A Very Thankful Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving I am thankful for so many things...most of all I am thankful for God as he has blessed me with all that I have; a loving husband, a handsome little boy, a second baby on the way, the chance to host two wonderful exchange students and so much more!

This year was basically the first year I REALLY cooked Thanksgiving dinner in the 8 years Travis and I have been married. In previous years, if we weren't at my parents or invited to a friends, I would just make a very small turkey breast in the crock pot with mashed potatoes and maybe corn.

This was the first year for a giant turkey and, of course, I forgot to take a picture of it before it was cut! That's okay though, it turns out that when I put it in the roasting pan and cut the trash bag off we used to marinate the turkey in, it ended up breast side down, so it wasn't very pretty looking on top!

It was TASTY though!

Our Thanksgiving feast. It doesn't really look like a lot, but it was PLENTY!

Travis gave us a quick lesson from the Bible on Thanksgiving and then blessed the meal!

RC waiting as patiently as he could for food....that he ended up not eating anyway. He sat eating pretend food while daddy talked.

Family photo. Pardon my horrible looking hair please, I had just washed it and didn't gel it! KJ was photographer, hence why he is barely in the shot!

We even broke out the bubbly for this meal...as in Sparkling Apple Cider!

KJ decided that the angel pie had to be eaten with no fork. He dug right in...face first!

And he just turned 18? LOL

Billy must have decided it looked fun.

Silly boys!

It has been a wonderful Thanksgiving. Now I am spending time trying to score a few Christmas gifts and newborn diaper supplies for a great deal and tomorrow we are going to hit up only ONE store to see what we can score. I hope and pray that by going to the Lifeway Christian store people won't be insane and crazy there!

Once we get home tomorrow, it will be time to start getting the Christmas decorations up! "It's the most wonderful time of the year..."

Happy 18th X 2

This past week has been a week of celebration. Both KJ and Billy turned the big 18! KJ's birthday was on the 14th and Billy's today (19th). As we were getting closer to their birthdays I just couldn't decide what to do...celebrate both together, have a surprise party with their friends, or just make it a small family affair celebrating each separate. We opted for small family affair celebrating their birthdays separate on their special day.

Aside from deciding what to do for the party, gift ideas were a tough one. Had we been in Indiana still, it would have been easy to just do a Purdue or Colts shirt. Being in VA we don't have a team here we are fans of and ideas for birthday weren't something I was thinking of early enough to order online. So, I had to get slightly creative. KJ was a bit easier. Billy's was definitely creative and well...kinda funny. I'll have to make up for his at Christmas!!!

Each had dinner they requested (KJ pizza and Billy Chinese food), ice cream pie, and of course a few gifts.

Here are some pictures from their special days!

KJ was called out of his room for his dessert. I think he was surprised by it.

Yep...he's full of hot air. ;)

I asked for a picture of the two of them. This is right before. Can you guess what she is asking him?

KJ with his girlfriend Samantha

Present from RC. He wrapped up an itunes gift card in his owl sandwich bag.

A layered gift of loose popcorn (popped), bag of snickers, and a movie gift card.

Nike Elite socks for our basketball player. School colors too.

Billy enjoying his dinner he chose.

Chinese Hot and Sour Soup

Chinese Lemongrass Pork

RC and my dinner. After adding the fish sauce to the pork dish, I was a bit sick and the soup bothered me from the beginning of the cooking process. So thanks to being pregnant, I had chicken nuggets with RC instead!

He's full of hot air too!

RC chose hot chocolate and wrapped it in his sock monkey sandwich wrap. He sure is creative! ;)

Since he didn't give me ideas, I gave him a giant bottle of...

SOY SAUCE! He loves soy sauce...on his eggs, noodles, rice, etc. I think this should last him the rest of the year!

When asked what candy he likes he says "ones that are chewy and resilient." I've been trying to think for days what candy that might be. I think Twizzlers might fall into that category. Now he has 180 individually wrapped ones! And a movie gift card!

Due to lack of ideas, poor Billy ended up with a few gag gifts (I will have to come up with great ideas for Christmas!) The boys one day were discussing if they were an animal what they would be. Billy said he would be a Cola. We were confused at first and then realized he meant Koala. So for our "Cola" he now has...

after he gets off the floor from laughing so hard...

a "Cola" hat for the cold weather!

Billy gave hugs to everyone, even his big brother! LOL

"No mom, stop taking pictures!" Yep this is here for life to haunt you KJ!

Travis decided to eat his ice cream pie with his chopsticks. It worked well for him!

Richard enjoyed his piece of ice cream pie too...

he even put his whole face into it! Mostly because the fork just wasn't working out. LOL

All in all I would say both boys enjoyed their birthdays. Now onto thinking of what the heck to get them for Christmas!

Wordless Wednesday

Car Conversations

Yesterday I picked up the boys from school. KJ started asking if I had some baby things he could use for spirit day today. We talked about a few things the boys could use like bibs & blankets. Then we here from the back....

"can I suck a nipple?"

KJ and I were both shocked with what Billy had just asked. Poor Billy sat in the back with an innocent expression not understanding what he had just asked. Thanks for British English he was only referring to the tip of a bottle and had no idea what the other nipple would be.

KJ explained it to him and I told him he should only refer to anything on the bottle as just a bottle as a whole.

Thank God he asked that question to me rather than going to school today and asking a teacher or another student!

The other funny thing is that at first, I totally thought Billy had asked about a "Soccer Depot." LOL I was not hearing "Can I suck a nipple?" I heard "Can I wear a Soccer Depot."

Hopefully they have fun at school today. I'll have to make them let me take a picture later to add. Both went to school with bibs around their necks and one had a hooded bath towel and the other RC's tag blanket with those plastic loops to make chains for toys!

Wordless Wednesday

Recapping my favorites

Wordless Wednesday

 This week's favorites. I couldn't pick just one.

Exchange students...the little moments

About 2 weeks ago we our two exchange students, Billy (China) and KJ (Iceland) arrived. These boys have quickly become a part of our family. They have taken to being brothers to RC as well as each other. In only 2 weeks our home would be empty without them. Hosting can be a challenge, especially with two, but also so rewarding and amusing. These boys keep me laughing. It's never dull around here that's for sure.

The "How can she be two years younger than me?" As one is asking about a different student arriving tomorrow...

The American Idol happening every night!...

The ironing lessons..

The tie tying lessons...to each other...

 The clothes shopping....as one tells the other to get the pink shirt...

The brotherly bantering...

The "Google it!" Me helping them with homework. LOL...

The "Dude just talk to her."...

The playing ball with RC...

The massive color coded calendars to keep up with everyone's schedules...

The "I got style" says our style guru that won't wear pink!...

The pitching in and watching RC for an evening...

And finally the "thanks MOM" as they get out the car every morning at school.

I can't wait to have more moments with these boys!

Billy (China), RC, and KJ (Iceland)

Wordless Wednesday

This week's wordless Wednesday needs a few words.

Checking out Fruit Ninja with his new big brother KJ

Being a big helper. Trying to carry KJ's bag for him.

All our boys. Billy (China), RC, and KJ (Iceland)

RC standing outside the boys' room waiting as patiently as he could for them to wake and play with him.

Being a silly boy playing inside one of his toy bins.