Happy Thanksgiving!

Well Thanksgiving is not a holiday here in CR so I had work, and the kids had classes just like always. But we didn't let something little like that stop us from celebrating!! I just made everything up ahead of time on Tuesday and Wednesday, so all I had to do was gather it all together and get it in the oven when I got home. (We did get out early today so I was home by noon!) Then we got the kids and I think we were eating by about 2:30. Kind of a mid-afternoon Thanksgiving, but very fun nonetheless!!

We were able to find most everything we needed to make the traditional fixings for Thanksgiving day so that made it double the fun. Turkeys are very expensive here (about $50 each!!) so we decided to opt for chicken instead. But when I was out shopping on Wednesday a local grocery store had a bunch of turkey legs (drumsticks) cooked on the rotisserie for sale. They were only about a $1.50 each so I grabbed several! The kids thought that was great fun!! (even though they were tough and not very tasty--I opted for the chicken-- but my little ones loved the big huge drumsticks as the photos below will show!!) I even found time to make some pies. Yum. It was the first year I celebrated Thanksgiving without a house full of people. It was just Darrin and I and the kids. At first I thought that was rather sad. But in the end it was wonderful. We have so much to be thankful for, and to be quite honest, it was very relaxing not to have to host a houseful of guests. And since I am exhausted (still) from my new job and Darrin had just returned from his week long trip to Honduras, we kind of needed a day to hang out as a family.

So yay!!! Yay to families and traditions that involve mashed potatoes and sweet potato casserole and pumpkin pie. Yay to thankful hearts and full tummies!! "O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay! " (bonus points from Mrs. King if anyone recognizes that line!!)

Love you all and hope you had blessed days with your loved ones as well!!

Ready to eat!!

Austin with his turkey leg BEFORE.
And now AFTER :o)
The gang with their big huge drumsticks!
Yum!! Apple pie, Pumpkin pie, and a new one this year--pumpkin cheescake! Mmmm
Darrin took one of me too!! (holding the pumpkin pie, of course!!)

Yay Austin!

Last Friday night was a big night for my boy Austin. He had his big sixth grade graduation party/dinner/dance thing-a-ma-jig! High school begins in 7th grade here so it is a big deal to graduate from sixth grade!! So they celebrate big time. The rented out a country club and there was a opening parade of each graduate coming in one by one (around 100 students) as they called their name. There was a slide show with pictures of each student as a baby and now as well as random snaps through the years. A couple parents gave an opening toast and then an opening prayer and then the DJ started music (that was a little too loud for me). All the parents and kids danced--except for me! :o) Darrin was in Honduras, so I sat at my table with a nice sweet older grandma who also didn't want to dance. The music was too loud for us to visit so we just politely smiled and nodded toward one another for the next four hours! Around 10 o'clock they served dinner (things tend to run later here than in the US!). Then around 11:30 the mariachi band came in and serenaded the graduates. Then the grand finale!! At close to midnight, they began passing around little bags to all 450 people in attendance. Inside was a party hat, a masquerade mask, a whistle (what were they thinking!!) and paper streamers. About the time the bags were all passed out and everyone began putting on their hats and masks and blowing the *&$#@* whistles, a loud banging was heard! In marched a drum line with carnival dancers. Like real "carnivale" style dancers with fancy sequined costumes and huge headdresses and they were dancing to the drums. So for then next 20-30 minutes the drums (good but LOUD) banged out various rhythms while the carnival dancers did their thing and all the sixth graders blew like crazy on their whistles and danced in and out amongst the drummers and dancers. Oh my. Only in Costa Rica!! But Austin had a great time. I was incredibly bored without my hubby there and so tired when we finally got home. But I am proud of Austin and so glad he got to celebrate with his friends. Half the fun of living in another country is discovering all the new customs and traditions they have. I remember sitting at my table, politely nodding to grandma, and looking at all the other parents dancing and the kids milling about and the balloons and streamers and thinking, "I love that we live here!" And I do. It is so fun to experience so many new things and see my kids learn so much!! The night, of course, was all in Spanish and it always amazes me to see my kids talking and laughing and acting like every other Costa Rican. They really are completely bi-lingual now! I love that too!!

Here are some pics of Austin (and Mommy!)

ps-- Happy Thanksgiving. More on that later!!

Gratitude

is the heart's memory. (French proverb)

This sweet little proverb is now hanging on my wall along with this fall branch and spotted owl!

I was asked to be part of a calendar swap for 2008. My month was November. So I chose this quote and made this little page to represent the month. I finished it and scanned it off to be part of the calendar but then couldn't just leave it sitting on my desk. I kinda started to like my little owl. So I rescued him from the scrapping heap of my desk and framed him and put him on the dining room wall. And I rather like the whole look. I might change it out with other seasonal themes throughout the year. Or I might just leave Mr. Owl there year round. He is growing on me!!

School pictures

Yipee!! The kids brought home their school pictures, and I love them all! I can't believe how big they look. I guess when I see them come dancing in and out, I don't notice all the little changes. But when I see it there on the picture in front of me, it is suddenly quite obvious. My kiddos are growing up!! Here 6th grade graduation is a big deal as 7th grade begins high school (which is 5 years long in CR--7-11th grades). So that is why the cap and gown in the second photo. Wyatt, too, is celebrating a big year as he goes from "Prepa" (kindergarten) to 1st grade. So that also merits a cap and gown I learned!! :o) So here they are--- the King kids' 2008 school year photos!!

(He is as tall as I am now!!)

(All ready for high school!!)

(She is getting tall too! Can't believe it!)

(Is there a sweeter face on this planet?? This Mama doesn't think so!!)