Thanksgiving-Take Two

One of good things about Thanksgiving dinner is the left over turkey sandwiches. When you go to someone else’s you miss out on making those wonderful leftover turkey sandwiches. Well Elizabeth had a plan and a turkey. On the Sunday after Thanksgiving she cooked a full thanksgiving dinner so she could have some left overs. She invited Glenn and I over for dinner to share in her efforts. It was soooo delicious. She learned well from her Grandparents. I can actually say that this dinner was even better than Thursdays (but I was sick Thursday and it really was and effort to chew/eat so it really isn’t fair to compare). It was great. I got to have a turkey dinner that I could actually taste and enjoy and Elizabeth got her left over turkey to make sandwiches. As you can see by the platter of turkey no matter how good it was there was no way four people were going to be able to eat all of that.
Her house was already decorated and everything looked so cute. Even the tree was up and decorated. She has everything done so nicely but one of my favorite decorations that she has up is this nativity set with scriptures on the figures that talk about the Christ child with the proclamation of “The Living Christ” behind it.

It was great spending the evening with them and feeling the warmth and spirit of their home and the meal was a wonderful bonus. Thanks Chris and Elizabeth!

Food Family and Fun aka Thanksgiving 2010

1. Chef Elizabeth with those “to die for” rolls 2. Glenn and Dad doing the carving 3. Glenn getting some gaming tips from Nathan 4. MMM- Me my Mask and my Man 5. Look who got to sit at the big table 6. Some of the cousins 7. Let the singing begin.


Thought I better get a Thanksgiving blog post up before I have to take this adorable fall background off my blog and change it to Christmas. It was a good day with family, food and lots of laughter and of course some singing. It is our tradition that once dinner is over and dishes are done we can sing Christmas Carols. We missed Dan and Rebecca this year but I was glad they got to spend it with Dan’s family in Salt Lake and enjoy family too.

As you can see by the adorable picture of us I wore a mask for Thanksgiving. ALL DAY! Though I like the look in the picture (hiding my chin) it gets un-fun (if that’s a word) breathing in these for hours on end. I had been very sick and I really though I would stay home and rest but so hated missing out as I love family get togethers. Glenn’s mom has less than great health lately and when she catches something it seems to settle in her lungs and hang on forever and Adell was just back to work after some very serious health issues that had her hospitalized and I couldn’t be responsible in giving anyone my coodies. Answer- charcoal medical mask. Thanks to my 72 hour emergency kit I just happen to have one on hand. I was able to enjoy the day and except when I ate (out on the enclosed patio with just Glenn) I kept the mask on and my germs to myself. And the best thing about having cooties…I didn’t have to do dishes. Though I missed some of the fun in the kitchen this wasn’t a bad gig either. Maybe I’ll wear a mask every year *wink*wink*

As everyone I have so much to be thankful for this year. Too much to list but the top two on my long list are first and foremost for the restored gospel and that through the Saviors Love and The Gift of His Atonement we can be together forever as a family. Which is the 2nd thing on my list that I am thankful for, family.
Many are missing from these family photos but here are two photos of some of the family that I love.

May we love cherish and enjoy our families to lay a strong foundation for the eternities to come.

Girls Afternoon Out

Just a quick post. With family portrait orders that everyone wants now before the holidays I’ve been keeping myself plenty busy but decided that I needed a little girl time so today Elizabeth, Rose and I went and caught an afternoon showing of “Life as we know it”. I can’t remember the last time I was at the theater during the day but it was Elizabeth’s day off work and Rose can only sneak away for a few hours while the kids are in school so we made it a girl’s afternoon. We did this because we love our husbands and we thought this looked too much like a chick flick, it was but we loved it. Hey eating buttered popcorn and chocolate we would probably enjoy anything. It was a much needed break and really seemed to rejuvenated me for the rest of the afternoon to be super productive. I hope everyone takes a break to enjoy something or someone they love (or even better, both).

One more thing I love this time of year, Pumpkin Cream Cheese. There is no better thing to put you in the fall and thanksgiving mood than a warm toasted wheat bagel with pumpkin cream cheese. It’s probably a good thing that this is not available year round. Ummmmh!

Thanksgiving Daily

I am showing this in my seminary class this week and just figured out how to also share it on my blog. I love these little reminders that help us become a little better.

“The more often we see the things around us the more they become invisible to us, even the beautiful things. That’s why we often take for granted the beauty of this world. The flowers, the trees, the birds the clouds, even those we love.”……… “Those who live in thanksgiving daily have a way of opening their eyes.”

May we all open our eyes today and have an attitude of gratitude in our everyday life.

Sometimes the truth hurts

I went to the memorial services yesterday for Leah Marie Tangen, born April 1, 1917 died November 1, 2010. She lived a full and active 93+ years. She is my step grandmother. She was a sweet lady, loved by many. So what did I find the day so hard?

I came home finding myself tired and sad. But this wasn’t a sad about the funeral, this was a deeper sad. Was it the long drive? The stress of having to be nice to so many that I really didn’t know or care about? Was it sadness for the fact that the knowledge of the restored gospel and eternal families is not only absent but openly rejected on that side of the family? I couldn’t put my finger on it, so I slept. I was hoping that resting my body would also help my mind rest and in the morning all would be well.

I slept very restless. I had many strange dreams and I woke up still sad. Through my morning scripture study and pondering the dreams and the events and feelings from the previous day, I understood. I had been reminded of a truth. A truth that hurt, that made me sad. A truth I knew but tried not to think about. A truth that the previous day had brought back to the surface, like pealing off a scab that had healed over and now was bleeding again.

My Father and Nadine were so emotional and upset about the passing of Nadine’s mother. This was according to them the “hardest lost they have ever suffered”. Grandma Marie, who had had the privilege of leading a long full life that has seen her children, grandchildren and even great grandchildren grow, who had been active until the last few weeks and had lived a full and rich life….this (her death) was the most devastating loss they have suffered. Then I realized what bothered me. When my brother (my Father’s only biological Son) died un-expectantly at age 37 in a plane accident after finding the love of his life and getting married then leaving behind his young widow who was six months pregnant with their grandson they showed less emotion, less loss and less grief then they did yesterday.

I know everyone grieves in their own way. That’s way I hadn’t given it much thought at the time when it appeared that they weren’t too upset at my brothers death. Appropriately sad, but that was about the extent of it. In fact they still went to the Randy Travis concert because they already had their tickets and would be back before the body was returned for his services. Some people just hold things close to their vest. They didn’t show how sad they were. They deal with death well. That’s what I told myself. That was until yesterday when I saw how they were when they were truly grieving, and it hit me. My Father was closer to and would miss more his 93 year old mother in law then he knew and would miss his own Son. His grief was different because his loss was different. He truly knew and would miss Marie, he didn’t really know his Son and a casual relationship equals a casual loss.

They say the truth will set you free, but sometimes the truth just hurts. I have known the reality of my Father’s relationships with his children for all of my adult life, but it still hurts when the scab gets pulled off and the heart still bleeds a little. Eventually the scars will form and there will no longer be a scab to get pulled off. And one day, I will do my best to act appropriately at my father’s memorial services knowing that sadly, it is only a casual loss.

Doreen
11_8_2010

Voting Adventure

I hope everyone got out and voted today. My girls would tell you than in my house you vote. Once you were old enough I expected to see that sticker.

I vote in every election, big or small, but not everyone does. We had a lot of propositions on the ballet here in California that brought out higher than normal numbers. I’m glad to see that but that lead to my “adventure”.

There was no, and I mean no parking at the school where I was to vote. After circling the parking lot many times then finally having someone ready to leave only to see an older lady (yes even older than me) trying to find a place to park I passed it up and let her park and decided to park across the street and hoof it. Heavens knows I could use the walk but I had wore the wrong shoes for hiking across a dirt field then trying to hustle across a large four lane street. I get in and finally get the privilege of casting my vote. I get my sticker and hurry out just knowing that my well informed vote will make the difference in this election.

I start my “run/walk” (aka the old lady in the wrong shoes hustle) back across the street and just as I’m getting to the other side… A police siren and lights so close I almost wet myself. Looking around, can this be happening? He’s pulling ME over? Now those that know me know that I have seen those lights behind me more than my fair share of the time, but I’m usually in a car. He pulls around where it is safer for him to get out and I wait. Jaywalking….REALLY….He wants to ticket me for jaywalking. He explains there’s a crosswalk and a light less than a ¼ mile down and crossing here where it is unsafe is setting a bad example for the kids. Come on all the kids are in class, no one but you were watching me. Deciding quickly that my sarcastic reply was not working I quickly changed my tactic and plead my case.

Sad story of no parking, circling the lot over and over and over (I think I threw about 20 over’s into my story for him) only to then give up my space to an elderly lady, wearing these dumb shoes, trying so hard to do my civil duty….. I think he got tired and finally said “fine, I’ll just give you a verbal warning but you need to be careful and next time use the crosswalk.” I will officer and next time I will wear tennis shoes to do my civic duty.

One last thought that I saw posted on Facebook today.
In Iraq in 2005, under threat of being blown up either at or on your way to the elections, Iraqi voter turnout was as high as 95%. In the United States, during the last 40 years, voter turnout has been as low as 36%, but only as high as 58%.

I hope today you had a wonderful adventure. I also hope you had the privilege of voting today….and I hope you got home ticket free.