Some pictures from Thanksgiving. 2010. Why not?

I'm working on my blurb book. (Which I think is as fun as having to call Dell back when my lap top would break and talk to somebody in India while they made sure in many many minutes that I knew how to plug a chord into an outlet.)

Super duper fun--- in other words. If that comparison was too hard to follow.

Anyway--- desperately trying to get our memories and family events down in print has made me realize that my blog has evolved a bit. And I seem to be forgetting... or skipping more of our normal family things. So I decided that although I'm seriously late, I'm still squeezing in Thanksgiving. You wouldn't know it was Thanksgiving. No yummy-food pics or anything... luckily darling cousin-pics are more important in the long run.

These four were so cute together. Sophia is such a little leader and somehow became the toy everyone was fighting over.... (lots of tears out of whoever couldn't sit by Sophia... she only has two sides, three people... reoccurring problem.)

My sister in law, Brooke, had her third baby boy exactly two months before me, so I snapped a few of him and his big brothers....

Crazy baby eyes. I love 'em.

And while I'm catching up... on Biesinger family time... here's the one measly time I pulled out my camera while Nana and Grandpa B were here to meet Finn and keep my house running while I figured out life with three kids. What would we do without grandparents?

Pretty sneaky how you weasled out of that second one, Nana. :)

Gratitude

Back from Thanksgiving weekend in San Clemente with Ross' family.... feeling the need to hurry and record some things I'm thankful for before it all passes...

- A husband that does things like sleep half on/half off of a memory foam pad so that I can make sure my side is covered by the funny-shaped piece that we have (while out of town).

- Two girls before this boy. I don't know the dynamics of it all yet. But I know I wouldn't have it any other way... and that they are both SO excited to take care of this little boy and I have all the faith in the world that they'll be the best sisters there ever were.

- This hand-me-down pair of juicy sweats from my sister, Melisa (she bought while pregnant and never wore because they're HUGE)--- that I thought were CLEARLY a faulty pair when she gave them to me, being so large... and now they're perfect. Sad. But I'm very thankful.

- That we got home tonight to the COLD desert. Did you hear that? Cold desert. I rarely get to put those words together and ironically, my soul has never felt so warm.

- Chocolate covered peppermint joe joes from Trader Joes.. Did I blog about these yet? My favorite store-bought treat ever- I think. I was so excited to have one the second we got back in town.

- An eldest daughter who wants to make the world a sweeter place. Every time she sees an ambulance, she says how she hopes everyone is ok... MOST times when her sister's upset, she'll give up her toy, make a silly face, hug her and stroke her hair, whatever she can to make her feel better. Any time she tells me something negative (she told me very hesitantly one day that she had a friend in her class that's a LIT-TLE biiiiiiiiit................. chubby.) I told her how every one's different etc... and that we'd never want to say that to anyone because it could hurt feelings and never want to say it about them to others---- and she cuts me off to exclaim... "oh I would NEVER, I will only say 'everyone! You're the best in the whole wide world!'" She loves for people to be happy and like her dad, ONLY wants to do the right thing. She makes ME so happy.

- A youngest daughter who could command the seas with her laughs and her singing AND her fits. She is passionate and fun. A little spoiled by her big sister, but learning her tenderness too.... she's silly and smart and likes to get a reaction. But is quick to forgive and move on... and so easy to love. She still twirls her hair when she drinks her milk and lets me squish my face against her cheek and neck without pulling away even a little. She's still my baby... for four more weeks.

- So much great family. My own little one, the one I came from, the one Ross came from... it all becomes even more important to me as I get older and as I watch my kids grow up knowing they are loved so unconditionally by so many.

- The savior. And my knowledge of his sacrifice, and his love for me and my family. You can never really feel lost or lonely or panicked, no matter how crazy life gets, when you know this.

- My home and the silly things I think are pretty that make me happy to be in it.

- Christmas music.

- Butter and baking. Mostly butter.

- A healthy pregnancy--- where even though I want to rattle off a list of complaints when I go to the doctor, I get to answer no to every ailment-question he asks that actually MATTERS.

- A happy heart. That sounds so silly. But I've realized that being happy is not easy for everyone. And I think I was blessed with a happy heart. As much as I'd like longer hair, a whole new body, and hardwood floors, essentially-- (regarding the important things) there's nothing I'd change about my life. I am just so grateful for so much happiness in my life.

And lots more.

Hope you had a happy Thanksgiving.

The Christmas season is ON!

Again with the archiving...

I know.... he can't keep his lips off of me. Seriously, Ross-- it's a family blog.

Found these ones of my family from when Lacy and Joe came out at Thanksgiving. Sometimes I worry it will look like I was never there, part of all of the fun, because it's hard to get on the other side of the camera these days (and let's be honest-- when Ross tries- I end up deleting them as fast as he can take them.) So I figure when we've got ones of all of us together, they need documenting.

Check.

Thanksgiving in photos...

Everyone came. All six of us kids and all 18 grandkids--- we filled my house, two friends' houses that were out of town, (I know... I have SUPERB friends) and an RV in the driveway. We cooked all day and ate all night and scrabbled... and ate... and watched movies... and ate.

and ate

and ate...

Papa Kirk came equipped for a nerf-gun ward in the backyard. It did not disappoint. It was serious stuff--- I wish I had a video to do it justice.



Then Friday we got to celebrate again with my Dad who came in from Texas. (We missed you Mary Beth!) TWO days of party. Way more eating... and lounging... did I mention I got on the scale at the gym today for the first time since? I won't. It's bad news. You didn't help dad. Fettuccine Alfredo and mashed potatoes in the same meal? Only my dad.

Pretty sure my kids would need me ONLY for food and drink if we lived with 16 cousins ALL the time. I could not have imagined how relaxed I'd feel having a big party at my house--- along with 16 cousins comes 16 entertainers.... I feel like I should have been paying a fee.... AWEsome.

Oh and have you seen Ivy lately? I wanted to nibble on her arm rolls.
Hope you had as much fun and ate as much food as I did.

ps. Check out my BABY brother and his family on the photo blog.

In recovery and mourning....

There's always some relief when the big festivities are over and you can go back to normal life where you keep your house clean, get some projects done, and stop seeing how many feasts you can fit into one 24-hour period. There is, however, NO relief when my cross-country sister leaves for another 8 months. Only mourning.

And the photo? I was going for sexy. I know right?? Poor Ross. I had no idea. Guess I'd never had it photographed before.

Hoping you had a happy Turkey Day