Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

This year Thanksgiving was quite different for us.  It was quiet and understated, and just perfect.  Normally, we have lots of family or friends for dinner.  It's usually a hectic day, and at some point I freak out and get overwhelmed, usually with some tears.  This year, I cooked Thanksgiving dinner in my pajama bottoms, blue flannel with snowflakes on them.  Everyone hung out and relaxed, the kids and I watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade all the way through and LIVE.  Football was on the rest of the day.  Jon got to take a nap, Joe finished painting his volcano, and Jocelyn wrote a mystery novel.

Later, Joe set the table and it looked just lovely.  He also helped me put all the food on the table.  At dinner, we all talked about what we are thankful for.  Joe was thankful for his family and friends.  Joci was thankful for the whole world.  I was thankful for a husband that works hard to provide for his family, and for children that are so awesome.  Jon was thankful for the food on the table, the roof over our heads and his family.  We all agreed we were thankful for our Jarvis who, in turn, was thankful for all the turkey he got!  We are so blessed.

I did miss my family and thought about Dad a lot.  He would have liked to have had ham, and we didn't, we stuck with turkey this year.  Although, I made a booboo and forgot to take out the neck giblets, oops.

After all that, and to my grateful heart, Jon and the kids cleared the table and did the dishes, while I changed out the laundry.  Then we all gathered and watched Cause for Paws and talked about how happy we were that we rescued Jarvis.

It was the most chill Thanksgiving we have ever had and I really loved every minute of it.  So chill, in fact, that I didn't get any pictures, oh well.  I'll share these pictures, though, of last year's Thanksgiving.  I didn't blog about it as it was right after Dad passed and I was not in the mood for blogging.  But we did have a lovely Thanksgiving all together, which he would have really loved.

I hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving as well.

Thanksgiving, 2014

Pilgrim Simulations in Jocelyn's Class

Today I was invited to help out in Jocelyn's classroom with their Pilgrim simulation.  Apparently, just about every day they work on their simulation talking about what it was really like to be a pilgrim and calculating how to build and keep homes, how many pilgrims died from hunger and disease, and how the living conditions were quite different from those that we live in now.  I loved how organized and truthful the details were and that the children had to make decisions for themselves, but also that fate was a big part of it all as well.

What I helped with today, however, was a tasting demonstration.  In order for the children to add crops to their simulation they had to try the majority of the items on their plates.  I helped set the plates out that had peas, sweet potatoes, corn, beets, and Lima beans on them.  To my happy surprise, most of the children ate everything on their plates.  There were a few that refused much of anything, but on the whole most of them liked it.  There was only one little girl who told me she liked chicken nuggets on Thanksgiving.

It is such a privilege to be able to help in the kids' classrooms and see how they are doing, interacting with others and absorbing their studies.  For now they still enjoy having me come in and help out, I'm pretty sure that will change soon enough.  As for me, I love it!

Split Pea and Ham Soup

Split Pea and Ham Soup

For my family, this is the best cold weather meal.  I love that it is full of veggie goodness, and even better that each person in my family like it.  It does help that I put lots of ham in ours to satisfy everyone, and that the dish starts off with a bit of bacon grease (you can substitute olive oil).

2 Tablespoons bacon grease (olive oil substitute)
1 medium onion diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon of minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
2-3 Cups of cubed ham
1 bag of split peas
6 Cups chicken stock (can substitute with veggie or even pork stock)
2 bay dried bay leaves
1/2 Cup heavy cream

Saute the onion and carrots in the bacon grease until softened.  Add the garlic, red pepper, dried oregano, black pepper, ham and stir.  Add the split peas and let cook, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes to absorb the flavors.  Add the 6 Cups of stock, stir, and add the bay leaves.  Now you have to be patient.  Let simmer on stove, covered, for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally.  If it gets too thick, you can add water, but keep in mind you will be adding the cream at the end, and that will loosen the soup up a bit, so don't let it get too thin.  Right before serving add the heavy cream.  This part IS optional, but I will tell you that it makes all the difference in the soup and gives it a lovely, velvety consistency as well.

Enjoy!

Missing you, Dad

So, today is the day.  We 'lost' my Dad one year ago today.  It certainly doesn't feel like it's been a year, but the calendar says it has.  And yet, everything is still so fresh, so raw.  It's still so hard to talk about him without tears in my eyes or a big lump in my throat.  A hundred times a week I am reminded that my Dad is gone.  Mostly when something happens and I want to share it with someone, I think "I should skype with Dad", and then the realization that there is no Dad comes and hammers into me that I will never speak to him again.  I will never hears his laugh, or worse, feel his bear hugs.  My Dad was the one person in the whole world that knew sometimes all I needed was a hug and a reassuring word to feel better.

So it's been a year.  It's time for me to, what, move on?  I don't know how to put into words what I mean to do, except maybe just not be as sad anymore, or as raw.  Maybe smile more, cry less.  I don't really know, but I do know it's time.  Tonight I will cry and remember and know that no matter what, the love my Dad had for me and my children was real, lasting, forever.  I know that I will be okay without my Dad, although with him would have been better.  I will try to let go of the bitterness I feel at times when I see other Grandparents with their grandchildren.  Hopefully, the hole in my heart will heal a little more, though I know it will never go away completely.

November 11, 2014