Everyone wanted to help make the traditional apple pie this year. The secret to a great pie is all the little hands that put it together.
Lindsey and Elise mixed the dough.
Nathan peeled the apples.
Lindsey pushed, stabbed and rolled the dough out.
Elise seasoned the apples (that mom cut behind the scenes), then filled the pie crust and pinched it to perfection.
And, voila -a beautiful apple pie which Daddy helped to eat up! :) We are thankful for the chance to eat, bake and play together.This year we were also grateful to decorate for Christmas after the apple pie so that Jim and I could leave the next day to visit Cape Girardeau, Missouri and Heather and Andy in St. Louis.
Lindsey is our little star light, star bright!
This is my favorite time of year. After the decorations are up and the floor is vacuumed :) we turn on the Christmas music and drink eggnog while we admire the lights. It's the most wonderful time of the year.....
Here's our little Aimee -Lou and some of her many faces that make us smile, laugh and raise an eyebrow!!!
To finish the story of our trip to Cape, I must say that I had just returned the weekend before from a trip to Edmond, OK where we were also considering a position. It's been an interesting and stressful ride to say the least as Jim interviewed with four different universities and received offers from all four -KUDOS to Jim!!! That is an amazing compliment and testament to his abilities and character. Still, it also made for a more challenging time deciding which of the four to take and whether to accept one opportunity or wait.
To finish the story of our trip to Cape, I must say that I had just returned the weekend before from a trip to Edmond, OK where we were also considering a position. It's been an interesting and stressful ride to say the least as Jim interviewed with four different universities and received offers from all four -KUDOS to Jim!!! That is an amazing compliment and testament to his abilities and character. Still, it also made for a more challenging time deciding which of the four to take and whether to accept one opportunity or wait.In this case, I figure that God pretty much helped us along with that because we had all but signed on a job in Edmond, OK -when another offer for a campus visit came that we just could not refuse. So, turning down the bird in hand for the two in the bush, Jim pursued the other job that would still allow us to live in Edmond, OK which looked perfect for us on the internet. While waiting to find out about the other OK job, the Cape position was offered to Jim and as time went on, seemed a more desirable position. They really wanted Jim and offered to fly us both back so they could sell ME on it! One morning I couldn't sleep and realized I should visit Emond too. I was out there in two days and within two hours of my visit, I knew it was not the place for our family. However, my sister did not know this and until we'd accepted the Cape position I didn't dare hint to the fact that we would take it. In fact, I made it seem like Edmond was perfect for us -just to sweeten the surprise later. :)
And, oh what a fun surprise it was! It made the visit there so fun, when we weren't stressed about the fact that I left my purse in Walmart right before we dashed out to meet the Chair of the Business department. I remained super calm (wanting to make a good impression) and as soon as she was gone we asked the real estate person to take us back to Walmart -calling them on our way. They had found the purse in the parking lot (I'd left it in the bathroom), whew, and they said everything was there except the wallet -YIKES!!! I could tell Jim was freaking out while I sureally wondered how I'd get home without a license, but I felt extremely calm. This could be due to the fact that I've lost my wallet oh like a hundred times and it always comes back to me. I was a little nervous (a first for me and my wallet losing) and told the realtor, "it's okay, we are just going to believe that the person who took it is going to start feeling so bad that (s)he's going to return it RIGHT NOW!" "Wow, you're calm" she stated. Starting to feel pretty anxious, I reached in my pocket for my phone to tell Heather to start praying like crazy and there was my wallet! TA-DA. It's the wallet that always comes back to me. :)
The visit was really smooth after that and we loved everyone we met, and we met EVERYONE!! What a whirlwind. What really sold me was when we walked into the indoor pool on campus and I breathed in the hot, humid air and realized it was decorated with PALMTREES that they had flown in from Florida no less! Sign me up!!! :) The rest of the trip was pretty chilly for my Florida lovin' body -it's COLD out there!
Heather was extatic to find out we were moving to Cape and I must admit that while it will be sad to leave my Floridian paradise, it's nice to know I'll have family nearby to help me through. And, Cape really was beautiful, even with the trees bare and the frosty air. We have been so blessed and have much to be thankful for!
