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Blessings Overflowing

Faith~Family~Creativity

December 7, 2015 By Jackie 2 Comments

What I’m Into {November 2015}

Here we are again. Another month has passed by much too quickly. Not only that, but we are a week into December and I am just now getting my November update published. Better late than never, right?

My Family

November 2015 was a busy month as we not only hosted Thanksgiving, but my two oldest boys are playing basketball. They have been very busy with practices and games which in turn has made my life busier. It is a lot of fun, though.

We had some nice days earlier in November and my youngest three kids took advantage of the warm(ish) weather to play in the leaves one afternoon.

Playing in the Leaves 11-15

There’s nothing quite like jumping into and getting buried in a pile of leaves, as long as your sister doesn’t whack you in the head with a rake (Thankfully, she didn’t.).

The kids had a lot of fun in early November getting our shoeboxes ready to send for Operation Christmas Child. Janna wanted to have the little girl her box would go to come and live with us and because we have plenty of food and toys. She melted my heart.

Filling OCC Shoeboxes 2015

I like to have my kids each fix up a box for a kid of similar age. It is a great reminder for them of how much we truly have.

In November we got a new dog. His name is Higgins and he is a Border Collie. Our cats have been tolerating him, except when he plays with them like they are his chew toys.

Dog and Cats

The cats have already taught him a few lessons. 😉

You might be wondering about his name. Well, Julia asked if she could name the dog. Since she loves musicals, and one of her favorites is My Fair Lady, she chose Higgins for Professor Henry Higgins. We like the name a lot.

First Snowfall

We had our first snow in November, but I am happy to report it has been our only snow so far this season. It was pretty, but it was even nicer when it melted quickly.

I hosted Thanksgiving again this year. There were 19 of us here and I am so glad that I made so much food ahead of time. It really wasn’t a stressful day at all, even when the turkey broth overflowed and the smoke alarms went off.

I guess that is what I get for posting about burnt rolls that day. I was tested and I am happy to report I didn’t freak out at all. 🙂

Thanksgiving 2015

I didn’t do very well at getting a picture of everyone eating, but I got most of them in these two pictures.

Thanksgiving Dinner 2015

I served the food on all of my kitchen counters and I put the drinks on our breezeway that is just off of the dining room.

The adults ate in the dining room and the kids ate in the kitchen. I am thankful for a wonderful family and a house that is big enough to hold us all.

The day after Thanksgiving we decorated for Christmas.

Decorating the Christmas Tree 2015

Unfortunately, Janna got sick on Thanksgiving afternoon and laid on the couch while the big kids decorated. I knew she had to be pretty sick to not feel like decorating.

Her illness lasted for several days and I ended up taking her to the doctor on the 5th day. I am happy to say that she is pretty much back to normal now.

My Favorite Picture

Putting the Angel on the Tree 2015

This picture of my son Joshua has to be my favorite of the month because it shows the excitement he felt about getting to place the angel on the tree.

What I’m Reading

In November I continued making my way through classic books by reading Wuthering Heights (affiliate link) by Emily Bronte. It was one of my favorite books in high school and I enjoyed reading it again.

I also read the book Money Making Mom (affiliate link) by Crystal Paine. I have been a fan of Crystal’s for years. Her blog Money Saving Mom has always been one of my favorites. This book was a quick read and was full of great ideas and encouraging words. If you are looking to work from home, or if you currently work from home and would like some encouragement, I recommend this book.

What I’m Working On

I have so many homemade Christmas presents I need to get done in the next 18 days it isn’t even funny. In November I crocheted three dolls from this pattern. One went into one of our Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes and the other two (pictured below) are for my daughter and niece for Christmas.

Crocheted Dolls

Hopefully, my next update will have a lot more finished projects to share.

On the Blog

I wrote a few pots in November. In case you missed them, here they are.

  • How to Make an Apron from Bib Overalls
  • How to Go Dairy-Free (+ Almond Milk Recipe)
  • What I Learned About Thanksgiving from a Batch of Burnt Rolls

Well, that about does it for November 2015. To keep up with me until next month’s update head over to Instagram where I share all sorts of random pictures. Also, be sure to follow me on Pinterest and Facebook while you’re at it.

What were you into in November?

I’m linking up with Leigh Kramer to show what I’m into lately!

This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for supporting this site. 

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jackiesblessings

I have mixed emotions when I reflect on all that h I have mixed emotions when I reflect on all that has happened in 2020. There have been so many negatives for so many people. I can’t say it has all been positive for me either. However, there are some things that have happened in 2020 for which I am so grateful. 
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The main thing I am grateful for is the extra time I was able to spend with my kids. We had so much fun during quarantine and this summer. I know this wasn’t the case for everyone, but I do not regret the days when we had nothing planned and could just have fun together. Whether it was walking in the woods, playing games, watching a movie together, or even doing chores, I never once heard an “I’m bored.” 🙂 
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In addition to the gift of more time together, I am also grateful for all of the milestones we have celebrated this year. In June, my parents celebrated their 50th anniversary, and then we had four milestone birthdays. Julia turned 21, James turned 18, Joshua turned 16, and Joseph turned 13. (Janna felt left out, so we told her that her birthday was special because it was her last birthday in single digits.) Also, today marks 25 years that JT and I have been married. 
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While I won’t be sorry to see 2020 go, and I hope
and pray 2021 is better for so many people who are hurting right now, I don’t ever want to forget the good times we had this year. 
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P.S. I took all of these pictures over fall break.
The girls and I recorded our parts for our virtual The girls and I recorded our parts for our virtual church service yesterday, and I couldn’t resist getting a picture with them in front of this beautiful Christmas tree. ❤️
James has been playing school basketball since he James has been playing school basketball since he was in the fourth grade. Tonight he and his fellow Seniors  were recognized at their game, and I just can’t believe James is this old. 
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Normally, Senior Night is the last game of the season. However,  because everything in the world seems so uncertain right now, we wanted to make sure the boys got a chance to be recognized. We wanted something “normal” for them. I am thankful James and his teammates not only got recognized but also won their game. 
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P.S. We had our masks on at all times other than when we took pictures.
We have another teenager in the house! Joseph is t We have another teenager in the house! Joseph is turning 13 today, and it just doesn’t seem possible. The beautiful baby boy who was placed in my arms on a cold and foggy day in December is still my “little” guy. However, after looking at this picture of the two of us, I don’t think he will be shorter than me for long. Joseph is still my shy guy, but he is also sweet, loving, kind, and just an all around good kid. We also lovingly refer to him as the cat whisperer because the kittens and cats follow him around like puppies. 🙂 It has been so much fun to have Joseph at school with me this year now that he is in junior high, and I am so thankful that I get to be his mama. Happy birthday, Joseph! ❤️
2020 has been challenging in so many ways. One of 2020 has been challenging in so many ways. One of those challenges was self-inflicted. 🙂 I just finished my fourth master’s level course of 2020 through Ball State, and I passed the high ability licensure exam last Thursday. This means that I will soon have high ability added to my teaching license. 
.
When I signed up to take my first class in January, I had no idea what 2020 was going to entail. Teaching in a pandemic isn’t for the faint of heart. Taking classes and caring for five kids while teaching in a pandemic has allowed me to see what I am really made of. I don’t mean to brag, but I am pretty happy that I received straight A’s. Beyond that, I learned so much, and I am grateful for this opportunity even though I felt stretched to my limits some days. 
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Yes, 2020 has been challenging, but I have been blessed with more time with my family, knowledge gained, and challenges met and overcome.
I almost forgot to post this here. 🎂 Joshua is I almost forgot to post this here. 
🎂
Joshua is 16 years old today. It doesn’t seem possible that my little pip squeak of a baby boy is now about 6’4”. Joshua is now the tallest of the family, and I’m not sure he is done growing. There hasn’t been a dull moment since Joshua arrived, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. He is a fun-loving, hard-working, kind-hearted, and intelligent young man. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for him. I am so thankful God thought I was up to the task of being Joshua’s mama. ❤️
My little 7 pound 20 inch baby boy, who didn’t c My little 7 pound 20 inch baby boy, who didn’t cry as soon as he was born but first looked around to see what was going on in the world, is now a 6’2” handsome man. I truly never thought the years would go by so quickly, but here we are. James is 18 today. 

There are so many words I could use to describe James: hardworking, dedicated, persevering, intelligent, funny, curious, kindhearted, dependable, respectful, and helpful. I could also expound upon his accomplishments, and I could tell you how great he is. However, I don’t love James for what he has accomplished but simply because he is my son.

I have been so blessed to be James’s mom, and I thank God every day for entrusting him into my care. I don’t know what the future will hold for him, but I know he will do great things. 

For anyone reading this who is struggling with a tantrum throwing toddler, a strong-willed child, and/or a child who questions everything, I would like to encourage you. Look for the positive qualities your child possesses such as perseverance, dedication, and curiosity and build upon that. I will never regret the hard days of parenting because my prayers and hard work have paid off. Helping James reach his full potential and keep those qualities without breaking his spirit has been worth the effort.

Happy Birthday, James!
I’m not going to sugar coat it. Today seemed sur I’m not going to sugar coat it. Today seemed surreal. It felt chaotic. Nothing was normal. We are all exhausted. However, it was wonderful to be with my students again after five months, and my own kids enjoyed seeing their friends. I don’t know how this school year will play out, but I am ready to go back tomorrow and try to make teaching virtually and in person work to the best of my ability. My students are worth the effort. 
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James is a senior, and this was his last first day of school. Joshua is a sophomore, and Joseph is in 7th grade which means I have all three of my boys in the same building with me. Janna is in fourth grade, and she was very excited to be back at school. Julia will be a senior in college when she starts back next week. 
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I am praying we all have a safe and healthy school year. I plan to try not to think about the unknowns and what-ifs and take it one day at a time.
This morning I told four of my kids we were going This morning I told four of my kids we were going to go on an adventure. (No, I didn’t leave one out of the fun. James played in a golf tournament with his dad. 🙂) Anyway, it was quite an adventure. It started with my vehicle telling me one of the tires needed air, but it must be a bad sensor because it was fine. Then I almost ran out of gas. I drove us on all sorts of country roads we had never been on, and I even thought I was going south when I was actually going north for like 10 miles. 🤷🏻‍♀️ It was very obvious I have not been many places since March. 
.
Anyway, Julia, Joshua, Joseph, Janna, and I went to @maxandhoneys where we took some pictures and picked a beautiful bouquet. It was really fun. After that, we went to Greencastle and then to Lieber State Recreation Area. We finished by stopping to do a few things in my classroom, and we made it home before it started raining.
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I am so thankful for a day of doing something fun and “normal” but out of the ordinary. I don’t know if that makes sense, but that’s the best way to describe it. Yes, we had to wear masks sometimes and practice social distancing, but it was still a good day. 
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Here are some pictures from our day. The last picture is of James before he went to play golf. How is he old enough to be a senior? 😢 I am so thankful for my family. 💕 Also, kudos to Joshua and Joseph for being good sports about picking flowers. Their future wives will thank me. 😀

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