And it's on

The Thanksgiving preparations have begun in our house. Some are more excited than others at the prospect of nonstop baking and prepping. We have the added benefit of an extra day... with out of town family coming in we have moved the actual big meal to Friday. But we have spared no effort in our planned meal list. Let us plan well and hope for success. Better to set the bar a little high I think. And it won't hurt that I'm a bit of a food network junkie.

An herb butter slathered turkey (fresh this year) and spatchcocked with a roasting pan full of root vegetables (caramelized and delicious)

Homemade cornbread, bacon and apple stuffing. (a first!)

Roasted garlic broccoli (a meal in itself)

Overnight creamy mashed potatoes (with a masher/no mixer here!)

Cloverleaf rolls (someone keep me away)

Homemade whole berry cranberry sauce (beats the can everytime)

And so much more once Tim's mom gets here and adds her expertise to the table.

Might I take a moment to gush about the highlight of our experience this Thanksgiving- the desserts!

A chocolate bourbon pecan pie.

Maple pumpkin pie with cinnamon crumble and maple infuse whipped cream (homemade)

Emeril's carrot cake with vanilla cream cheese frosting and almond crunch garnish

Cherry cobbler

Black and white cupcakes

Dipped pretzels...and it goes on. I hope you've enjoyed my oversharing about our holiday feast.. we will keep our fingers crossed on my first foray into hosting this grand occasion....

A Trip

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The traveling Behnkes are back in action. After a bit of a hiatus we headed out on the road again. Tim had a conference he was conducting in the Appalachian Mtns. at a beautiful resort/spa. The nights were a tad long and lacking quality rest despite the adjoining rooms. Mealtimes were kind of beyond crazy at certain moments. Picture a huge beautiful room with beamed ceilings and crackling fireplace and smooth oak tables with quiet couples eating and laughing or calm families passing plates. Enter me, several bags slung over my shoulders, juggling sippy cups and a 2 year old with two exhausted but hopeful little folks trudging behind me. Buffet lacked yogurt, any type of familiar cereal, eggs were bland and watery. So after scrounging what we could (No bananas?) we headed to our table laden with goblets and silverware neatly arranged in cloth napkins and several china plates. (Yes, we do not often go out to dinner with our little people). Did I mention our table was in the center of the room? All eyes on us.

Breakfast lasted all of 17 minutes from the minute I stumbled through the doors to the minute herded out. Most of the silverware ended up on the floor. Milk was spilled, there was a minor slapfight, heads were bumped on the table..Needless to say we weren't quiet. I could almost hear the staff's smiles spreading across their faces as we finally left. And we did it again for lunch and dinner. Brave new world. Eating out. Don't think we'll be doing that too often for the next couple years.

Our trip was so much more than meals. But it's hard not to mention something so significant I broke out in a cold sweat before crossing the dining room threshold.

We went to "Goats on the Roof" an amazing down home country store with goats actually living in elaborate obstacle courses on the rooftops. They had a bicycle device which powered a cup of goat feed which was sent up to them as you pedaled.

We went for long hikes on the golf cart only road and were soon forced off. We played Star Wars tag on the back lawn, a pillow fight got out of hand and Adam ended up with a bloody nose and a split lip. We tasted life on this weekend. Let me tell you. And now as proof of my exhaustion I have published this post with duplicate photos..Zzzz

A Camping Trip

For a day and half we decided to throw our schedule: bedtime/bath routine, methodical dinnertimes, chores and must do's out the window and head out a on a brief but event filled campout.

Found a beautiful spot by the river. Collected pinecones and acorns and firewood and marched around like Indians, roast toasted gooey marshmallows and made the newly invented Double Chocolate S'more (we Behnkes just skip the graham cracker and sandwich the mallow between two slabs of chocolate) yum!

The night was nothing less than freezing cold (bone chillingly so; our mattress deflated midway through, somehow we had brought a lightweight tent so the not so summer wind was blowing through the entire night. Needless to say with Will and I in one tent and Tim and Nat and Adam in the other, someone was always awake.

But then came that morning stillness with it's calm and smoky campfire smell and crackling and crisp coldness that makes you feel alive. And then it was time for a kayak ride or two before heading back home.

Definitely cold. Definitely exhausting. Completely worth it. Completely worth doing again.

BOO!

It was a super Halloween at our house. A perfect night for crime fighting and candy collecting. We certainly made our mark on the neighborhoods we canvassed. Especially Batman's little sidekick. It took much persuasion to pry the candy bucket out of his hands, he finally relinquished it to sit on his dresser where he could gaze at it before falling asleep. "Eat candy..nem nems (M&M's) yum!", were his last whispered words before sleep claimed him.

Having Cake

It was a big bright beautiful day. Our little boy, our deployment baby, the little one who rocked contentedly in his swing and gurgled at me while I did the dishes and stayed up late nights doing laundry, who snuggled sweetly on our shoulders and helped the long year apart pass that much faster...The flying little feet that rush to the front door to greet Daddy each afternoon, the chubby hands that always reach for mine "C'mon Mom..come see..come with me Mom." The great solemn brown eyes that regard us seriously as we dole out a discipline or share a word of caution..the sweet smile that fills my heart with warmth each time I glimpse it.. the chirping voice we hear singing in his crib each night, "Always, always, I'll follow Him always.." or singing the weekly Bible verse "God loves a happy giver (or in his pronunciation, "gibber")...His never failing "Kiss me mama, one more kiss and hug.." as I leave his room each nap and bedtime..

Pure joy. Absolute sweetness. Wouldn't trade this, trade him for anything...It is worth it all. The struggle, the exhaustion, the sleeplessness, the worry. What a treasure you are our boy. Happy 2nd Birthday Will!