Thanksgiving 2011

Uncle Sam & Aunt Elaine arrived on Monday 11/21, just in time to celebrate Addie's birthday with us. On Tuesday, we stayed out at the ranch house with them and they made us Navajo Tacos for dinner--YUM!!!

On Wednesday, we started cooking for Thanksgiving, and this came... Aunt Marti & Uncle Ralph sent flowers since they're in Ukraine this year--BEAUTIFUL!!!
Uncle Sam making soup for the Wednesday night travelers and Addie helping Aunt Elaine make bread.


YUM! We jsut finished off the last of the six loaves ;)

One of the turkeys--this one got brined and slow roasted; the other got deep fried

Late Wednesday night everyone arrived safely from Utah--Gram, Drews, Petersens, Laytons, and Elreys--HOORAY! Uncle Sam, Gram, and Mom relaxing.

***

THURSDAY MORNING

Uncle Sam carving his turkey

Dishing up some amazing turkey meat

Darrin, Rich, and Uncle Matt watching the Yellowstone River roll by...

Gram & Laura--Lehmans arrived from Helena on Thursday morning

Mark, Lorelyn, Samantha, & Gabriel chill down stairs

Abby and Isabelle made the placecards

Sam & Kristen corraled the little boys down in the bunk room

Wee Gavin Layton, nearly 7 months old.

Can you believe these two are only 10 days apart?

Heidi & Jack are cousin pals!

Abby, Ally, Addie & Belle=Our Tweeners

The Big Kid Table

Lorelyn, Mark, Lyndi, & Gram at the "First generation" table

Me & My Niles

I can't stop laughing at his little pie face!

Niles with Aunt Laura--again with the pie face!

The amazing buffet!

Here's what we ate:

Appetizers

Gingerbread pita chips and apples with pumpkin dip

Raw Veggies with ranch dip

Main Meal

2 turkeys, one roasted, one fried

mashed russet potatoes

turkey stuffing

sweet potatoes

yellow squash casserole

green bean casserole

cranberry-orange slaw

gravy, rolls, & Martinelli's to drink

chocolate, pumpkin, and pecan pies with cream

pumpkin roll...

and all of it was pretty gourmet! Best TG dinner ever!

The Little Kids' Table

Owen, James, Heidi (Ben & Jack sat there, too)
Sam told me that Owen pushes up his shirt sleeves so he can look like Shaun the Sheep. I LOVE THAT!

More fine dining at the first and second generation tables

Kids Feasting!

Rich & Mike Melin are there in the background, with Sam, Darrin & Laura.

Looks like Uncle Matt is clearing his place.

After dinner and dishes, there were naps and football games and board games galore! Here's a huge gang of us in the basement playing a game.

Owen watched shows on the laptop

***

FRIDAY

My Uncle Sam, Aunt Elaine, Uncel Matt, Aunt Lorelyn, and Samantha all had to leave Friday Morning. Everybody else just hung out all day. I came home to do some laundry, etc., and then we had a yummy pizza dinner, kids' dance party, and a white elephant gift exchange.

The Boathouse was the kids' clubhouse all weekend. They roasted marshmallows in the wood stove and had dance parties, drawing/coloring, card games, etc. Some of the uncles even got to fish...such a fun time!

Break dancing!

White Elephant Party!

Youngest to oldest, Owen went first

then James

Heidi got a poodle

Ben got slippers

Addie got a bear

Kristen, Sam, Laura, Darrin, & Jill watched

Gabe in an AWESOME wig from Sam

Sam got Aunt Debbie's singing hamster, but Laura soon stole it!

***

This group shot is from Friday morning before The Uncles left

(I missed it because I was battling a blizzard in town and I had Jill and several kids with me, and mom & Mark & Marshall were in bed, I think)

Another group shot with the dogs

Sam, Lorelyn, Me,Niles, and Uncle Matt

Aunt Elaine, Addie, Me & Niles

Addie, Uncle Sam, Me & Niles

***

Saturday we didn't take any pictures. Rich went to work on some log furniture at the ranch early in the day, but I stayed at my house with Isabelle, Addie, & Niles to clean up and get our Christmas decorations out. My brother Matt and his family arrived from Helena around noon. We went out to ranch at 2pm for Mexican lunch before Laura and Darrin headed back to Helena. We watched the Norwegian Christmas Story that night and just hung out. Then we went home and got ready for Sunday.

***
Postums, Laytons and Petersens came to church with us. Drews & Grandma Lyn headed home on Sunday morning. I did sharing time in Primary and Addie gave a talk. Then after church we headed out to the ranch for a pot roast dinner, a relaxing afternoon of games and naps.

The girls were all playing games at the breakfast table when we noticed we had an audience.

Eight deer just hung out by the fence for an hour, no big deal.

Later, we introduced our wee nieces and nephews to the magic of Rankin-Bass animation by watching the old "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." We had a great time just hanging out downstairs letting our kids crack us up after the movie.

Niles took a nap right on my shoulder, pobrecito.

Kristen, Owen, Sam, Emily, Matt, Amie, & Jill

Addie & Emily love eachother-- Cutie Cousins!

Emily picked a winner!
***

We went back to my house Sunday night--Jill was staying with me--and watched some movies, folded clothes, and stayed up til 1am talking. Sam came to pick up Jill & her kids at 5:30am, then Matt & Amie left the ranch house that morning, too. *SIGH* The party was over and I was exhausted, but it was worth it. SO MUCH FUN! Can't wait to see my uncles again! We missed you, Auntie M! Hope everyone had a

Happy Thanksgiving!

Giving Thanks, Days 22-30

I was drowning in post-holiday funk Monday, sad about circumstances on both sides of our extended families, missing my people, neck-deep in stuff to clean up. The kids DID go to bed nicely after decorating the Christmas trees in their rooms for FHE, so that was a tender mercy. Rich went out to take out the ranch trash, so I thought it would be good to take a nice hot bath and read. But my book ("Then Again") was in the car (shucks!). Then I noticed the new Ensign & Friend magazines, so I took them down and had a good soak and read. The messages made me feel so much better, like a band-aid for all the sore spots. I was feeling bad because I tried to get online all weekend and I just couldn't make the time and wondered how I could finish off my month of giving thanks. I turned to pages 4-6 in the Ensign and got my answer from the Youth Section. It's called "Take the Gratitude Challenge," so I accepted. Dear Readers, I give you 100 Things...

I. 10 Physical Abilities:
1. A sound mind and great memory
2. The ability to digest, breathe, and pump blood on my own
3. The ability to walk and run without assistance
4. Sight & Hearing
5. The ability to read
6. Sense of smell & taste
7. The ability to conceive and gestate and make new little people
8. Although it's weak, I am thankful for an immune system that protects and helps heal my body
9. I am thankful that I am not as sensitive to pain as others seem to be.
10. I am thankful to be ale to keep up with my children on most days. I was so afraid of losing that.

II. 10 Material Possessions
1. My house--oh, I am so thankful for a warm and comfy place to live that is within our means to afford!
2. As I said before, I love my van--reliable & comfy transportation
3. Kitchen utensils and appliances where we can make good food for our family
4. A big comfortable bed to sleep in
5. Radio, mp3 and CD players so we can enjoy music & talk
6. Books
7. Our wii, where we can play aport or learning games as a family and stream so many great movies and shows.
8. Appropriate clothing and shoes
9. Camera & Photographs to document this wonderful family life.
10. A washer & dryer--oh, so thankful for clean laundry!

III. 10 Living People
1. My husband, who saved this wretch from a path of lameness & is my best friend.
2. My mother for giving me life
3. My Grandma for loving me unconditionally and being my pal
4. All my daddies for giving me life & keeping me alive & caring about me & my family.
5. Living Prophets to guide us--today, that's Thomas S. Monson
6. My Four Amazing Children who teach me everyday
7. Aunt Debbie for helping me understand Heidi better, and all the Sisterfriends for helping me be a better wife, mom, and Woman.
8. Erin, for being my sister from another mister; for helping me to rise above the crazy and keep choosing the right; and being hilarious and sassy all along the way
9. My siblings--veterans of the same war, best friends on earth.
10. Aunts & Uncles--it takes a village, y'all.

IV. 5 Deceased People (if you add them up, there's more than 10)
1. Grandpa, for helping me grow a testimony and giving me self-respect
2. Prophets who wrote in the scriptures
3. Gramareee
4. Founding Fathers
5. Joseph Smith

V. 10 Things in Nature
1. Sunshine
2. Moving Water
3. Rain
4. Trees
5. Plants we eat
6. Plants that flower & beautify
7. The beach
8. The changing seasons
9. Stars ona clear night
10. Baby Animals

VI. 10 Things About TODAY
1. I got a good night's sleep
2. My husband is cute & thoughtful
3. I don't have pain, I can move & exercise
4. Niles is happy
5. It's sunny and warm
6. The kids' Christmas trees look so cute
7. I got the laundry done
8. Left over turkey!
9. Taking James to the dentist today--love that boy!
10. One more day adn relative peace & freedom

VII. 10 Places on Earth
1. My Home
2. The Temple
3. Our Church Building nearby
4. The Beach, especially the Oregon coast
5. The beautiful forests, fields & mountains of Bavaria
6. London town!
7. Northern Mexico, before the drug & border wars
8. Old Town & Beaches in San Diego
9. Paradise Valley Montana
10. Down town SLC & Temple Square at Christmas time

VIII. 10 Modern Inventions
1. The Interwebs
2. Cellular Phones
3. As stated before, electricity!
4. Indoor plumbing & city water systems
5. Refridgerators
6. Microwaves
7. GPS
8. Ipods
9. Passenger planes & cars
10. Extended-wear contact lenses

IX. 10 Foods
1. Chocolate (Chocolove Dark with Almonds & Sea Salt specifically)
2. Broccoli
3. Spinach
4. Blueberries (and all the "super-foods")
5. Spices & salt & sugar & butter to flavor it all
6. Corn tortillas/chips
7. Tacos
8. Potatoes
9. Montana grass-fed steak
10. Oatmeal & yogurt

X. 10 Things about the Gospel
1. Plan of Salvation-Knowing who I am and why I am here and where I am going
2. Agency- the choices we make everyday matter; in fact, they are everything--they are why we are here, to prove who we really are adn what we really want.
3. Continuing Revelation
5. The Gift of the Holy Ghost and personal revlation- gives me confidence in choices for me and my family
6. The Commandments-living them keeps me from physical and spiritual harm
7. Divine Nature- knowledge that I am a daughter of a Heavenly Mother and Father whose divine attributes I have inherited gives me strength to face life and also inspiration to create and try new things.
8. Repentance & Forgiveness- nothing has to stay as it is; things can and should always get better, and there is never EVER a justification for holding on to bad feelings about ourselves or others--it's so liberating.
9. Families are forever
10. The Atonement of Christ that gives hope in every situation, for every person. Like the song says: "There is hope for every soul that's lost/ there is a way back home no matter where you roam...there's a place for every heart in pain/ a place where there's no hurt and there's no shame...let His Love reach you and teach you every hour."

Giving Thanks Day 21

Day 21: Addie turned 10, so I've been a mom for 10 years. You can read what I wrote about being a mom HERE. Today I am thankful for my kids and all they have taught me. ***

Addie had a fun bday weekend. Between getting her nails done and going to a draft show and seeing "Annie", we went to the grocery store and ran into Addie's friend, Kendall who moved to Butte last year.

We made banana-nutella crepes for birthday breakfast

Niles had bananas & some cereal

Addie & her crepe

Addie turned 10 at 5:49pm...

Here's her self portrait at the very minute!

Here's a blurry picture of Great-Uncle Sam & Aunt Elaine arriving at our house for bday dinner (a pasta bar with salads and cake and ice cream).

Ad with her cake

Opening gifts--this one was jewelry from Gram & Gramp Melin

A new Minnie Mouse watch from Daddy

Addie and her new dress from Mommy

Happy 10th Birthday, Big Girl! We love you!

Giving Thanks, Days 17-20

I got behind again, but in my own defense, it was Costco's fault. Or Mother Nature's. Whatever. All I know is that it was kinda like Black Friday at the Costco Tire Center (which is, I might add, 30 miles from my house across a winding canyon road) all week long with the combination of a snowy forecast and a really great tire/installation sale. So I went and waited in line for a tire appointment both Thursday AND Friday, and finally got new tires on my van at noon on Friday, home by 1:30pm. Seriously messed up my schedule this week--my TG guests will enjoy a moderately tidy house rather than a clean one this week--shucks.

ANYHOOOOOOO...this was supposed to be about gratitude, not whining, right? I mean at least I have an awesome van to put tires on, right? So enough Wag-o-the-Finger. Time for Tip -o-the -Hat.

17. My College Friends. Stay with me here, folks. I know I already said Human Love, which certainly covers these guys, but I have to do these shout outs (don't be offended if I don't mention you by name, because I promise I'm thankful for you, too--sooo many memories).

So I was waiting in the eternal line at Costco on Thursday with Niles in his stroller and I heard the old song, "Walk Like a Man" playing. This song always reminds me of my UofA bff, Tom Hapgood, because of this: One time we went on a group date to an Ice Cats Ice Hockey game, and then we crammed into somebody's car to go somewhere after the game and that song came on the radio. In his totally hilarious but super-understated way, Tom interjected into the chorus, "How 'bout 'SING like a man'?" ( you know, cuz it's all falsetto and grating--a really good question on Tom's part, in all seriousness). He truly IS the King of Running Jokes. Here is where I would insert the epic poem I wrote back in 1998 called "The Gang of Three" (me, Tom, Lyz) so you would know how the whole 1996-1999 social scene went for us but I can't find it. Let's just say I think it all began with a Very Merry Unbirthday Party at Tom's House in 1996, then Tom served as Elders Quorum Prez while I served as Relief Society Prez in our student ward (church congregation for college kids), then he married the amazing and talented Adriane (whose cousins I practically grew up with, so she's like my cuz, too) and I got to be his best man-maid. Other things, like TLC's "A Wedding Story" and Ally McBeal and Chili's and all things apple/mac remind me of Tom, too. That was a good time. With you, too, Lyzzie. And Nic, may she rest in peace, and all our U2 & U4 friends. OH! And then that Thursday afternoon, Celeste (Arnett) called me on the phone and it was like a time machine. I was reminded once again what a great time I had finishing school in Tucson. GREAT friends.

BEFORE that, in 1994-5, just after my mission, I had a life-altering year back in Provo living at Rupper #5 with my soul sisters, Erin & Heidi. I wrote in detail about our friendship here and here and here, and I feel so deeply these days how much I love and miss them and wish we could share more of our "MOM-lives." But I also feel joy at the very fact that we don't have much time for each other right now because that means that we are each living the dreams we talked about so much back then--raising children with stellar husbands in far-flung places (me in my trusty mini-van) and giving it 100%. I love you two SO MUCH.

BEFORE that, starting in 1990 and ever since, there is the entire Buchert Tribe, my other family, whom I have already written about HERE. Here is a recent picture of the fam I stole from Becca's blog. I saved this picture because it looks like (in Rich's words), "Buchert Heaven." Indeed. I would love to be at that table with y'all, and Egans, too. In fact, it often is the promise that such a roundtable can and will happen in the future and forever after that keeps me going.

I am so thankful for all the loves at this table!

[UPDATE from Georgia via facebook:'Yeah! That's my brown head next to Rob's. Shall I narrate this moment for you? Each of our households had all taken a stack of thank-you notes home to write to people who helped when Heidi & Todd's house burned down. This photo is from the night we brought the composed notes to supper so the gang could sign them all en masse. There was a great confusion of John Hancocking going on around the table. I'm almost positive that this snapshot you're looking at captures one of two moments. It's either: (a) when Mum discovered that Rob had slipped in a fake note that read, "Thanks for nothing," or the time that one sample of Dad's handwriting made his heartfelt thanks mistakenly read like something hilariously obscene. I have NEVER seen Ellen Buchert laugh that hard in all the years I've known her. Lovely!"--Thanks for the backstory, Geo. I love it! And you!]

Also, Happy 6th Birthday to my nephew, Ben Petersen! Can't wait to see you next week, Benny-J!

18. I am so thankful for my TUB--a deep corner jetted tub where I can soak and read. LOVE. (My niece Rosalie turned 6 today--love you, Rosie!)

19. I am so thankful for health and for medicine of all sorts. Having a mortal body is such a blessing and a curse--I am simultaneously amazed at what my body can do (make new people! fix skin over night!) and also how fragile it can be. It is a miracle that any of us are alive and well, and I am so thankful for people & medicines that help us when we aren't so well.

20. I am thankful for sleep. It's so great that God built-in this time for us to just shut down--not just physically but mentally and emotionally as well. We can find respite from "this mortal coil" every 16 hours (or more often if you respect the siesta) or so and I think that is a very tender mercy sometimes.

TOMORROW marks my 10th anniversary of becoming a mother and I have a lot to be thankful for on that front so I'll be back!

Giving Thanks, Day 16

Today I am thankful for public education, specifically the excellent experience my children are having in our little local elementary schools. We have special teachers and a nurturing, family-friendly environment and it is really good for us. For all its shortcomings, we are blessed to live in a country where literacy is a priority and education is free and available where ever you go. THANK YOU, EDUCATORS!

Giving Thanks, Days 1-15

Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse.
-Henry Van Dyke


Oh, my, this month has been a busy one! I want a pause button so bad--pause time with my Gram, with my baby who is growing way too fast, with my girls who will all -too- soon be teenagers and want less and less to do with me, with my scriptures & other good books, with the amazing friends who cross my path with whom I want to just sit down and visit for hours but scarecely get in a "HI!" and a hug, with beautiful doumentaries on BYUTV & Netflix, with James and his kindergarten tales & questions & lovey hugs. And how about some time to BLOG? I am trying to MAKE time. I promise I have been making a November Daily Gratitude list in my head because gratitude is kind of My Thing, and Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I need to take November by the horns and get the upper hand and start doing the things that matter most, so I am catching up with my thankful list TODAY. Well, I might not finish it til tomorrow because I THOUGHT all the kids were asleep but have just learned otherwise, but that is neither here nor there...so let us begin to catch up with 14 days of giving thanks (I promise to keep up on the next 16!).

FIRST, a quote that motivated me to write this stuff down:
"A grateful heart, then, comes through expressing gratitude to our Heavenly Father for His blessings and to those around us for all that they bring into our lives. This requires conscious effort—at least until we have truly learned and cultivated an attitude of gratitude. Often we feel grateful and intend to express our thanks but forget to do so or just don’t get around to it. Someone has said that 'feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.' "
- Thomas S. Monson (in THIS talk)

So it's time to take this exquisitely-wrapped gift and give-oh-give away! In no particular order or significance (except the first 2, I suppose):

1. The Atonement, Life, and Love of Jesus Christ and His Restored Gospel--central to every breath I take and every choice I make; It shapes the way I experience life and the way, in turn, life nearly drowns me in hope & joy.

2. A kind, pure, devoted, thoughtful, consistent, strong, patient husband & bff. I would have a completely different and certainly more hollow life without him. Seriously--if I'd stayed on the path where I was when we intersected--ugh, I shudder to think! In a nutshell: no children, no Montana, no "zion perspective", no teamwork, no sacrifice for the greater good, and no one to love me unconditionally and motivate me to be better, to be his equal--pure lameness! Thank you, dear hubs, for taking me up to the higher ground. [please oh please click on that link. you will laugh.]

3. Electricity & Indoor Plumbing. I get that the day may come when I don't have these things. I rue that day, and until then I savor my fridge and microwave and I flush my toilet with utmost gratitude!

4. Motherhood: I get why parenting is part of God's plan because I have truly been schooled by my children. And we're just getting started! I am also grateful to know the depths of emotion that one can never know any other way than to have and raise a child--it's a wild ride. Mind you stay strapped in.

5. I am so thankful for my minivan. I wish it came in all-wheel drive cuz if it did, I would never drive another car. It's like my little home-on-wheels, perfect for our family. Nice and cool in the summer, cozy and comfy in the winter, space to stash so much stuff AND to safely transport the fam where ever we need to go. When we go on long trips, I never stop being amazed that we can just get into this little mechanized bubble--watch movies, eat snacks, do car-karaoke, all in relative comfort--and end up anywhere we want to go (AND I always think, "if I were a pioneer, that woulda taken three months and only 2 of us would have survived!"). It's amazing and I am so thankful for it (also, shout out to the Grand Caravan because in 130K miles we've never had any problems. knock on wood).

6. ChocoLove Dark Chocolate with Almonds and Sea Salt

7. To live in such a beautiful, clean, free state (Montana)--with four distinct and breath-takingly beautiful seasons. After nine years I am still thrilled with every change of seasons (It's so stimulating for my monkey mind)

8. Living Prophets and conferences twice a year. Keeps me close to My Father, keeps me focused like nothing else. Like I said to a friend back in October, conference is like a homecoming and, conversely, the close of conference feels like getting dropped off at an orphanage. *heavy sigh* Can't wait til April...

9. Alternative news sources. I cannot bear to watch any kind of regular news anymore. They all make me sick. Which is why I am thankful for All Things Considered, Morning Edition, The EIB network, National Native News, and last but never least, Stewart & Colbert.

10. ipods. Thousands of songs on my hard drive. Playlists created with the click of a mouse. New music available with another click or two. Anything I am in the mood for, all of it portable. Steve Jobs, you read my mind!

11. Moisturizers. I have terribly dry, cracked, itchy skin. I require several layers of moisturizer per day just to move around or wear clothes. I am thankful for lotions of all viscosities and have gallons in my storage room because I'd be so uncomfortable without it.

12. Along the same vein, with the itchy skin, I am so thankful for soft cotton, the fabric of our lives.

13. I am so thankful for the spiritual gifts and strength that I have been given from My Heavenly Father. I have realized more and more as time goes by that so many things I have taken for granted--a testimony, for one--are GIFTS, endowed by my creator to help me through my specific life challenges, that not everyone has. That's special and I am thankful. I'm also thankful for my daddy, who turns 67 today.

14. Human love. Like the song says, "brother sister, parent, child; friends on earth and friends above, for all gentle thoughts (and actions) and mild." I truly believe that God has sent some of his finest children across my path and I have been saved and blessed and comforted by relationships all throughout my life. It's just beautiful and I am so grateful for my friends and family.

15. Which brings us to TODAY! Half way through November. I am feeling really thankful for clean, potable water today. It is such a blessing to live in a place where I can go to my faucet and get a glass of cold, clear, clean water that helps my body do its work. So many places around the world have unsafe or just plain gross-tasting/smelling water which you wouldn't want to drink. I am thankful for our good tapwater.

I'll be back tomorrow and try to do some daily thanking. Here's a closing thought:

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend."
-Melody Beattie