Thursday, August 29, 2013

Thankful Thursday-August!

Thankful, to God for so much!
So many blessings all around us.
Thankful for uni-cycling and our last parade of the summer (in August)
It was so much fun going to parades and watching the team! 
Thankful for a captive audience for my bigger kids,
they always have little watchers...

 Thankful I got to see these beautiful Black Eyed Susans at the Minnesota Zoo
They were all around the zoo, surrounded, amazing to see
(I want them in my backyard!)
 Forget the animals, look at these!
 My husband's sister, Heidi, (and her husband), and "Rosie's" friend Trinity,
(who is actually Christine's 2nd cousin) came along with us!
 Thankful to get this sweetie among the wild flowers...
 Thankful to get this sweet boy with the T-Rex!!
He knew every dinosaur at age 2, what they ate and how to pronounce them,
even if we didn't understand him, he knew them!
Thankful for the deer hiding in our woods...see it?
 Awwww, it's a baby, she let me get really close before running away!
 Thankful for all this, um, not sure what to call it
 The kids call it, "restaurant delivery"
That purple is Russian Sage and crushed chalk...
 Thankful for rainbows, we saw 2 this past month! 
 Thankful for ice cream cones...lots of ice cream cones!
 Thankful for our trip to Fargo to visit friends!
My friend Sarah, and I have been friends for like 22 years!!
We've been meeting the past few years at a kind of half way place
since she lives about 3 hours away from us.
 The last time we visited (without a First Holy Communion or Baptism)
Just plain visited was--here when "Colette" was a baby...
We've had a few more kiddos...
And gotten digital cameras!
 Thankful every time we get together, everyone gets along and has a blast!
(our oldest girls, age 12 and 11)
 The time goes so quickly!
(Our girls age 5 and 4)
 Here's the babies we've had since
and of course, we push them in our strollers the exact same way!!
 My closest friend in the whole world, besides Tom!
We just get each other, always, no matter what happens in life.
And I am so very Thankful for the gift of our friendship.
 Thankful for busy little boys on the playground!
 Thankful for roller skating birthday parties!
(Christine's daughter was invited too!)
 Thankful for water playing kiddos
(she must feed her animals corn?)
This did  not end so neat and tidy on the towel, 
in case you were wondering.
That's all I'm saying about that.
(I have a climbing 1 1/2 year old, you know)
Thankful for climbing 1 1/2 year olds having snack on the big kid bench 
and smiling his camera smile!
 Thankful we were able to spend time at the pool this summer...it's closed now.
 Thankful my girls were able to spend time with their friends,
(notice the audience in the background?--cute huh?)
 These girls have been friends since they were 3, 
and they are moving away to the Twin Cities this Fall...
We will miss them so very much.
So Thankful for their friendships
 Thankful for beach time...

 Thankful for August watermelon birthdays!
Thankful for wonderful, sweet, funny 4 year olds.
 Thankful for semi matching girls, and Thankful 
for $3 dresses at Wal-Mart!
 Thankful for green matching boys!
(see them together in my header picture!)
 Thankful for fresh zucchini from Christine
we baked, I mean I baked 4 loaves of zucchini bread and 
this cake, the best ever cake!!  
It is SO moist!
Recipe HERE
 Thankful for busy littles starting preschool this year
(Tuesday)
(I am her teacher!)
Want a great program?
Go HERE
She has Catholic ABC's and projects to go with that 
She even has a script to follow if you need help with that!
 Thankful for busy toddlers...
 Thankful for school books for me to go over 
(before Tuesday)
Thankful I got  my school room, the cupboards and drawers and desk cleaned out
and organized for the new school year.
 Thankful, so very thankful for this man.
The love of my life.
The life of my love.
The best husband for me and the best father for these kids.
Thankful for made up recipes!

Black Bean Veggie Salad
2 cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can of green beans
cherry tomatoes, sliced in half (a bunch)
a cucumber diced
1 can corn (I used white corn here), drained
Avocado, sliced, chopped into bite size pieces
Sliced Black Olives, leftover from Taco night...
Salt and pepper to taste
Dressing of your choice,
I used a tomato vinaigrette

YUMMY!

God bless your Holiday weekend!

26 comments:

  1. Jamie Jo...I always love these posts. I love sharing your home and family with you! So many beautiful things here...love the pictures of your kids in their matching clothes.

    And your cake looks delish! Yay for you...and yay for Christine for sharing the wealth!

    Blessings and hugs dear friend. I'm thankful for YOU! : )

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    1. Thank you Billie Jo, my thankfuls are kind of like your weekenders...so fun and positive! Blessings and hugs right back!

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  2. I will try that last recipe..that salad looks yummy. I usually never mix food. So glad you have a besty friend. those are such a blessing. fun to see how much the kids have grown!

    You are so blessed with a great family..AND great friends. Hope you have a good start to the school year. Thankful for you as a friend, too! fun to see all the goings on!

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    1. So happy and thankful you came along after Sarah moved away, you helped fill that void. You are a great friend too!

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    2. ah.you.made.my.day.

      want to add more but gotta get supper on. why do people around here need to eat all the time!!!

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    3. I am now enjoying my morning, after the wakeup crowing, with some coffee and coming back to read some more. Like others have said, there is always so much to see that I don't know what to comment on. I always say, "It is all so good". Is that enough?

      Your family is a busy happy family. I need to say that Sims hair is so cute. So light compared to big bro! My first is blond and second boy so dark and 3rd boy some where in the middle.
      I wish we would go to the zoo.
      Brian hates zoos for some reason. I LOVE them! So we don't go. Whenever we are down in the cities I do make him take me to Como. I use to go there all the time when we lived down there.

      I am always amazed you have deer in your backyard. We never see deer out where I live.

      Enjoy all the pictures. I always notice you give attention to each child. I only like ava...ha!

      another thing...we eat a lot of ice cream cones also...but only the ones from McDons. We love those!

      Have a great weekend.

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    4. I meant to say.."I enjoy all your pictures."

      I only like ava because I take mostly pictures of her...that makes more sense.

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    5. I just poured my coffee, (International Foods) and am about to go to the porch...breakfasts take so long for everyone to finally get out and quit needing me! It's kind of like the Hobbit over here, with so many coming and going...Sims eats bits and pieces of everyones!

      I'm going to admit here, I was crabby on zoo day, because I hate the MN Zoo...Tom loves it so we always go there. I love Como. It's short and sweet and has Real ZOO animals....You know, zebras and giraffes!! MN zoo is just too dang long and I always either have a baby or toddler, or am pregnant. This time, Simeon around 3:30pm, had enough, he was having a temper tantrum right in the middle of the pathway of "Africa" He would not go in the stroller, would not let me carry him and he would not walk anymore. We carried him back crying the whole way (and kicking) We got ice cream and then, walked to the van, he fell asleep just as we were passing the entrance gate.

      AND no one understands why I don't like the MN Zoo!!

      I know, I can go to Como with Brian and you can go to MN Zoo with Tom!! haha! Just kidding.

      I have few and far between pics of Jedi...he's always busy and doesn't like his picture taken! He'll do it with Simeon. And, their skin tones and hair so amazing they are brothers!!!!

      Happy weekend!! Going to the beach on Monday, think anyone will be there? It's a certain almost 9 year old's birthday!

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  3. Beautiful post, Jamie Jo. You always remind me of more than a few things to be thankful for myself! And Sim's hair...I want to just reach into the computer and touch it. It looks as soft as a dandelion!

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  4. AND...thankful for FB friends who teach me a trick or two about keeping 19 month olds in the baby crib when said baby wants to climb out!!

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  5. Thankful for you sharing your thankful thoughts. Precious pictures and fun memories.

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  6. MInnesota looks so inviting!!! We've got black eyed susan's everywhere...why don't I appreciate them more?? I'll have to say a small thankful prayer the next time I see them. Hugs!

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  7. Such a bright and colorful "Thankful Thursday". I love all the colors and smiles. Love you "school room table mess". Though I have to admit, I am SOOOO GLAD our school year is finally finished. We ALL needed the summer/fall break. Mary will be starting K with Seton's next year, (March) so it's going to cost us a fortune. Have a great weekend!

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    1. Just get the books, don't enroll....my advice especially for Kindergarten, you know the answers!

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  8. I could comment on so many things, but I choose the chocolate zucchini cake. That recipe is AMAZING! I have half a cake on the counter. We all just cut off a piece when we walk by and shove it in our mouths...good for the diet, no?!

    Have a blessed weekend!

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    1. Oh, all I can say is I'm glad zucchini in abundance, only comes once a year!

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  9. Sigh I am thankful for your Thankful Thursday posts. I think I need to do these too!

    Our zucchini plants didn't make it this year. I was not a happy girl. I LOVE zucchini. Next year, I guess!

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  10. Oh and I got so excited about the zucchini I forgot to mention how much I love your new header!!

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    1. Thanks Amy! I got my zucchini from Christine. You need friends with zucchini!

      Love to you!

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  11. I am limited on internet right now, but I LOVED this! Filled with great warmth and love!

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  12. You have such a lovely family...your love and joy come through in all of these pictures! Have a happy September!

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Thank you so much for stopping and commenting!