New Van and Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

I am off a few days to posting this.  I try to do it on the weekend.  But I am still doing better than I was before. So there's that.

Been quite a week.  So let me rehash...

I got a van!!!!  I am so happy!  It is beautiful!  It is a 2015 Kia Sedona White with grey and black interior.

God is so good to us. I looked all over the internet for a van.  I wanted room.  And I checked CarMax and Craigslist and many car dealerships for the right van, white, with under 50,000 miles, no wrecks, maintained, one owner, a good price and voila!  God provided.  Not only did He provide but He held it for us until we could get down to Larson Toyota in Tacoma!  We test drove it and bickered with them and got the price down and some extra's and a full tank of gas and I drove it home!!!  I was scared spitless because 1. it was Tacoma, 2. the van was new to me, 3. the traffic was busy, 4. we weren't really sure of directions, 5. it was Tacoma (bared repeating).  But we made it home!  I went and showed Karla and Madi first. Then I went and picked up Lauren from school because Papa was hurting and gave her a ride to Central Market and then to her house.  That was on Thursday the 15th!  What a great day. But my foot sure was swollen from all the driving.

Saturday was our family Thanksgiving.  We stopped having holidays at our house last year when it got to be too hard on Papa and me to get the house ready and cooking and baking and hosting. We would really rather just sit back and enjoy.  So Amanda volunteered.  She is an amazing hostess and cook too!  We went to Amanda's on Saturday and Aaron, Andrew, Joel, Karla, Dylan, Madi, and Kevon were all there and we had a fabulous dinner.  Lauren was a an overnight Debate contest. Tara and the group were having a birthday party for Riley. Heather and Jared came over for her party but we didn't see them because we were at dinner.  Later me, Andrew, Manda, Karla, Dylan and Madi played a game.  Kevon slept on the love seat,  Joel went home, Papa and Aaron were watching tv and us. NO one likes me to take pictures. People only like to take selfies but I did it anyway.  Karla and Dylan let me. lol

andrew

karla and son dylan (home from UW)

Madi hiding from my camera

taking a selfie sense no one else taking pics

dylan

amanda, karla, dylan (aaron in kitchen)

manda gave me pumpkin pie with a little whipped cream 

 We went home and our animals were very happy we were home!!!!

We didn't do much of anything else the rest of the week. Yesterday I was having low back spasms.  That always scares me because of my history with them.  I never want to go there again. My mammogram came back normal.  Paid off my Dell card I have had for about 15 years. That felt SO good!!!

We have Mac for a house guest for about a week.  He likes our big fenced yard so much!

Papa worked on putting up some outside lights yesterday and paid for it in pain today.  His knees have trouble with ladders.  He even had Rich, our neighbor guy, come over for the high spots.  We need to downsize this Christmas.  We are downsizing in the house.  I ordered a 4 foot tree to put on our table in the corner.  It was funny the other morning when I didn't wake until 8 a.m. and when I did Papa was pumped up. He is talking about all he is going to do by putting hooks way up all over the house to hang lights and all these plans he had!  After I woke up more I told him I didn't want him to do it.  I don't want lights up there. It would be beautiful but the ladder would kill papa.  It is strange how our body gets older but not our mind.  I always think of things I want to do and then find out I can't anymore.   I didn't know my back would end up so bad.  I didn't know Papa's knees, legs and hips would hurt like they do.  I am only 62 and papa is 69.  Sucks.  The saying is true that aging isn't for sissies.

Well, I will share my blessing from last week with you all!
On Monday and Tuesday I was thankful for our Veterans! And the ones in our family!

Tuesday the 13th I was thankful to God for Kevon, my blue eyed baby boy!  Unfortunatly when I posted on facebook I confused everyone and they thought it was his birthday and started posting happy birthday and contacting him. Manda called me and told me I should probably change what I wrote. Lol!

On Wednesday, the 14th my pick was my eldest grandson Andrew!!!!  I love this boy.  We have such a close relationship.  We know so much about each other, share our faith, problems, happiness, etc... Great young man!

NOVEMBER 15th thankful for Joel! Great son, husband, dad, and worker!

Nov 16th we are so blessed with our baby boy, Scruffy!

We've had him 5 years ago on Friday!

The 17th I chose for our grandson Parker to be our blessing! He is so sweet!!!

The 18th was picked for Riley because it is her birthday!!! She turned 16 today and I am so thankful for her and adore her!

Not only am I thankful on the 18th for Riley it was also her 16th birthday!!!

The 19th is for Heather, our daughter!

The 20th is for my brothers and sisters!!!

today~~~~ David, libby, lois, douglas and rick!!!

Well, I guess that is all I have to write about!  Papa takes the van to tacoma tomorrow to get a coating on the van inside and out and to check why the "pulse" I am suppose to have on mine isn't working.  What it does is the brake lights flash 5 times if I am stopping to alert cars behind me. I want that!!!! I am so paranoid since I was rear ended thus the bad back.

Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!! Ours will be quiet with just papa and I unless Kevon shows up.  But we are still making the works!

thanksgiving

It has been over a month since I typed anything in here.  We got through Thanksgiving.  Kevon came over and had dinner with us. It was really nice.   And Karla and the kids came over for awhile! That was a surprise and we played Apple to Apples.  Lots of laughs.  Tried to teach Dylan another game the family played when the kids were younger (Rummy Royal). He was too impatient as we tried to remember.

We had to get the decorations and tree up for the Christmas Cookie and Ornament Exchange we had at my house.  It was fun with lots of cookies.  Lauren and Madi helped me bake (well, they did it) and decorated my tree for me.  It was fun watching them sing and laugh and have fun!