Thankful Thursday

Just a few things I am thankful for this week...this feature was started by Lousie at Talk Nerdy To Me. It's a great way to look over your week and see the blessings you've had and be reminded.

1. Apples

Our Pampered Chef Apple Pealer Corer Deluxe came out of our drawer this week!  The kids had fun using it and slicing up all of the apples in the house!  As much as I am annoyed that all of our apples were used up in one afternoon, they were eaten at least!  I have found my kids will eat more (and better) when it is done in a fun way such as this!

2. Baptisms and BBQ

This past Sunday was our Fall Kickoff BBQ at church, where we celebrated a baby dedication and two baptisms; one being my Abi-girl!

Such a wonderful day. I am so thankful for this church, for the encouragement from her youth pastor Mike, for the teaching she receives at school, the love and training she feels in our extended family, but mostly for the way He is evident in her life.  I am so thankful that He has claimed her as his child and breathed His breath upon her.

3. Cookies

Who isn't thankful for cookies?  I had some over-ripe bananas that needed to be dealt with, so I thought I would try out this recipe for "healthy cookies" a friend posted on FB. Who the heck names a cookie "healthy cookie"? So I have chosen to name them something more obvious, like "banana oatmeal applesauce no sugar cookies", cuz I'm creative like that!

Don't you love my staged table? I had fun with that one!  I may attempt to stage more often.

My cookies looked nothing like the healthy yummy-looking cookies in the photo I saw online, but hey, that's okay. They didn't taste as good as the picture looked either! haha.  They weren't bad, just lacking. But I also altered the recipe with what I had in my cupboards. They are chewy, so my kids weren't into them at all! I asked Eden as she took the first bite if they were yummy. She screwed up her face and said, "They're not yummy! Here, you can have mine!" haha.

I ate them all but didn't feel bad about that! I will have to try them again with the correct ingredients! Want to try them out yourself? Here is the recipe:

Healthy cookies - 3 mashed bananas (ripe), 1/3 cup apple sauce, 2 cups oats, 1/4 cup almond milk, 1/4 cup raisins or nuts, 1 cup good chocolate chunks,1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp cinnamon. preheat oven to 350 degrees. bake for 15-20 minutes. NO SUGAR!

I made mine with regular milk, no nuts (we don't like cookies with nuts in our house) and I didn't have any chocolate chunks...not having chocolate was a big downfall! I attempted to substitute chocolate pudding, but that wasn't enough for me!


4. Deals

I try to shop second hand because I'm cheap, but I don't go too often, and I don't see too many amazing things. Apparently the more often you go, the better items you find. So I'ce been told! Go figure.  I was super excited when I scored awesome deals at Bibles For Missions Thrift Store this week!

A shirt for myself, a pair of shoes for Abi (or me, teehee!), a new-ish purse for me, a boardgame and some paints! Hooray! All for just $11!

5. Excited Kids

I signed the Youngers up for swim lessons this week! They are very excited! It doesn't start until the beginning of November, but that's what happens when you put off registering so long that the class in September fills up! But the weeks will go by quickly!

6. Funny faces

Eden is so silly sometimes!

Right now, Tim Horton's has their Smile Cookie promotion on. The cookie is only $1, and proceeds go towards local charities, so they are for a good cause. Plus they are also quite yummy! But they are only around from September 15th until the 21st, so get yours while you can.  H'mm...I wonder if cookies can be frozen for a later treat?

I had to laugh as I was trying to get Eden to hold up the smile cookie to her face. I was telling her to turn it around, but she would just turn it sideways! haha. Finally, I had to show her the correct way!

7. Growing up

Eden has learned how to connect the seatbelt on her carseat, so she insists on doing it all by herself each time we go out. Sometimes it is very frustrating and I feel impatient at her slowness (especially if I am feeling rushed...which is often. I suck at timing things!), but I am trying to be more encouraging in letting her show off her skills. She is proud of herself, and really I am thankful that she is growing up and learning to do more things.

8. Hope in front of me

This is a new song that has been playing PRAISE, the radio station I listen to. It's by Danny Gokey and it is so beautiful. I have never watched American Idol (although my Mom does and loves to tell me all about the talented singers on the show. So many have actually gone on to do impressive careers....like Mandisa and Carrie Underhill...and...that's all I can think of right now, but I know there are more!)  Danny was on last year (I think) and this is his first single. With songs like this, I think he may be around a while!

If the video isn't showing up, check it out on youtube! Hope in front of me by Danny Gokey.

9. Independence

Rhys adjusted to kindergarten immediately! My heart is so happy! He wanted to walk to the Middle/High with Bryn after the first week, so I consented.  Last year, Kai and Bryn walked up the street from the Elementary location where I would meet them. (Kai wasn't in the same class as his best friend, and since David's mom works at the middle/high school, he would walk up, and so Kai would ask to walk up with him.) This year, it's just B (and now R) and he couldn't wait to walk up on his own! I think it makes him feel bigger!

I made Rhys wait the first week (I wanted to be able to see him after school and pick him up and share with him his day right away, and get a routine started first) but he was so ready!  It just took me a bit longer! I was a bit anxious this week...would Bryn remember to get Rhys?  Would Rhys want to walk or would he be miserable or refuse to walk? But when I saw them walking up over that hill to the school, my heart was put at ease! They were walking together and B was even carrying Rhys' backpack, and they were both happy!

 There is nothing sweeter than brothers who care for eachother!

10. Helping Hands

Abi popped out her knee on Monday night; she was trampled on the trampoline! I  picked up crutches for her to hobble around on since it was too painful for her to put weight onto her leg; her knee is swollen and tender to the touch. 

(you know your knee may be a *bit* swollen when your shorts are too tight on your thigh!)

We saw the doctor today just to make sure it wasn't hurt worse than we had thought, but he only suggested ice and advil, which we had already been doing. (I thought he'd want an x-ray to be sure, but he didn't)  I am thankful that it is "just" a dislocation and that it will heal over time. (I guess she takes after her father in the knee department. My Hunny popped his knee out at work overextending it a few years ago and ended up needing knee surgery, which he finally got this spring! phew! He can climb stairs and get onto the floor safely again!)

I am also incredibly thankful for friends at the school who are willing to carry her books for her (even her teacher followed her to her locker with her binder after she dropped it at the end of the day!) I am impressed and thankful for her siblings for helping her carry items, and retrieving things for her so she doesn't have to get up, and for assisting her up/down the stairs. So sweet!


***Did you notice how all of my posts followed the letters of the alphabet?  Well, all except the last one. I could not think of a proper title that started with the letter J! If one comes to my head tonight, I will edit it. (feel free to offer suggestions in the comments!) This wasn't intentional until I realized it after my first four posts!

So that is my list. It's the small things that count, right? What are you thankful for? I'd love to know!