Christmas Week Memories

Just a few photo memories from this last week!

 

 Last Saturday we had a great afternoon watching the Washington vs BSU game .... an excellent game that ended with BSU taking the victory at 28-26.

The game was fun but as usual the fellowship with our dear E family

was the sweetest and far exceeded the game!!

 

 

Traditional opening and then silly photo of Christmas Eve PJ's from Grandma Honey!

 

Christmas day with Grandma & Grandpa!

 

 

 

 

 

 

And some general silliness.... possibly too much Christmas sugar!!

 

 

 

 

Merry Christmas

With Love from the Honey Family

 

 

 

 

 



Gigi

In some ways these 2 years have gone so quickly and at other times the moments have seemed to drag.  I cannot imagine what these last two years have been like for my Gigi. In Heaven with all its splendor, glory, and beauty and being face to face with her Savior; I can hardly wrap my mind around it.   Two years in Heaven is not even a dot on the page in the book of eternity.  To see the physical realities of the faith you treasured, what an amazing hope we have in Christ. 

We miss her, we miss them.  I know it sounds cliché, but I truly will miss them until the day I die. It is no cliché, it is reality. There really isn’t a day that goes by that in some way, somehow I don’t think of them.  We talk of her, we reminisce of her, but I still have a hard time looking at photos of her, of them. They are all around us here as it is mostly framed pictures of Papa and Gigi that grace our home.  The photos are here but I struggle to really look at them as my heart aches when I do.  You know how when you really look at a photo, the memories flood back and you are transported to where you once had been and it seems so real.  Hard to do. 

We will have Top Ramen and Garlic English Muffins tonight for dinner.  A funny memorial dinner isn’t it? Definitely not because that was all she could cook … no way!  She was an amazing cook and the consummate hostess.  We really could be having Stuffed Mushrooms, homemade pasta, Italian Chicken or steak and spaghetti with oil and vinegar salad, Manicotti or one of my favorite birthday dinners she used to make me as an adult …. Calzones!  She was a masterful cook.  No, we are having Top Ramen and Garlic English Muffins because that is what the children remember most that she made for Papa and for them.  The years they lived with us she didn’t cook much at all but Papa loved Top Ramen and Garlic English Muffins, and she loved Papa, so she made him those as often as she could in the early years of living with us.  Mitchell and Isabelle especially have memories of slipping next door to the trailer and joining Papa and Gigi for a lunch of Top Ramen and Garlic English Muffins.  Silly dinner I know, but it fits the memories and gives us a little part of Gigi for the day.

 

XOXOXO Gigi, I love you. 

 

 

 

"There is something keeping for you, which is worth the having.

Less of you resides out of Heaven now." Samuel Rutherford

 

Pumpkin Snowmen

I felt badly about throwing out our cute pumpkins at the end of fall so we decided to turn them into snowmen. I am NOT a crafty person but, I did a quick search and found this fun blog post and the process seemed (and was) pretty simple.  I spray painted the pumpkins we used for the body and head white and the ones we would use for the hats I spray painted black.  After I initially spray painted them white, the orange was still showing through and Chad suggested spray white primer instead of paint and that worked very well for coverage (then I remembered that the gal who did the post said something like that!).  We let them dry a day or so then we used shish kabob sticks to hold the three pumpkins together, we didn’t use any glue for stacking.  We simply stacked them up with the shish kabob sticks, hot glue gunned on the buttons for eyes, the leaf for a nose and the cranberries for the mouth.  We had to cut the leaf to the desired shape and we found that cranberries cut in half worked better also.  Isabelle ripped some material to make the scarves and wala… pumpkin snowmen!! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Isabelle named hers "Cindy Lou Who"

 



PJ Ice Cream Run

... minus the oldest Man-Child ...  Mitchell was off having fun at his bud Joel's that night!

 

 

 

 



Happy Thanksgiving

Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to "recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness. Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be.
—George Washington

 

We have had a fun day in the kitchen preparing for Thanksgiving tomorrow.  We enjoyed listening to the The Legend of Squanto from Focus on the Family Radio Theatre while we worked, it was excellent!

The kids had a whole lot of fun making these Oreo Turkeys!  Ours  look quite different than her perfect examples, but memories were made nonetheless! I spent most of  the morning and afternoon preparing some sides for tomorrows dinner and baking pies; two pecan and a favorite of ours, a Bourbon Cherry pie.  

I am excited about tomorrow’s menu as it is pretty traditional but with a couple of fun twists.  I found most of my recipes for tomorrow’s meal on www.thepioneerwoman.com and www.food.com  and we look forward to each delectable bite!  She makes her food look so inviting so I thought I would link to her recipes rather than try to repost them myself! 

 

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow... Happy Thanksgiving!

 

 

Perfect Turkey in an Electric Roaster Oven

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Brussel Sprouts with Balsamic and Cranberries

Sweet Roasted Rosemary Acorn Squash Wedges

Green Bean Casserole

Buttered Rosemary Rolls
And some of our traditional favorites...
Sweet Potato Casserole
Simple Stuffing

 

 

 

Bourbon Cherry Pie

3 cups pitted cherries ( I add in some rhubarb)

1 cup sugar

1/4 flour

1 tsp. almond extract

4 T. butter

2 T. bourbon (I double the bourbon)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. tapioca (I actually used 2 T. cornstarch)

1 double pie crust

1 dash salt

 

Combine cherries, sugars, flour, tapioca (or cornstarch), salt and almond extract.  Pour into a pie shell.  Dot mixture with butter and distribute bourbon over the to.  Add top crust and crimp around edges.  Cut slits in top crust.  Bake for 45 minutes in a 425 degree oven.  Sprinkle a little bit of sugar and cinnamon on the top of the crust when there is about 10-12 minutes of baking left. 

 

 

 

 

One of JD's turkeys.... I wonder where his chocolate "skin" went!! :-)

RECIPE UPDATES :

So, I wanted to do a quick update on the recipes for Thanksgiving.  I realized after I posted that I would be doing my turkey in my big electric roaster rather than the oven so I went searching for the perfect cooking instructions.  I DID find an excellent set of cooking instructions and our turkey was probably the best one ever done in our roaster!

Both myself and my dear friend Sara tried did the Brussel Sprouts with Balsamic and Cranberries and we both came to the same conclusio n.... way too sweet! Our opinion is that we would cut the sugar in the balsamic mix by half (or maybe even a little more than half) and let the cranberries be the sweetener. 

A couple notes on the Bourbon Cherry pie.  The first time I did the pie was last summer and I put in some rhubarb because I did not have enough cherries.  After doing only all cherries this time I would add rhubarb in if I have it next time. It just seems to add a great texture to the pie that was missing a little this time.  Also, I forgot to say I doubled the bourbon, and I definately like the extra flavor the doubled bourbon gives.  A note for those of you not used to cooking with alcohol ... no worries!  The alcohol cooks away but the residual flavor is outstanding!

 

 

 

Turkey Trot 2012

Yesterday was SO MUCH FUN!!! I was so nervous for nothing!  I did not sleep well at all the night before, even with a melatonin! You know what I mean?  The kind of sleep where you know your brain is still on and running in the background?!?  I was nervous on so many levels.  Afraid it would be a competitive (not fun) run, afraid of the unknown terrain and simply afraid I might struggle to finish it … even though I have been running 3 miles (and sometimes more) 3x’s a week!

 I am so DELIGHTED that I ran it! It was so not what I was anxious over, AT ALL!  It was FUN and the group we had made it much more than fun… it is a precious memory I will always treasure! We had a fantastic group of runners….some newer runners, some old runners and some cold turkey runners!!   I finished in 37 minutes and some unknown seconds, I forgot to look!  I was the last one of our group to come in (and believe me I am SO ok with that) and there was something quite special about having almost 20 people cheering for you as you come to the end!  I had to fight back tears!  Even with no desire to “compete” in my times, just to run and finish it felt like such an accomplishment!!  

It was also very fun to have Mrs. Vandenbos there.  She is a much loved piano teacher for quite a few in our group of runners, including Mitchell!  She is a marathon runner, so this 5K was small potatoes for her I’m sure!  She did great and she joined us for our “after” photo!

So many in our group did so well! There was about 200 - 300 people participating and many of our group finished under the 30 minute mark (or just over)and we even had some ribbons that were won!  Mitchell finished nicely under 30 minutes, which was his goal.  Taylor B. won 1^st for her age group, Roscoe P. won 3^rd (I believe it was) for his age group, Titus B. got 3^rd in his age group and my sweet hubby got third for his age group with a 21:01 and 19^th overall.  I am so proud of him! He was in the 30-39 age group but the two that beat him were younger than him!  No one the same age as him or in the next age group up (40-49) finished before him! I keep telling him that he should actually train more over the next few months so when he turns 40 he will be ready to really run!!  He was quite the runner in HS and when we were first married.  He commonly ran his mile in HS in the 4:20’s with his best time being a 4:10!!! He used to finish his 5K’s between 15-16 minutes! The last official race he ran was almost 18 years ago, about a year after we were married, the Frost Bite Foot Race in Anchorage.  This is a race held in downtown Anchorage in JANUARY!  It was in the single digits for temp. and that did not include the wind chill, it was crazy cold!!   It was very special to me to run my first “race” together with Chad and Mitchell.

We finished our adventure off with a delicious feast at the E’s home…. Egg casserole, Quiche, Blueberry pancakes, sausage, fruit, cinnamon rolls, coffee and sweet fellowship!   It was a very special morning on so many levels.  Completing the Turkey Trot  was an awesome milestone for me, but experiencing it with those dear to my heart was the icing on the cake!  I can’t wait to do it again!!

 

 

 

 

 Before the run....

 



 

 

After...

(some don't look any worse for the wear)

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

A Little, Little House

I love imaginative play and there is nothing like an old barn and castaway supplies to get the imaginations of children going! Myself and  ALL of our kiddos, including Mitchell (sorry honey), have long loved The Little House on the Prairie.  Many hours were spent reading the books and watching the old show... in fact we have all 9 seasons on DVD!  While the show was not perfect to the book, it was endearing all in itself.  Chad loves to joke that the only hymn they know is “Bringing in the Sheaves” and that Michael Landon takes his shirt off every third episode….I think the latter is a proven fact!  Nonetheless, this sweet series has been and always will be a family favorite.   So… we have this old red barn on the back of our property and boy have the children made a home away from home!  Unfortunately Chad’s desired storage space in the red building has been inched out little by little over the last couple years as the children have expanded their once “little room” to a full “little house” for play! I love that they will spend countless hours in sun, rain or snow playing out there!  They have what they consider a pioneer kitchen, a pantry, a fireplace and sitting area, a bedroom and a dining table. They have made everything from vegetable soup to banana mush to their own ink and quill…that actually worked for a while!  What I love the absolute most is that they have worked and played long hours together to create this “Little, Little House” and in the process, created priceless memories.

I guess SuperMan spans the ages! :-)

I love that in the midst of the pioneer home we have a cordless phone!



Little Man

…turns 5! Our “Little Man” JD turned 5 this month and we had a sweet time celebrating this milestone birthday.  There is something special about turning 5, stepping out of the toddler years and tip-toeing towards the “big boy” years. 

How do we sum up JD in one blog post….virtually impossible!  He is our treasured little boy.  He is a delight and a handful.  He can be the most charming little fellow and the biggest stinker all in a span of a minute or two!  He is definitely the baby of the family and seems to not only know his position but with his incredible smarts, he has learned to maneuver in such a way that he gets the most benefit from where he falls in the birth order!  Our tiniest treasure chose a fun birthday dinner…. homemade fried chicken, “legular” mac & cheese (“legular” means regular…. boxed KRAFT…. NOT momma’s homemade!) and baked artichokes with melted butter.  A unique meal for a very unique and precious boy.   Happy, happy Birthday Jeremiah Daniel, we love you and pray God will shape you into a man used mightily for Him. 

Isabelle took these sweet photos below...she wanted to do a "5 year old" photo shoot of JD!

 

Snow... Snow... Snow...

Even though I don’t love SNOW... I do love the song “Snow” from the movie White Christmas and the sweet mixture of the beautiful voices of Rosemary Clooney, Bing Crosby, Danny Kay and Trudy Stevens.  Trudy Stevens wasn’t actually in the movie but instead she sang while Vera Ellen, the fourth star of the movie, lip synced the words.  Vera Ellen might not have been able to sing, but she sure could dance! We love the tradition of watching White Christmas every year!

This month we have had our fair share of snow around here.  First we drove North to the snow for a weekend of sledding, snowmobiles, games, good food and sweet fellowship and then the snow came to us….way too much for my taste!  Afer growing up in Alaska, I have experienced enough snow to last me a lifetime! Nonetheless, in the eyes of the children the snow has been outstanding fun and they have definitely enjoyed it.  Alas, I will write no more on the subject but instead, thanks to a recent English assignment, I will leave you with a few paragraphs on snow and the adventure it brings from Mitchell’s perspective.  

Snow: the smell of it, the wintriness in the air, the mesmerizing scene of intricate flakes falling from the sky, its silent beauty, and the frosty taste of snow flakes on your tongue. From a teenager’s perspective, snow is a blessing and a curse. It can provide countless hours of fun, but also countless hours of teeth grinding frustration while sitting behind the wheel. Most parents have an obvious distaste for snow, though the rare few who enjoy it make up for what the snow-haters are missing. Love it or hate it, snow is a beautiful manifestation of God’s creation.

Being towed behind a snowmobile or quad while riding an inner tube and flying over the snow at a high rate of speed is not the hardest thing to accomplish in the world, but it could be one of the more dangerous. Given this fact, it is beyond important to wear headgear while being towed. A helmet will protect you from flying ice or rock, a concussion, or possibly death. For example, if you get thrown off a tube while being towed on a frozen lake, the outcome will be much better if your helmet cracks instead of your skull. Please, for the better good of your health, wear a helmet.

This past week, I obtained permission from my household vice-commander-in-chief (mom) to venture outside of the protective, warm, and comfortable atmosphere of home; and into the arctic environment to be retrieved by a friend named Terry riding a mighty steel steed. Subsequent to manipulating my insulated carcass onto the back of his quad, the fun began. We went back to his playhouse, i.e. the farm shop, to retrieve a second quad for myself to ride. After doing so, we played like two good ol’ boys will do in the snow and on the ice. Of course, as we were leaving the shop, Terry tells me “don’t get stuck,” but how can you not! After getting stuck more times than I could count, doing brodies on our road that could’ve doubled for an ice rink, and losing feeling in my face due to the cold, I returned to my clement domicile. That night will be added to my mental file of accomplishments past, and things that were fun, but slightly stupid.

Campout, Fevers and a Birthday….

Another annual church campout has come and gone and once again it was a time of abundant fun, sweet fellowship and new memories made. Mom and my Uncle Ken were able to come and stay with Papa and I know he enjoyed time spent with both of them! Hours of biking, fellowship, swimming, volleyball, badminton, horseback riding, the annual Olympics, fishing, friendship bracelet making, singing around the campfire, a special Sunday service, testimonies, all church campfires, SMORES (with all different kinds of chocolate and candy… my favorite…Reese’s PB cups!), LOTS of coffee and a WHOLE tub of Red Vines! This campout is a highlight of the summer for our family and within our power; we would not miss it for anything! Isabelle also celebrated her 11^th birthday on Sunday!  That was the day we arrived home from the campout and it was good to be back and celebrate her special day with Papa, Grandma and Uncle Ken.  Earlier on Sunday JD began running a fever and slept most of that last day of the campout.  Unfortunately, Isabelle joined him later on in the day, a birthday sickness….so sad! Their yuckies lasted till Tuesday.  I think the photo of JD with his bowl of applesauce, children's tylenol and mug of water speaks for how the both of them felt those days! Shelley fell prey to the fever on Monday but thankfully it was short lived.  No more of us have fallen and all are better now…yah! It took a couple days but we were finally able to do her “birthday cake” of choice….key lime pie….nummy! Isabelle’s birthday always signals the beginning of the end of summer for us! We are looking forward to enjoying the last few weeks …of hopefully warm weather….. before school begins! Already….really????