Thankful for....

I’ve had another Thanksgiving meal today, with Jacob and Amber, almost 4 year old Caden, and 21 month old Tyler.  For thanksgiving, we were in CO with Sara, Jake, soon to be 4 year old Makenzie and 10 day old Kaytlyn.  Today, Kaytlyn is a month old already!  Today, we had a fun time with her cousins.  Today, we had our Thanksgiving meal here.  This is a great reminder that Thanksgiving can be any day.  This is a great reminder that any holiday, or special event, like birthdays, anniversaries, etc, can be celebrated on any day.

Today’s thoughts are on what we should be thankful for are.  I am so thankful for my 4 grandchildren and their health.  For Makenzie and her outgoing ways and ambition and energy.  For Caden and his quiet ways of figuring things out and wanting to know if we can play with him.  For Tyler’s laughter, his soft side, his tenderness, and not wanting his feelings hurt.  And little Kaytlyn, so young, so do we really know her personality?  But she is so calm, so peaceful, so content.  She teaches us a valuable lesson.  I am so thankful for all my family, my children, my SIL and my DIL, and my grandchildren.

Then there are our horses.  They teach us so much! 

The shake of their heads.  The stance.  The demeanor.  How, and why, they like, and how they don’t like certain horses.  And do you figure out the why?  I have on most of the horses, and then there is always a surprise.

Starlet, the boss.  Fought with Doc, a gelding who was gelded as a 12 year old.  They did not like each other for 3 or 4 years.  Now this year, they stand close to each other.  I think still figuring who is the ultimate boss.

Shaggy who isn’t a threat to any horse and every horse likes him.  From birth to 9 years.  No one fights with him.

Chick who could be a nasty show mare, but with a calm influence, shows well.  But she hates to be separated from her pasture mates.  And let’s all horses around her know that! 

The quiet yearlings who turn into monsters when new young horses enter their space.

The old horses who accept anything, some who move away from nasty horses and some who put younger horses in their place.

And the young horse who is bossy, pushy, fights with everyone and then meets their match with an older, mature, confident, mare or gelding, and teaches a valuable lesson.

This is most of my herd.  What is your’s like?

“Embrace the Journey!”

And Embrace your Horse’s Journey!

Thanksgiving Weekend Playtime

My Thanksgiving weekend started early. We traveled to Sara's on Tuesday. Tuesday night, Uncle Micah read to Makenzie and Caden.

Wednesday morning, Grandma was watching Makenzie and Caden, while Sara and Jake went to work, and Pop and Micah went to look at a car, and Jacob, Amber and Tyler went to old town.  I spent a wonderful 2 hours watching and playing outside at the swing set. Enjoy the pics!

and there are still more play pictures.

Grandma enjoyed her quiet time wathcing these two play.

Happy Thanksgiving 2011

Happy Thanksgiving 2011

Origin of Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving is America's preeminent day. It is celebrated every year on the fourth Thursday in the month of November. It has a very interesting history. Its origin can be traced back to the 16th century when the first thanksgiving dinner is said to have taken place.

Journey of Pilgrims
The legendary pilgrims, crossed the Atlantic in the year 1620 in Mayflower-A 17th Century sailing vessel. About 102 people traveled for nearly two months with extreme difficulty. This was so because they were kept in the cargo space of the sailing vessel. No one was allowed to go on the deck due to terrible storms. The pilgrims comforted themselves by singing Psalms- a sacred song.

Arrival in Plymouth
The pilgrims reached Plymouth rock on December 11th 1620, after a sea journey of 66 days. Though the original destination was somewhere in the northern part of Virginia, they could not reach the place owing to winds blowing them off course. Nearly46 pilgrims died due to extreme cold in winter. However, in the spring of 1621, Squanto, a native Indian taught the pilgrims to survive by growing food.

Day of Fasting and Prayer
In the summer of 1621, owing to severe drought, pilgrims called for a day of fasting and prayer to please God and ask for a bountiful harvest in the coming season. God answered their prayers and it rained at the end of the day. It saved the corn crops.

First Thanksgiving Feast
It is said that Pilgrims learnt to grow corn, beans and pumpkins from the Indians, which helped all of them survive . In the autumn of 1621, they held a grand celebration where 90 people were invited including Indians. The grand feast was organized to thank god for his favors. This communal dinner is popularly known as “The first thanksgiving feast”. There is however, no evidence to prove if the dinner actually took place.

While some historians believe pilgrims were quite religious so, their thanksgiving would've included a day of fasting and praying, others say that the Thanksgiving dinner did take place.

Turkey and First Thanksgiving Feast
There is no evidence to prove if the customary turkey was a part of the initial feast. According to the first hand account written by the leader of the colony, the food included, ducks, geese, venison, fish, berries etc.

Pumpkin and Thanksgiving Feast
Pumpkin pie, a modern staple adorning every dinner table, is unlikely to have been a part of the first thanksgiving feast. Pilgrims however, did have boiled pumpkin. Diminishing supply of flour led to the absence of any kind of bread.

The feast continued for three days and was eaten outside due to lack of space. It was not repeated till 1623, which again witnessed a severe drought. Governor Bradford proclaimed another day of thanksgiving in the year 1676. October of 1777 witnessed a time when all the 13 colonies joined in a communal celebration. It also marked the victory over the British.

After a number of events and changes, President Lincoln proclaimed last Thursday in November of thanksgiving in the year 1863. This was due to the continuous efforts of Sarah Josepha Hale, a magazine editor. She wrote a number of articles for the cause.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.  A time to be thankful for all that we have. A time to be thankful for all the opportunities that we have been a part of this past year.  A time to be together with friends and family, either in person or in our hearts.

This Thanksgiving, all the family is together. Dad and I, Jacob, Amber, Caden and Tyler, and Micah are together with Sara, Jake and Makenzie.  Caden and Makenzie, the almost 3 year old cousins have been so excited to play together, whether it’s at the “park” which they call the swing set and slide area, or playing with cars, tractors or farm animals, or making sounds on their toy computers. 6 month old Tyler is being cuddled by his aunt and uncle, who haven’t seen him since he was 2 weeks old.

We’ve played a few card games, watched a little bit of the big balloons at the parades on tv, and I’m sure there will be football on this weekend.  I think I’ll enjoy some free time with Sara and Amber, with girl talk or playing cards, or maybe working on a craft.  Who knows?  Maybe we’ll come up with a holiday tradition, just the girls.

Makenzie and Caden have birthdays in December, and along with Christmas, gifts become overwhelming. This is the only time the whole family will be together for the holidays or during birthday times.  The kids have decided to do Christmas later today. Then on Saturday, we’ll take the kids to a fun play area to have a “party” for their birthdays.

Turkey is in the oven for a mid-afternoon meal. Mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, and pies will be part of the meal. I think we’ll have pies all weekend! Football games will be on all day.

Family, beautiful weather, good food, presents. What more can you ask for?

I am so thankful for my family, friends, health, horses, and the desires of my heart. As I ponder on each of these areas, I need to think of all the little things that come to mind. A loving husband, my children and 2 spouses, 3 grandchildren to play with.  Horsey friends to ride many trails with and to share Centered Riding with.  Good health and working on living a healthier lifestyle by adding some yoga and exercise classes this winter. My love of horses and the horses that I’m able to ride now.  My desires are to live a centered life, with the peace that yoga brings and the strength that exercise will bring, to better my soul and improve my well-being.  I am thankful for who I am today and who I am able to share my life with.

God bless and enjoy your day of thanksgiving!

I’m Thankful for You

Thanksgiving is the appointed time
for focusing on the good in our lives.
In each of our days,
we can find small blessings,
but too often we overlook them,
choosing instead to spend our time
paying attention to problems.
We give our energy
to those who cause us trouble
instead of those who bring peace.
Starting now,
let’s be on the lookout
for the bits of pleasure in each hour,
and appreciate the people who
bring love and light to everyone
who is blessed to know them.
You are one of those people.
On Thanksgiving,
I’m thankful for you.
Happy Thanksgiving!

By Joanna Fuchs

The Long Thanksgiving Weekend

It sure has felt like a long weekend, and I really didn’t do anything strenuous or time consuming to make it feel long. I didn’t even ride, as there was just something going on every day and the time just flew by. I’m glad we are having a quiet day today. Well, almost quiet…

Thanksgiving Eve day: I worked the store. I had a little bit of business, which surprised me because I thought it would be a slow day with no business. But kids were out of school and a few customers did come in. I came home and finished chores with Tom. Tom had finished blading lots all day.

After supper, we got the turkey ready to put into the oven in the morning - got the roaster out, rinsed out the turkey, broke up bread into small pieces for the stuffing, cut up onion and celery for stuffing, put bread in the roaster lid and placed in oven to dry out a little, and put everything else in the frig to mix together in the morning.

Thanksgiving Day: I slept in a little and didn’t get the turkey in the oven until 8. Tom and I did all the chores in the morning, so all we had to do was to feed dogs and cats at night. I watched the parades, going back and forth between Macy’s and the Hawaii (I think) parades. The turkey was ready to eat at 1. Since it was only hubby and I, we only had turkey, stuffing, gravy and green bean casserole. And a glass of the Moscato wine, which was really good. It was spicy and tangy like a Piesporter, but a little bubbly too. We ate and hubby took the meat off the turkey bones while I cleaned up dishes and put leftover away. We went to the movies and saw Russell Crowe’s Last 3 Days. I always get buttered popcorn, but I think that will be the last time. $10.50 for a small popcorn, and large pop that Tom and I split, is just way too much! Geez, no wonder we don’t go to the movies very often. If they didn’t charge so much, we would go more often, and they would make more money off of us! Pure economics (which usually I distaste talking about). We came home to do chores, which, by after 6, was in the dark. I finished the night watching Trump’s Apprentice while Tom watched football.

Joe Paterno's statue at PSU, State College, PA

Black Friday: Tom and I opened the store from 9-2 and had a few customers. Hubby went to Orscheln’s feed store for dog food and salt for the horses. Jacob, Amber and Caden picked up Tom a little after 1 to bring him home while I closed the store.

Tom watching football while Caden and Amber look at a book

We were going to watch the Penn State game (since we are from PA and are big fans!). Don’t you know it, I locked the keys in the truck when someone pulled up, asking about feed which I don’t sell anymore. I was distracted, and out of habit, just shut the door, AFTER hitting the lock. That would have been fine, but the keys in my hands were the store keys, not truck keys. After a phone call, Amber was kind enough to bring me the other set of keys, without the 3rd degree that I got from Jacob and Tom. Guys! Wait until they do something the next time - I will not leave them off the hook!

Tom, Amber, and Jacob watching the game while Caden plays.

After watching the rest of the ball game with them, we had our Thanksgiving Dinner. This time, I made fresh mashed potatoes as well as having the turkey, stuffing and gravy. Amber brought the green bean casserole as it seems to be a favorite in our family. She also made a delicious fruit salad, except I don’t like the marshmallows, and a great looking apple pie. Caden played a while longer, but everyone was too full to have pie. Jacob wanted to take the pie home, since we had an apple pie that I had bought and baked also. But Amber’s apple pie was homemade and she dished us up 2 pieces So they went home and we saved the pie for the next day. Our pie went into the freezer for another day.

"Oh, no" Caden says.

Saturday: Tom and I opened the store at 9 again. I only had to work until noon, then met Tom over at Jacob’s to watch the NE game, even though we aren’t NE fans. Jacob picked his dad up at 10 to go over to Menards to pick up drywall with the truck. After the game, since it was already late afternoon, we headed home to do chores. We had turkey leftovers for supper - hot turkey and gravy sandwiches. I‘m sure that we‘ll have turkey leftovers for a few nights. Then, same as every night, I just existed on the couch. Once again, stuffed!

Sunday Stills "Self Picture" with cap on, getting ready to feed horses.

Sunday: We always sleep in if we can. Hubby had me awake at 6am, then 7am, tossing and turning. So I got up and left him sleep. I fed dogs, cats and 1 lot of horses. Then I took self portraits of myself for Sunday Stills. I wanted some of the horses in the pictures with me!

Shaggy

Duster

Starlet

Once hubby got up, he made me an omelet, which we does almost every Sunday morning. Delicious!

We had sold some old equipment that was just lying around, getting rustier. This morning at 10, Shari’s husband was getting the tires off the elevator. He came and took off the tires so he could take them and put new tires on the rims. He had to haul it 30 miles on another day. He would have had to haul it another day since it’s too windy to move today. Another person came to put a battery on the old pickup that he had bought and drive it home. But then they realized that a hose was leaking so they went home and got their flat bed truck to haul it home. In the meantime, Traci and the kids came to ride their 3 horses. I wished I had gone outside and had taken pictures. Young, 6 year old Mary was walk trotting Bob by herself and had a great time. Her younger brother, Will, took his turn while big sister Katie loped down Bubba and Doc. Then Sheri came to groom and give her horses their treats, but she realized that is was way too windy to try to ride the fields!


This afternoon, it is so windy outside, about 50 mph winds, that even though it is 57 degrees out, it’s better to stay inside. I had wanted to ride, but not in this wind. So I’m thinking of my Thanksgiving weekend and watching Hallmark Christmas movies. I love the current one that is on, The Ultimate Gift, about life’s lessons. The young man meets and befriends a terminally ill young girl, teaching him another very important lesson. Sad, but so heartwarming!

I wanted to go out and water the arena today, too. I want to have it worked up one more time before winter really comes. Maybe I’ll do that tomorrow, and Tom can take the time to really get it worked up. With luck, I’ll be able to work it up all winter if we are riding inside.

Sunday night: On the couch, relaxing! I like to watch the Amazing Race, and even had a dream last week that I was in the race! Lol After that show, I hope to be watching a movie with my hubby, drinking a glass of wine! Maybe I’ll even start reading that book that I’ve been wanting to start reading for the last month!

Can’t get better than this! Family, friends, horses, good times, and loving life.

“Embrace the Journey!”

Thanksgiving Day 2010

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, and to your horses and other pets, too! I woke to a cold, 15 degree day, but one full of sun! The 17# turkey went in the oven a little late, as I slept in and got up an hour later than planned. I wake too many times during the night. And for some reason, early morning is finally a good time to go back into a deep sleep.


Tom and I heading outside to do chores. He wanted to fork hay back into the feeders, so the horses didn't trample it, poop in it, and wouldn't eat it. I wanted him to do dog chores (by himself so I wouldn't have to go out) and come in quicker. oh well, I went out to help.

We found Bubba, Bob and Dixie lot and the 2 draft horses together. The gate that separates them was off the hinge and open, ok, who rubbed it off the hinge? Everyone looked at me innocently. They all seemed fine, standing quietly, and no one had a bite or kick mark. Tom haltered Bubba and Dixie and Bob followed him away from the gate, while I shooed Moonshine back into the pen where she belongs. Babe was contently eating from her round bale.

While Tom forked hay, I fed dogs and cats. The cat’s water heater was plugged in, as well as Lady, my Springer’s, heater. Posie, the Aussie, and the 3 beagle’s waterers were slightly frozen, so we plugged them in. I fed the cat the turkey neck bone and liver and gizzard, which they growled over. I normally cook them for more broth, but without a large family here this year, I figured the turkey would have enough broth to make gravy, and have some extra to make noodles with in 2 days. You know, the never ending turkey leftovers.

While Tom was forking hay, I figured I might as well get the once a day graining done. The large lot is still just on mineral, but Bubba’s lot get a mixture of Strategy and Senior feed with the mineral, and a bale of alfalfa hay morning and night. Duke, my stud, is now getting Strategy and mineral. We wire tied a feeder to the fence so he can’t dump it! He loves to bang his feeders around, kicking at them with his front feet until the feed is on the ground. He is a stud with stud behaviors!

I went for the hose. I had it inside a heated room so even though I drain it, twice, it is so much more pliable warm than as frozen plastic. I filled one of the lot’s water tanks, and all the others will be full enough until tomorrow afternoon. I was happy to see that all of the water heaters, that got plugged in for the first time last night, had kept all the water thawed! I drained the hose, twice, and left it lay. Hopefully tomorrow afternoon will be slightly warmer than this morning, and the hose will be fine laying outside for a day.

Now, I'm watching the parades. I've always loved doing that. The paper is hereto look through. Even though I don't do the Black Friday shopping, I still like to look at the ads and specials. We may stop at Orscheln’s Farm Store for salt tomorrow. Lol and buy a winter Carhart for our youngest son. Shhhh, Christmas present!


Tom and I will be eating that 17# turkey by ourselves. LOL We are having Thanksgiving tomorrow with Jacob, Amber and Caden, but today will just be us. I asked him if we really need to have potatoes since we are having stuffing and gravy, and green bean casserole. You know…so much starch that will only stick to our ribs. He was fine with just stuffing. We’ll have mashed potatoes tomorrow though. But we won’t have our pickle tray that my youngest son always made. He is visiting his girlfriend in Texas! Long drive from Nebraska! Drive safe, buddy. And we aren’t having our homemade noodles, since my mom and dad aren’t visiting this year. I would have cooked egg noodles in some broth if Sara, Jake and Makenzie were home, as I know Sara loves those homemade noodles.


And we are bringing back a family tradition that we started years ago when the kids were younger. We don't have family in NE, so after turkey meal, we will go to the movies. I wanted to see Secretariat and it's not playing here! Bummer! That didn't stay in the theater long! Maybe I'll get the movie from Santa! Tom gave me a choice of 3 movies, and I think we’ll see the Russell Crowe movie - I like him as an actor.


Today is a day to enjoy quietly with my husband and be thankful of the life that we have together. I am thankful for his love, and almost 30 years of marriage. I am thankful for my family, and the grandbabies, and the new grandbaby to come in April. I am thankful for the fairly good health of Tom’s 90 year old mother and my 83 year old parents.

I am thankful to have the horses that I have in my life. I am thankful for the direction that horses are taken me. I am thankful for Centered Riding and the peace that comes with that. For without that peace, I’m not sure how happy this year would have been for me without Finny.


I am thankful for the desires that I have inside me to help people with horses. I have an overwhelming desire to share what I know, even if it is limited in some areas. I want people to develop the bond with horses that we are capable of. I need to show and teach all that horses can be to us. And I need to get back to doing more, not just riding like I’ve done this past year. I am thankful that my spirit has awaken and I’m starting to follow a path that is opening up in front of me. I am thankful for the love of horses.

Most important of all, be thankful for all, as God has a special plan for all of us. Follow his direction, be happy and content with what life gives you, and follow your dream. I believe that God puts that dream within us for a reason. Follow your heart, knowing that he is guiding your feet.

Thanks for following my blog. I am thankful that you are here, reading, commenting, and understanding me.

That's what we are going to do today. Chores, blog and watch parades, eat turkey, movie, chores, and relax with a movie and glass of wine. Hy Vee grocery store had some wine on sale, and I am going to try a type that I have never had before, a Moscato.

What are your plans for the day? What are you most thankful for?

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, and “Embrace the Journey”.

Thanksgiving Meal

This year, I have had 2 Thanksgivings.


2 weeks ago, my daughter Sara, son-in-law Jake, and granddaughter Makenzie came home while my parents were in town. We had 11 people around the table for our first Thanksgiving as grandparents!



Yesterday, my parents celebrated Thanksgiving with us again. Sara and her family and Jacob and his family were at their in-laws and Micah went to his girlfriend’s home. With only 4 people, we still had a Thanksgiving feast! We had a few substitutions though.

9.17 pound turkey instead of a 22 # monster turkey. Tom said it looked like I was cooking a chicken.


Sweet potatoes instead of mashed potatoes, even though I did cook a potato in the microwave for Tom. I tried the Pioneer Womans Sweet Potato recipe with canned sweet potatoes. I think I needed more potatoes! They were very sweet!


1 loaf of bread cut up for stuffing instead of 2 loaves.


½ recipe for the green bean casserole.


But lots of turkey gravy.


Warm rolls right out of the oven. Yummy.


No homemade egg noodles this meal (we had them at the first meal with the kids. Everyone loves my mom’s homemade noodles!)

Instead of jellied cranberry sauce, I made a delicious cranberry salad.
I large package of Strawberry jello dissolved with ½ the amount of water. I mixed 1 can of whole cranberry sauce, 1 can of crushed pineapple, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, and 3 chopped apples. Delicious!

Fried Apples!


Pumpkin Pie for dessert.


Jacob, Amber and Caden came later in the day for dessert. Amber brought an apple pie too. Everyone was stuffed except Caden.
He enjoyed leftovers!

Playing on the floor with the 2 darling grandbabies is a great feeling.
Watching them beginning to stand and learning to walk, with that look of bewilderment on their faces, is priceless.


Even though Makenzie was home in Colorado this past weekend, I’ll always remember my “first” Thanksgiving with both of them!