Give Thanks

I wrote a post about having many of my nephews over two Sundays ago. Well right after my 11 year old nephew Evan went home he threw up all over. Mica was the next in line to get it on Monday night.

I didn't know if the boys had the stomach flu, or Strep Throat. My nephew Emerson that was in the hospital was tested for all kinds of things, but the hospital never tested him for Strep Throat. At his follow up appointment our pediatrician (we have the same one) decided to do a throat culture, and he did in fact have Strep. He was never tested because his throat wasn't red. A few years back 3 of us had Strep with stomach issues first, and throat issues second.

Mica and Evan like to throw up all over instead of in a bucket or in the toilet. What's up with that? Eleven years old is old enough to have their sickness contained. I think our 8 year olds are better about that.

I skipped out on work Tuesday and Wednesday last week. I had no clue if I'd be next. There are some things I like to pass on like kindness, but the stomach flu and Strep Throat are not on that list of things I like to share.

Mica took 2, two hour naps on Tuesday, and fell asleep at 7:30 that night. On Wednesday I was expecting 1 more of us to get it, but that never happened. I even felt a little off, but I think it was the lack of sleep and the idea of cleaning up after Mica that made me feel off. 

I was fully prepared to have our own thanksgiving. I went out to get a turkey breast, a duck, stuff for green bean casserole, cranberries, squash, and sweet potatoes. I made 2 pumpkin pies with almond milk and Isaak helped me decorate thanksgiving turkeys.

My mom said we shouldn't go to the Thanksgiving party due to us being carriers. Then I got a call from my oldest sister that typically has an opinion about everything saying that we should go. I called the host (my Aunt) to let her decide. She said, "You should go. Mica had stomach issues on Monday night and Tuesday, and the rest of you haven't gotten it. You would have gotten it already." So back to the store I went to get more food. Everyone was bringing what I had at home already. I took a veggie tray, pomegranate seeds, sausage cheese and cracker tray, one of my pies, and the Thanksgiving turkey and leaf cookies Isaak helped me decorate. 

Also our TV in our bedroom finally died. I say finally because we've had it, since 1998! The 2002 TV went in our room. Our new 50" Samsung flat screen TV went in the living room. The boys were so excited. They love that I have Amazon Prime, so they can watch videos and shows out there! 

The first thing they watched was: The Macy's Day Parade

I was thankful for our new TV and the time that we got to spend with family.

Isaak enjoying the Macy's Day Parade with his stuffed animal dog. He made it clothes out of paper:

We had a great time at my Aunt's house. It's funny how we went from not thinking we'd spend Thanksgiving with anyone, but us. To spending Thanksgiving with about 30 people. 

Later at night we made the trip down town to see the light display, and listen to an orchestra at The Holland Performing Arts building. 

Mica under a street light at Gene Leahy Mall downtown:

I was thankful for wellness this year. What were you thankful for?

Gobble, Gobble

Thanksgiving went well. How did it go for you?

Mica helped me make Pumpkin Muffin/Cupcakes. I modified the recipe a bit. I used some coconut flour, some wheat flour, and kids Benefiber in replace of some all purpose flour. I also used less sugar. The recipe seems like it has a lot of sugar, but it makes a ton of them. You can leave them like muffins by not frosting them, or you can frost them with cream cheese frosting.

I picked out some Runts, Mini M&Ms, and Peanut Butter Buggles to make Cornucopias. Then I made Chocolate Malt Cookies, and bought Mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cups to make Pilgrim Hats. Mica helped me put them together. I used a pill cutter to cut the candy in 1/2, except for the bananas. We made them last week. They froze well.

The night before Thanksgiving I made a grocery store run for what Daddy needed. That's a story in it's self. It took me a long time to get a few things because there were so many people there. I unloaded the cart on the conveyor belt, and Isaak said in a panic voice, "I have to go potty!" I loaded the cart back up. The bathrooms were clear on the other end of the store. When a kid has to go potty, they have to go. There were slow people in front of us. I told Isaak that I'd wait outside the door for him. Well outside the door is crackers and cheese, so I was looking. He came out, didn't see me and started to scream cry. Poor little bugger thought I left him.

Thanksgiving morning I made Pumpkin Pancakes, and Pumpkin Smoothies. Mica watched the parade. It's the first year he got into it.

Isaak helped me make a turkey with carrots, celery, purple cabbage, radishes, sweet peppers, cucumbers, baby tomatoes and candy eyes. The eyes were stuck on with cream cheese. The beak and waddle were pined on with toothpicks.

Daddy made Au Gratin Brussel Sprouts.

Off we went to Great Aunt Marsha's house. I'll post more about Thanksgiving, and the lighting ceremony we went to later.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Dead Turkey

I thought this was sweet:

It says:

I am thankful for the trees we clime climb.
I am thankful for our teacher Mrs. Shearer.
I am thankful for food!
I am thankful for my Mom and Dad.
I am thankful for family.

I said, "So Mica when have you ever climbed a tree?" He said, "Well I climbed one once at the park."

Then I went to go take a picture of his turkey. Mica said, "So Mom do you like my dead turkey?" I said, "What?" He said, "Well can't you tell it's dead?" I said, "Why does it seem dead to you?" He said, "Come on Mom can't you tell it's dead? It's eyes are crossed out!"

A project that was so sweet, went to a project I didn't quite know what to think of.

I know turkeys are dead when we eat them, but a 7 year old drew it dead. How odd.

Fruity Turkey

This is the turkey I made for Thanksgiving. No I didn't make it on the ground. I just set it down on the way out to the car to get a photo.

The body is an acorn squash cut down and somewhat hallowed out. I put part of a cheese block inside to help the skewers to have something to go in.

The squash went in another dish to eat.

If I were to do it again, I'd snap my skewers in 1/2 or get smaller ones. I just didn't see smaller ones. Then I'd add more feathers.

I put the grapes on the skewers first. Then jammed them into the squash.

The head and gobbler is 1/2 a red pepper; put in with toothpicks.

The beak is cheese glued on with frosting.

The eyes I found in the baking section. They are edible eyes. I glued them on with frosting.

My husband cut and put cheese around the plate. When we got to my aunt's house I added crackers.

The grapes, cheese and crackers disappeared throughout the day. The bowl of squash disappeared during our meal.

Fruit Turkeys

The week of Halloween was swamped! Swamped at home and swamped at work!

We started the week out by going to the Y for family fitness. That night we didn't run around and play games. Instead we made turkeys out of part of an apple, wooden skewer sticks, and grapes of all kinds. For the eyes we used and frosting and sprinkles. For the gobbler we used 1/2 a grape and a tooth pick.

Since I always put pictures up of the boys I'm going to switch gears and put one up of me for a change. Here's my turkey:

It was fun. Mica really got into it. Daddy really got into it. Isaak decided to only use green grapes on one side and his turkey kept loosing balance. Isaak also got frustrated that we couldn't read his mind to help him. So maybe this craft is good for 1st graders and up. We all enjoyed it though.

Here's Mica working away on his. He always has his tongue hanging out when he's working on something. :P

Here's green grape Isaak:

Turkey Shirts

My sister Terra and I made turkey shirts for our little turkey children last Sunday. 

I bought the shirts and felt. I wanted to make monster shirts, but here it is almost Halloween and they never got made. They still could have worn monster shirts, but the boys wanted turkeys instead.

Our little nephew Emerson (cousin to the boys) is getting a light dose of chemo for 2 tumors he has on his kidneys. He has Trisomy 18. He is such a little cuddly child! I feel for him! I planned different crafts for the 4 and 7 year olds (my boys and a few of my other nephews, Emerson's brothers) to keep us busy. Emerson was supposed to start chemo in the middle of October, but the date was set back because he got a really bad virus. He starts chemo really soon now.

Turkey shirts is what we made. I have other crafts lined up for next month; if needed.

Here's how they turned out:

I came up with the idea (minus the hat - Mica wanted a pilgrim hat to be on the turkeys). I worked on cutting the felt and my sister sewed. I can't sew with a machine. I just never really learned how to thread the machine. My sister can sew anything. All my sewing is done by hand. It's probably way harder and more time consuming to do, but it's what I know how to do.

My sister came up with an idea for a camping scene t-shirt. We went back to the store and bought blue shirts, cut brown sticks out, cream marshmallows and fires for underneath. The fires are so fun! There is a blue outer felt flame, then red, orange and yellow one for the center. We're not done with those yet.

My sister found a way to put the fire felt and the turkey tie over a long sleeve romper for little Emerson that has an NG feeding tube. She cut out little holes for the tube to connect. That will make feeding him so much easier!

Gobble Gobble

Big Turkey Dinner

On Sunday we had a big turkey dinner for Grandma and Grandpa Spiehs.

What was on the menu:

• Garlic-Herb Butter Turkey.
• Homemade Stuffing.
• Green Beans.
• Sweet Potatoes - I'm jotting this down because I know I'll forget how I made them. My boys loved them this way! I drizzled olive oil in a pan. Added the peeled and sliced the potatoes - 5 of them. Sprinkled salt and pepper. Bake 350 degrees for 50 min. It took mine 40 min. 
• Cranapple Juice - 4 apples and 1 cup cranberries is a good amount for our family of 4. Then I add 2 more cups of water. No sugar added.
• Pumpkin Pie.

It was yummy!

Mica and Isaak were fighting for Grandma's attention. I was a little worried that they wouldn't want to go to bed, but did. It was a school night.

Ever since Thanksgiving break Mica's been really blinky at night. His sign of being tired. Isaak's been using excuses while in bed.