Ready for our TN Thanksgiving 2023

Annual making of crescent rolls!  This batch seemed to be extra fluffy and yummy!

We had been on the road for a couple hours before I took this picture!  We got up and finished loading by 6:35am and were hitting the highway by 6:45am.  We were loaded up good and full making some special request deliveries.

In and out of some light rain...and only one stop at 10:30am for gas and a sandwich.  Love driving to the mountains!

We dropped off Alisa and the pups with Ashlynn, hit the store, and got settled in our cozy Airbnb.

Back for supper with the big kids!

Looking at properties with Teddy!

And...Momma took care of getting the turkey ready for our gaggy girls!  All they need to do is decide when we eat and count backwards four hours and put it in the oven!

I took some sides to put together at the airbnb since there was a full kitchen...and we get up early.

I had to laugh...I needed a twisty tie for the leftover marshmallows and instinctively opened the silverware drawer...guess what I found?!  Twisty ties...right where everyone my age would expect them to be because our mothers and grandmothers did exactly the same thing.  The people who owned the airbnb...our parents age and they have been hosting for nine years.  It showed...so many thoughtful ammenities.

 

Thankful times

It seems this year I keep getting hit with all the pecan pie recipes on my feed.  My family has laughed at me and my failures at pecan pie baking.  Ashlynn has been commissioned to bake this year's pie for her Dad!  We are praying that she starts feeling better soon.  She has been fighting sickness (acute bronchitis) and struggling with a high fever and missed work.  So...we will take care of things for her.  Maybe Teddy or Alisa will try their hand at the pie!  Hee hee.  I will take care of all the other things.  Today...laundry was done during a Christmas movie.  Tomorrow...baking crescent rolls and packing.  Wednesday...driving to TN.

 

Just playing

Chica is good about entertaining herself sometimes!

Velle would rather rest.

Another crafting day!  This time around was pretty tame and productive.  More chatting and crafting!

And this is her favorite spot lately!

 

Update on Mom

A sweet gift from the ladies who spend time working at the craft cottage!  Mom endured another trip up to Orlando on Nov. 8.  They have scheduled surgery for Dec. 8.  She has some different appointments to get ready for that.  Then Nov. 9, she had her fourth chemo treatment and it has brought more pain.  Dad continues to take great care of her!  We are thankful for those who help in various ways each week.  We continue to rest in the fact that God holds her life in His hands and He gives grace for each day.
 

A date night to kick off the Christmas season

I asked him if he would go out with me.  He said, "Yes".  So I bought tickets to the Collingsworth Christmas concert that was in town on Saturday night.  It was a sold out event.

We enjoyed our evening together.

The piano playing was beautiful.

 

All in a week's work

Checking in on the tenant's clean up job and the re-inspection.  Eeek, this was to be done and gone already!  Thankfully, the inspector didn't comment on it and passed us on the other things!  I am so grateful because I feel so lousy and just want to get cold medicine in me and climb in bed.  I only had to sit and wait two and a half hours this time.  

Finally feeling better on Wednesday to make the annual batch of Chex mix.  Thursday, I got the oil changed and took care of some grocery shopping.  Thankful for a daughter who makes me yummy tea concoctions to make my throat feel better!

 

A little bit a this and a little bit of that

Another day to sub...but it is going to be my last for awhile as I heard the coughing ramping up.

Soup and open face sandwich for supper is perfect for fall!

Enjoying the sunshine through the blinds!

Yuck!  Another visit by the appliance repairman...plastic parts wearing out in record time amazes me!  What has happened to quality parts and pieces now days?  Less use and still the part didn't last longer than six months!

Mari came to craft and brought lunch and a treat!

This time, we tried our hand at watercolor painting!  We laughed and chatted...and played around with all the colors.  Mari is not sure of this skill, and further confirmed the questions when she rinsed her brush in her coffee cup rather than the water cup. To be fair, the water cup was also a coffee cup.  We laughed till we snorted and tears came.  Yep, crafting time was full of fun!

We had some little friends hang out with us for the weekend as their parents got away.

It is fun to see the things our children once played with being used again.  This little guy has "big man plans" with Mr. T for Saturday after they eat "eggs, toast, and bacon" for breakfast.

Alisa spoiling the pups with a spoonful of whipped cream during ice cream treat time.

"Big man breakfast"!  This little guy was up at 6:20am with anticipation of the day.  I tempered him as he had to wait for sisters who were out late for an activity to wake up so we could make our way "back over to Mr. T's place where the four-wheeler is"!

Guys fed.  The girls got a puffed pancake.  Everyone got to enjoy time in their own way.

Mr. T gave a job and it was done...with a few breaks.

There was excitement in doing "big man jobs with tools".  Mr. T put the over-abundance of energy to good use!  Several little lessons taught throughout the day.  The biggest one....work first...then...of course...play!

The four-wheeler fired right up!

Riding around the neighborhood...coming back into the yard...the smile says it all!

Time for a snack and then they had to head over to baseball practice.  He fell asleep on the 15 minute ride to practice.  "Reminds me of another little guy who used to do that!"

The girls and I did some cooking, baking, movie watching, and crafting.  

"It's been awhile since we have had a van full to go to church!"  A busy weekend...time to rest...after church and dinner and....!

 

Sorting and purging and crafting

How many papers are really necessary to keep?  Oh the memories of all the school work!

How many painting clothes do we actually need?  So long to most of the costume pieces from the school year collection.

Awww...all the little activities I had for the little chair fillers when we would go out for special things!  Little bags that were only pulled out for restaurant visits or special events.

Powered by a tea I learned how to make from Alisa!

Awwww...Teddy's books!

Using bubble garland to make Christmas trees...

so many things and so many memories...I had to take a break and do a little creating.
 

Saturday accomplishments

 

Sunday evening sky