Dinner for 11!

Our Thanksgiving dinner turned out great! The turkey was done to perfection, the pie was delicious, the yams were excellent, and I had great help. Everything went off without a hitch....we'll, almost!!!

There was one little accident that scarred my brand new oven forever. One of my strong and trusty kitchen helpers was transferring the finished turkey from the oven to the counter top for carving. The turkey bag ended up popping open and turkey juices spilled all over the inside of my brand new oven and floor. The incident created a roomful of smoke that didn’t clear out for about an hour. The scalding, greasy juices seeped into the sealed glass that creates the oven window. After several hours of total oven clean up over a period of two days, we resorted to completely dismantling the oven door. This was no easy task, that led us to discover that the glass was sealed. So, in conclusion my oven door will have burnt, ugly, greasy drip marks for it's lifetime. Please don't look too closely when you visit.

Thanksgiving Day Family Picture (with lingering smoke)

Despite the accident, I had a beautiful day and am thankful for all the great help and wonderful food. Here are some photos from the big day… I was exhausted after eating and ended up sitting on the couch playing with baby Elle, while clean-up was taking place. Thanks Ryan for doing ALL of the dishes!!! You are the MAN!

Talented cooks. Aunt Sharon's pecan pie was one of my favorite items on the menu.

This is a bad pic, with my eyes shut, but I just had to show off Elle. She looks like a little doll.

His eyes are bigger than his stomach!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Ryan elk hunting last weekend. Fortunately, they didn't see any bears.


The in-laws sitting on our couch with a toliet seat. Yes, there is a reason for this.



Me and the boy at 28.5 weeks

Life IS precious!

I’m thankful for…

My family

My husband

My friends (even though it seems hard at times to keep in touch)

The little miracle inside of me and the many other blessings the Lord has given us

….BUT this year I’m especially thankful to still have my brother in my life. As some of you know, last weekend was quite dramatic, as my brother ended up spending a night in the ER. Everett was hit by a car from behind, on his motorcycle. He was flipped 10 feet in the air and came out with no major injuries. It’s unbelievable that he survived with no broken bones or other serious conditions. He ended up with some major bruises and can’t walk on his own yet, but nothing that time won’t heal (hopefully). After the crash the police discovered the motorcycle had traveled some 150 yards from the point of impact, hit another oncoming car and was completely totaled. I’m convinced that there were angels present, who lifted him out of harms way and gently set him down. Things like this remind me of how precious life is and how easily it can be lost. I’m thankful for my brother; I couldn’t imagine life without him. I love you Chev!

*Chev, know that we are praying for your quick recovery and compensation for your losses.

My First Thanksgiving!

With our new house and a new baby on the way, the Bolin clan thought it might be fun for Ryan and I to host Thanksgiving this year! We were excited to accept. This will be my first time, hosting and organizing a holiday gathering for the family. It was just yesterday that I was sitting at the kiddie table making a mess and now they’re trusting me to cook a 20 pound turkey (which involves putting it in the oven at 6 am!). The last time I was involved in cooking a turkey, it was with five of my best girlfriends and we went down to the liquor store, bought a bottle of vodka, poured it over the turkey and called it good. We didn’t end up eating until around 8 o’clock, but the turkey turned out great; moist and tasty. I don’t have much experience with cooking large birds, but I know that there will be plenty of moms and grandmas willing to help out. I’m not too worried.
So far, I think I’m pretty well prepared. Since, we are doing it potluck style, I’m really only responsible for the turkey, gravy, my family’s traditional homemade noodles, mashed potatoes and a lemon meringue pie (my favorite!). It is now Tuesday night and everything seems to be under control and ready to go for the big day. The noodles and pie crust are made and simply waiting to be cooked. I’ve recruited Ryan to make the mashed potatoes on Thursday and take care of the dishes afterwards. What a sweetheart! I’m excited to be able to cook for the whole family this year. We have so much to be thankful for!

Happy T-Day preparations and safe travels to all!

Baby Bump at 25 Weeks