Thankful

We turned on our Christmas Lights Thanksgiving night & I've been playing Christmas music all week, but it is OFFICIALLY Christmas in our house on Friday (Rick will come home early & we'll decorate the tree.) Rebekah and I will put up the other decorations earlier that day, since she has no school.

So, that said, this is my last post about Thanksgiving. Emily made a cute Turkey at school. They stuck "feathers" on it, and wrote what they were thankful for on each feather. Emily's had 4 feathers. She is thankful for a cat (we don't have one), TV (every mother's dream that that's what their kid is thankful for) Saturn (she's really into space) and Me (I'm thankful that I made it into the top 4 with the imaginary cat & Saturn!) I'm telling myself that if she'd had time to add more feathers, surely her Dad and siblings would have been included, right?
We put it on the front door to welcome friends.

A few years ago in achievement days Rebekah made a fall decorated jar with a slit in the lid. Each November, throughout the month, we write on little slips of paper things we are thankful for & put it in the jar. We read them on Thanksgiving day.
Here's what some of what the papers said this year
* 91% on the math quiz
* Jacob
* 4 beautiful, healthy children
* A good job & loving family
* Mom's stellar sewing skills
* Jacob
* Our safe warm & comfortable house
* Jacob
* Our wonderful extended family.

There were lots more, but you get the idea. Honestly, there was nothing more wonderful than seeing Jacob's name in Emily's handwriting on so many slips of paper. It brings pure joy to my heart that they love each other so much.

Here are my 2 sweet youngest in their matching pj's at the end of that full day, ready for bed. Jane's says I love Mom, and Jacobs says I love Dad - but I know they both really adore me!

And here's that recipe for the yummy sweet potatoes / yams. Keri made these for us the day after Emily was born, and they feature in our house each Thanksgiving and Christmas. I make them for the kids through the year too, but then I decrease the sugar by 1/2, and add more eggs (aren't I tricky?)

HOLIDAY SWEET POTATOES
1/2 C. butter
6 sweet potatoes, peeled, sliced, boiled until soft, and drained
1 t. baking powder
1t. vanilla
1 t. ground cinnamon
2 eggs
3/4 C. sugar
3/4 C. buttermilk
3/4 C. chopped pecans (optional)
Marshmallows for topping

Add butter to hot potatoes. Combine with next 6 ingredients in
blender or with mixer. Stir in pecans, if desired. Place mixture in a
greased 2-quart casserole dish and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Top with
marshmallows during last 10 minutes of cooking. Serves 10-12.

Now - on to Christmas!!!