summer 2011

summer 2011

Paul and I, all 16 kids and Ashley, Benjamin's wife...Christmas 2012

Paul and I, all 16 kids and Ashley, Benjamin's wife...Christmas 2012
family

Monday, November 26, 2018

what are YOU thankful for?



We always go around the table and say what we're thankful for on Thanksgiving, but this year we thought we'd try something different. We still ended up going around and saying something, and it was absolutely so encouraging.


It was a freezing cold Thanksgiving, really really cold, like 19 (-7.2), and windy, but so snowy and pretty.



One of my favorite things is to just sit back and watch the kids together, with the grandchildren, and each other. I love that they all get along, and we have a peaceful time when we are all together.


Adrian with Grant, Emily in the back, Jonathan, and Mirielle with baby Wulf.


Paul, Abigail (our second oldest), Mirielle with Wulf.


Camille, Aunt Char with little Anya, Suzanne crocheting, and little Elise.




The three smallest grandkids, Grant, Wulf, and Elise.


Sweet Aunties Sonja K. and Kathryn with baby Wulf.


Auntie Kathryn with Grant, in a hat made by Auntie Suzanne.


Camille and I...who wore it better? The funny thing was that I also had a jean skirt on before I changed into comfy around-the-house pants...

Anyway, we had a nice weekend here.

Black Friday: I went out and about with some of the girls...there wasn't much left in the afternoon, but we had fun anyway. Starbucks was having buy one get one free frappuccinos, they liked that. I splurged and got two pumps of white chocolate in my coffee, yummy but too sweet, I could only drink half.

So. I HAD been losing weight, but oh how derailed I got! The good news is that this morning I was only up a pound and a half...so not too bad, considering all the pie I had. The crust, just butter and flour, ice water, and shh, some vinegar, it was flaky and buttery and mmmm. The blueberry pie was my fave, but the pumpkin wasn't far behind, and the apple, oh dear, so good.

I didn't go completely hog wild, I was rather careful. But over the weekend our house was Grand Central Station, and there was Norwegian chocolate, there were some Sam Adams seasonal beers (I had one with ginger, oh yum). I didn't have one single cinnamon roll, or any cookies, so it could have been worse.

But alas, holidays come and go, and now it's time for Christmas!





And this is little Lydia, my sweet three year old granddaughter. Today is day #1 of five days a week, Monday through Friday, her mama is finally on a normal schedule after years of days/nights. Lyd has to get up super early, so she was so sweet about lying down on Sonja's bed with some books, she sang herself to sleep. We actually woke her up after two hours so her mommy can get some sleep tonight, ha.

Well, Camille NEEDS to go to the library....:)

5 comments:

Susan said...

Oh my goodness, you were right about Ben having a large home, the photo reminds me of a church.
I think I am going to need a family tree diagram to keep all of the grandchildren straight, they are coming faster than I can keep up with!
LOVE all the photos that you share!

16 blessings'mom said...

Susan, Ben was very lucky to get that house! The main house is an old farmhouse which was totally renovated in 2000, including adding the back addition with all those windows. They knocked down the wall between the kitchen and living room, open concept, right? It's a blessing to have such a large space for us!
The grandkids: Ben and Ashley have two girls, Anya and little red haired Elise. Mali has Lydia. Margaret and her husband Adrian have Wulf. And Samuel and Grace have Grant.

Tereza said...

Such awesome pictures!!! Happy time!

Unknown said...

Hello! I've been reading your blog for many years- your life is so similar to mine ( only we have 11). A few months ago our appliance repairman walks into our basement to fix the washeer and comments on our Norwegian flag. He then starts telling me about his church was founded in Norway. Hey, small world I say. I read a blog of a family with the same church. Hmmmm. Do they have a lot of kids. He looked at me and said they are the same and He knows you!!! His name is Isaac and such a great guy.Enjoy Norway! Small world!

16 blessings'mom said...

Only 11! Nonsense! You can say "only" only if you have one. And even one can be a handful! And I did hear this story about Issac S.!!! My daughter Margaret is married to Adrian, who sometimes works in Delaware in construction, and knows Issac too. He told me this, and thought it was hysterical. It is such a small world!
I am going to Norway in March with three of my daughters, then in the summer with some different daughters, and Jonathan, and my husband. :)
Anyway, this is the very reason I am so thankful for social media, online stuff, ect. I know if used wrongly it can cause damage and lead to bad things, but used in the right way, what a blessing to get to know people, and be encouraged by good things! I used to scoff at online "friendships" but no longer!