week, I see several things that we were able to do that serve others.  When I look at the faces and remember the opportunities, serving others has brought great joy to our family.

 "There is JOY in serving Jesus..." by putting Jesus first, others second, and yourself last!

 A thankful heart produces more joy...especially when you are reminded by K3 friends to be thankful for "carrots and kitchens, puppy dogs, rice, my family, clothes, the whole world, toys, and my sisters and brother."

 A merry heart produces joy.  When you daily observe little ones learning and growing...sometimes...they make you laugh.  We were praying for our snack...and our little friends give a new understanding of "falling prostrate before His throne".

A thankful heart for the seasons of our life...even now...when the snow comes and makes everything fresh and clean and sparkly.

Always something going on...

 Playing a lot in K3! 

 Sometimes the morning is so rough...by the afternoon...we need a pick me up!

 Snowflakes have been flying off and on for a couple days.

 Visitors came for Grandparent's Day...braving the snowy corridor between IL and MI again!

 Learning so much besides our letters and numbers in K3...sometimes...it brings tears to our eyes!

 And...then...real...stick to the ground snow fell overnight (11/16) and the cold has moved into the Mitten state for good now.

Brrrr...it is taking my body awhile to adjust!  Socks, slippers, fires, and hot beverage are helping!  A look at the calendar reminds me that it is normal for snow and cold to move in in November!  Thanksgiving....is almost here...then Christmas...and then a New Year...should God allow.
Reminded by a co-worker today as I walked by and asked how her morning was going, "I'm blessed!"  Every. single. time. that is her answer...and it shows on her face!
A good reminder for me on my Monday morning with 16 K3 children...it brought back Uncle Pastor's words from last night as he spoke on joy...

"We have something to be joyful about as Christians...and that joy should spill out onto your face!"  

Joy spilled out on my face this afternoon as I read Aunt Gail's updates as she walks through her chemo treatments.  Thank you, Auntie, for your sweet spirit and testimony during an uncertain time for you!  I am praying for my Uncle and Aunt in Canada...so grateful for the reminders of God's constant care and provision in the lives of His children!

So thankful. 

So blessed.

On occasion...

we leave the kiddos at home to go help friends with things or go on a date.  On occasion, we get phone calls or texts from our kiddos.  "Mom or Dad, will you tell so and so to stop doing such and such or tell them to do this or that?!"  One such request came through..."Ted, let me take a picture of you with a mean face to send with directions."  This was take three.  "I can't look mean on demand!"  Ok...I guess this is serious enough.  I love you!  It reminded me of the times that Sean would do or say something gross at the table that Dad thought was funny too, but Mom had had enough of the grossness (I now live in this chapter of life and often lose my sense of humor over gross stuff at the table...however...I sometimes accidentally bring up the grossness when discussing how my day in the K3 went...back to the story...) and Mom would ask Dad, "Dwight, would you tell Sean to stop..." and Dad would smirk and say sternly, "Sean, stop that." and we would all burst out laughing.

Junior Convention 2014

 We got up super early...to leave by 6 am to get to school to meet the bus.  Ted chauffeured some of us parents to Evart, Michigan.  We started the day with a challenge and then the activities started!  Teddy played on the 3 on 3 basketball team...which got second place.  Alisa played on the volleyball team...which got first place.

 Alisa and Teddy sang together.  Alisa played her clarinet solo.  Alisa sang a solo.

 Teddy preached for the second year.

 Teddy played in the recorder group.

 They both sang in the small ensemble..."My Hope Is Jesus"!

 Ted got to enjoy the whole experience for the first time!  There is a lot of sitting and waiting...and by 5pm...parents are yawning and bleary eyed!  It is a very long day...but fun to watch our children.

 They did their best in each area...and were rewarded for their hard work.  Teddy got a first place for his preaching.  One of the judges spoke to Ted and I...it was a blessing to hear his encouragement for something that matters more to us than some of the other events.

 It was fun to hear the kiddos cheer for each other and share in the excitement of a job well done.  We stopped for a McD supper and then headed home...by 11:15pm!  Saturday morning was very quiet at our house!!!

It is neat to see a list of our children's accomplishments.  They are growing and learning and stretching in many different ways.  We are thankful for teachers who are helping us...especially since our children have gone beyond some of the things that we can help them with!

A week without our Mrs. K again

 My friend and co-worker had to head to NC with her husband last Monday night to say "Goodbye for now" to a sweet grandfather.  So...we kept things going up here on the home front.  We took a little more time to play as we had some new toys to play with...donuts, cake, brownie, anyone?

 Farm week...fun with animals and seeds of all kinds.

 "Look!  I wrote my name!  I can learn and write now!" exclaimed Little N.  How fun to see these little ones make the connections!  So thankful for a safe week and trip for Mrs. K...she is back now!!!

 I made it through the week...sick and everything.  I'm so thankful for my husband and children for helping me...and ordering me to bed each night with my fill of Nyquil.

A week later...and the coughing persists...but Ted bought me some Vicks and I used it...and we both slept through the night...finally!  Put Vicks on the bottom of your feet...and you really do stop coughing crazily.  My sweetheart takes good care of me...a new pink coffee cup too!  My coffee tasted extra good this morning!

Harvest Day in the Preschool

 Old MacDonald's wife!

 Pumpkins with Parents...as parents dropped their children off for the day, they could stay and have some fun with their child.  We had a great response and the children enjoyed the activities!

 Sweet treats from two of our mothers to send home with our little friends!

 Sharing a special story...

 scooping out the "yucky stuff inside"...just like Jesus can do for us...

so His light can shine through us!  "Ooooo!  He lights up!"

That first apple pie of the season...

 was delicious!  Alisa helped me and we got to share it with friends for a Sunday dinner...MMMM!

We have all hands on deck when we do a big project!

 Since our little friends like to peel the paper off crayons...we asked them to help us get ready for this year's treats for Trunk or Treat that our young marrieds hosted in our church parking lot...moved to the gym due to inclement weather.

 I made Mrs. K a piece for her costume...a baker's hat.

 She did a Cookie Monster themed "trunk".

Along with sweets...we had a treat...melted crayons molded into a shape...that we felt needed an explanation for the common group of visitors.  I felt like I was back in elementary writing 50 sentences for a wrong doing...made me laugh.

Our studious girl

Alisa entered the world of glasses last week.  She looks more grown up...and so studious!