Happy Thanksgiving!

 Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours!  

We started out this wonderful Thanksgiving Day by gathering around the dining room table eating a lite breakfast and having what we call our "annual family meeting".  Mike and I started this when the kids were little and it's a reflection of our year and some goals we'd like to do in 2024.  We all say a list of things that we are thankful for and it's been another year of plenty and God has been so good to us!!!!  We rejoice!  We celebrate His goodness!

Then the Lapp Family gathered at Matt and Lena's new home for a thanksgiving feast!  The food is always so well prepared and the cousins have the best time!

Dessert always includes pumpkin pie, chocolate cake and cookies!

I smiled when I saw the boys doing this together.  How creative to line up some animals and shot them with their nerf guns!

And here's my crew!!!!  I love these people so much and what a gift they have been to Mike and I!

Austin gave us a Thanksgiving card he made at school and I love it!

Thanking God for all our blessings and abundance is something I want to do every single day!  I love this Thanksgiving Season and spending with the people I love the most is perfect!

Thank you Jesus!

Cabin weekend #2 in November!

 We spent another weekend at the cabin!!!  Going two weekends in a row is a blast!  My entire family (well, minus the brother that was in Missouri and shot a buck there) was at the cabin all weekend!  

My family doesn't plan out a summer vacation so we try to make it work for us to all gather at the cabin over hunting season.  The guys hunt.  The ladies cook up a lot of food.  The kids play games and run around outside by the teepee.  Scrabble was the game this year and we did lots of puzzles.  We stay up late playing games.  The noise level gets high and we have the best time!

Nata, Ryans girlfriend, knits.  Hadassah and Daisy decided to make a Walmart run and grab some yarn and a knitting needle and make something too.  Here's the hat/purse/bag Hadassah made!!!!  We all love a good deal and things at a good price but after seeing all the hours it takes to make a blanket or craft, Hadassah said she's not selling this work of art for less than $100!!!!  😂. Hadassah and Mommy laughed to tears a few times when playing games.  They love to hang out!  It's a trip!!!!

Mike watches movies.  The game boards come out!  Daisy is knitting on the couch and making a blanket!

The ladies had fun playing games too!

Mike made chili over the campfire for supper one night.  It was delicious!

We have the biggest and best meals at the cabin!  Breakfast is always scrapple, sausage and bacon and eggs!  Supper was chili, cornbread, meatballs, Mac and cheese, salad and warm rolls and apple pie!

This cabin has brought a ton of good memories so far!  My parents are the best hosts!!!!  The stock the pantry with cooking essentials and fill the fridge with drinking water.  Our children just love it when my parents are there with us!!!!  Our children are so blessed to have such a fun place to gather with cousins and family all year round!!!!

Second weekend in November at the cabin is in the memory bank now!!!!

Cabin time in November.

 We spent the first weekend of November at the cabin!  My parents and John Mike's were there too.  The boys played in the woods a lot and with Shakia along, her and Ashlyn helped them start another teepee!  The woods have been such a fun playground for all the children for many years!  I love to watch them!

When Mike is at the cabin, most times he is on Dad's tractor.  He doesn't hunt anymore and so he goes over to our ground and cuts down trees.  We bought some land a little while ago and Mike is having fun making a driveway, a track around the field for the boys and their toys and just tinkering on the land.  There is no cabin on the land ... maybe in the far future that will take place???

My dad and brother went hunting.  

Austin took his bee bee gun out to the woods.  Colson follows and they look for squirrels.

I made some party mix for a snack.

Time spent at the cabin is always so fun!  We eat well, read books, leaf through magazines, do laundry and this time we almost finished two puzzles.  The second puzzle is waiting for us for our next visit!

November 1.

 Today is November 1.  Suddenly the weather is blustery and cold.  The leaves are still full in color and hanging on for dear life today with the wind blowing.  It will soon be time to blow the fallen leaves into the fields around me and wait for the cold, cold weather to come.  November is the month when I really start to think about the holidays.  The kids have already been listening to Christmas music and that's unusual that they beat me to that!  I am the one that LOVES Christmas songs!  My mind goes to Thanksgiving and being thankful!  The kids are putting wish items into the Amazon cart for future giftings.  November also has me reaching for the apple recipes and smells!  This is going to be the best holiday season ... I probably always say this ... but I want to spend lots of time with the big and little kids that live in under this rooftop!  I want to hold Mike's hand as we stroll the malls and buy some sweet gifts.  I want to reflect on God's goodness and realize again just how blessed I am!  I hope to do some festive events!  Maybe even get to a Christmas concert, or some kind of holiday market!  This is a busy time of year but it's full of excitement and wonder and thrill!!!!!

My morning walks at the park have been beautiful!

These mornings just take my breath away!  Only God gives out this beauty!!!!

Happy November!