{ A Season of Thanks }

" Home is the nicest word there is." ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder

Thought I would start this month of Thanksgiving by sharing

a few of the things I am thankful for.

~ Home ~

giggles, screams, warm potato soup, coffee,

cozy jamies,chocolate covered pretzels,

the smell of cinnamon, rosey cheeks,

a warm comforting hug....

that somehow makes things a little better.

"O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth forever."

Psalm 136:1

{ Sweet Summertime }

"The legend of how salt water taffy got its name is disputed. The most popular story, although unconfirmed, concerns a candy-store owner, David Bradley, whose shop was flooded during a major storm in 1883. His entire stock of taffy was soaked with salty Atlantic Ocean water. When a young girl came into his shop and asked if he had any taffy for sale, he is said to have offered some "salt water taffy." At the time it was a joke, because all his taffy had been soaked with salt water, but the girl was delighted, she bought the candy and proudly walked down to the beach to show her friends. Bradley's mother was in the back and heard the exchange. She loved the name and so Salt Water Taffy was born." Wikipedia

What's on my dinning room table... Salt Water Taffy! It's a symbol of summertime at our house. My favorite being the black licorice, of course. Our children eagerly await the change of the seasons because this means a change in the candy dish as well. Christmas nuggets, jelly beans, candy hearts... Can't believe we have bought our last bag of taffy for the summer. School will be starting soon, leaves will be turning, cooler temperatures and it will be candy corn time!

Teething, {potty} Training & Trust

Summer has been much like living in the song from Camelot~

A law was made a distant moon ago here:

July and August cannot be too hot.

And there's a legal limit to the snow here.

In Camelot!

July and August have most definitely not been too hot! Quite pleasant in my opinion. The milder temps have made things a little easier on my Noah, 5 months, who is teething. One tooth has already broken through and another is close behind. Kind-of crazy since he is still only drinking from a bottle... doesn't really need the teeth yet, oh well.

Day 2 (well day 2 of this attempt anyway) of potty training has gone swimmingly with zero accidents. Making a trip to the bathroom every 30 minutes can make ones day rather, short? I just get started on a project and then ~ you understand.

The last of my "T's" is Trusting. My faith and trust in my God, "Jehovah - Jireh", my provider has grown so much over the past few months. He has proven to me time and again that I can trust Him because He will provide. Just this week, my Provider has shown Himself strong.

Through some difficult circumstances in my life right now, I am learning to run to the arms of my Saviour. To the Secret Place, the Rock of my Salvation, my Buckler and Shield. I find it no coincidence that my kitchen calendar for the month of August reads, "Whatever my lot Thou hast taught me to say, It is well. It is well with my soul."

From my heart~

Waiting for Spring to Arrive...

Winter Days

(Little House in the Big Woods)

~ Seems that we have had many days like this lately. ~

Thanksgiving Thyme

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life...

It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home,

and a stranger into a friend."

~ Melody Beattie

It is that thyme of year again when we ponder family, friends and good food. My head has already been swirling with menu plans for Thanksgiving dinner, where to seat my guests and just how to decorate the table this year that will be different from the rest.

This Thanksgiving season, I have had great opportunity to reflect on the goodness of God. Sometimes life with its heartaches and pain is just what we need to cultivate our gratitude toward Him.

The words to the song I have posted below have been just what I needed going into this season of gratefulness. I hope it blesses you as well.

"Better Than I Deserve"

Sammy Frye ~ from the CD Perfect Plan

Thank you, Lord for giving me forgiveness without end

Thank you, Lord for Calvary; your love for sinful man

Thank you for your mercy and for grace that never ends

For loving me unselfishly when so unlovely I have been

(Chorus)

Every day I praise Your name; thankful I can serve

And no matter what tomorrow brings;

It's better than I deserve

Thank you, Lord for family; for kind and precious friends

Thank you for a faithful wife; my dearest and best friend

I'm grateful for eternal life adn for purpose in my pain

Helping me to realize that to die for me is gain

(Tag)

Thank you for Your presence and for strength to carry on

Thank you for the peace of God when trials linger on

Hunting for Thanksgiving Dinner

Sipping on my peppermint mocha this morning to the sound of Karen Carpenter serenading me with Merry Christmas, Darling. Oh, yes, and the ever present sounds of "more eggs, please.... I don't like this juice.." and so on from my starving children.

I so enjoy this time of year: trees bursting with color, coffee on brisk mornings, caramel apples with cider, the cozy smell of cinnamon candles in my kitchen, pumpkin patch journeys, sweaters with handmade scarves and tales of the Pilgrims coming to a new land.

The past few mornings, while looking at the beautiful changing leaves outside my kitchen window, I have been dreaming about Thanksgiving and all of the lovely food that accompanies it. This has sent me on a hunt for a new recipe to add to the menu this Thanksgiving. Of course we will still have the traditional menu items such as turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes... as to not upset the lovers of tradition in the family (such as myself.)

While traveling through some food blogs, I came across a recipe from The Pioneer Woman for Creamy Herbed Potatoes. May give this one a test run soon and see if it passes the Thanksgiving table test! Try it and let me know what you think as well... Happy hunting!

Find the recipe here at The Pioneer Woman's blog.

Sentimental

~ a person prone to feelings of tenderness, sadness, or nostalgia.

I happen to be one of "those" people who can enjoy Christmas music year round (although I try to discipline myself and only listen August - January.) This has brought me the ridicule of many a naysayer and an occasional Scrooge. "You can only pull out the Christmas music the day after Thanksgiving" ... tends to be their rational.

So... I have given this much thought and have come to a conclusion; you are welcome to disagree if you must. (because I know this really matters) My conclusion is this: sentimental souls, like myself, usually are the ones who enjoy Christmas music out of season. Their sentiment and the sound of the music takes them to a time or place where there are happy memories. Thoughts of family and friends... memories that when accompanied by the music, flood the mind and cause the heart to swell with emotion. Your typical Norman Rockwell setting.

In my case, Christmas music gives that "cozy" feeling, as my children would say, and brings memories of my childhood. Certain songs or artists make me think of my Dad... Johnny Mathis and Bing Crosby to be specific. I love a beautiful musical score that is accompanied with the telling of the birth of our Saviour. Again.... causing the heart to swell.

And so, to all you naysayers out there, I say with tongue in cheek "Bah-Humbug" to you. To those sentimental souls out there I say, "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!"