We Give Thee Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving from our little turkey!

Thanksgiving is by far my favorite day of the year. I look forward to this feast all year long...not just eating it, but planning for it and preparing it as well. I love looking through cookbooks to get inspiration for new dishes, but most of my dishes are the same every year; Grandma Becky's stuffing, Grandma Gladys' noodles, turkey, cranberry sauce and the highlight of the meal, my bacon brussel sprouts. I found this recipe a few years ago on the food network and it has become my absolute favorite! A must have at my Thanksgiving table! I had a few complaints this year from Jarod that I didn't make green bean casserole (it can't be Thanksgiving without green bean casserole, he says) or gravy. I make lumpy gravy. It's horrible. I have tried a few times and I can never get it right. There must be a secret that I'm not aware of. Jarod's mom makes the best gravy, and even though I watch her carefully at least once a year as she is making it, I can never reproduce it.

My nice clean kitchen before...

and after baking (with my little helper in the background).

I love to bake and there is nothing better than homemade pie to finish off the best meal of the year! Every Thanksgiving I HAVE to bake pumpkin pie, apple cranberry pie, and pecan pie. My dad always talks about his grandma Elsie's famous pecan pie and how nobody could even come close to beating hers. Now, I don't think that I'll ever hear him say that mine is better, however, he does think mine is almost as good! I'll take that as high praise. I don't think Grandma Elsie would be proud of me this year, though. I forgot to turn the oven down after baking the crust and the burnt it to a crisp. The good news is the filling was still delicious, and once I cut off the charred crust it was enjoyed by the Kastl family.

This year I tried something new...pumpkin whoopie pies...just because I love their name.

Setting the table is so much fun. It's the one meal of the year that I get out Grandma & Grandpa Huppert's china and have a "fancy" table setting. Deciding on the decorations is the hard part. I get out my big box of thanksgiving decorations and move them around until it looks just right.

I had to laugh at the mountain of food Jarod had piled high on his plate. In his defense, he did use the salad plate!

Deliciousness!

Thank you Lord for all of the blessings you have given us this year. We are give you thanks for our two boys, health, family, friends, food and a loving home.

We are so blest.

Enjoying the smiles!

Dominic started smiling.
It is so wonderful to see his face light up when I talk to him. He is just so darn cute. We have all been enjoying him so much lately, especially Andrew. Every time he sees him he wants to give him hugs and kisses. He even wants to burp him after nursing and usually does a really good job of being gentle, except for the occasional wack to the back of the head when he thinks I'm not looking.

Jarod has been enjoying giving him baths. He has always liked bathing the boys while they are tiny, which is fine by me as it is one less thing I need to do! It's his special time of bonding with the babies. And he's good at it too! He scrubs every nook and cranny and is not afraid of handling their slippery fragile bodies.

Ahhh...nice and clean and ready for a long sleep!

A Bee and a Bear

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!


This year was a lot of fun. It was Andrew's 2nd halloween, but the first one that he could participate in trick-or-treating. Dominic, being only 5 weeks old, was the first of the Huppert babies to NOT wear the homemade pumpkin costume for his first halloween. I dusted it off and tried it on him in hopes that he would look halfway presentable so that he wouldn't break the tradition, but it was way too big! He still looked cute at a cuddly teady bear!


Jarod had to work until 7:00 that night so we waited for him to go trick-or-treating. Andrew was so excited to get going. He stood right by the door, watching the kids walk by, crying because he had to stay inside. Every time a trick-or-treater came to our door, he tried to sneek out as I was giving out candy. I felt so bad for the poor kid.

Once Jarod got home, it was off to the races!

He loved going up to each house. He would try to open the doors. Then, without even taking any candy, he would turn around and high tail it to the next house. If we stopped to talk to the neighbors, we would have to chase him down because he would already be in the street.

It was a very fun night. I'm already looking forward to next year!

Thank God He's A Country Boy

Fall is my favorite time of year. I love the cool weather, the smell of apples and cinnamon from all the yummy fall desserts, and harvest. I'm so glad I married a "farm boy" so that I can experience first hand the sights and smells of harvest. It wasn't until I met Jarod that I got to ride in a tractor and a combine. I even got to help move cattle once from one field to another...very scary! I love that my boys will be able to expierence it all too!

I love riding with Dave while he's planting and harvesting because he explains everything in detail, how to run the equipment and why they do things the way they do. It seems so complicated! Most of what he says goes right over my head, but I am learning a little. I always come away with a new respect for farmers.

I am so thankful that Andrew and Dominic will have the opportunity to learn about farming. I am so thankful we can go to the farm and let the boys run around and explore. I am so thankful that Jarod is still a farm boy at heart even though he could easily pass for a city boy most days.