thankful

She toddles up behind me and hugs my leg. "Yadle a yadle a" she babbles with her eyes fixed on mine and her face full of purpose. "I love you too," I tell her.

In the evening as we gather in the living room, she bounces from one person to the next. First on Madi's lap, then crawling on T-man, next chasing Meya, and finally snuggling next to Leasie with her favorite book. She reminds me of a ball in a pinball arcade game.

As we wrote (or illustrated) our annual gratitude lists during Family Home Evening, Baby C was on everyone's list.

She is our glue. She is a blessing.

Yesterday a dream of mine came true! Madi and Leasie joined me in the kitchen with the Thanksgiving pie preparations. I rolled out crusts while they measured and mixed the filling. I handed over the filling recipe, ingredients, and measuring cups to the girls. They worked so nicely together - quite harmoniously (shocking!) - they encouraged each other, complimented each other, and shared duties without complaint or contention. We made a total of six pies - three for the local shelter's Thanksgiving feast and three for our own celebration.

This Thanksgiving I'm thankful for family. For sublime moments of sharing. For cherished moments of peace. For memorable moments of tear-inducing laughter. For satisfactory moments of accomplishment. For comforting moments of my husband's just-got-home-from-work kisses. For bumps, hugs, chaos, homemade meals, heart-felt apologies, squeals, chores, walks, sleep, holidays...and everydays.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Cowboys and Indians

When I suggested the kids dress up as Cowboys and Indians this year, I didn't realize the mayhem that I was condoning. Behind those sweet smiles are michevious acts just begging to be unleashed.
Let it be recorded that Madi insisted that she was not a cowgirl. She was an outlaw!
T-man was, of course, the sheriff.

Baby C thoroughly enjoyed being in the thick of things as the youngest papoose.

Halloween Night! Let the wild rumpus begin!

My favorite moments of the night:

Madi and Leasie surprised me by getting Baby C dressed in her costume all by themselves.

T-man solicited trick-or-treaters from our front porch yelling, "Hey come to our house! We've got candy here!"

The weather was delightfully warm and the rain held off.

One house gave out vampire teeth that instantly turned the kids into vampire Cowboys and Indians (craziness!).

Baby C figured out how to eat the wrapped pieces of candy we gave her to "play" with.

We ran into a friend at the tail-end of our trick-or-treating and got to show her all the best spooky houses.