Belated Thanks

Wowsers, as the great Inspector Gadget would say!  After your comments, recipes, links, ingredient recommendations, and encouragement from yesterday's post, I feel like I can do this non-dairy thing wholly and enjoyably!  Thank you for all the suggestions.  Drummer isn't colicky (we've done that and it's a wonder we had any more kids) but he is an awful light sleeper or his stomach doesn't agree with what I eat.  He seems to be doing a bit better, and hopefully we can figure out how to get more sleep.

I am behind on my Thanksgiving post, happily due to Once Upon a Thread, and beware of the photo explosion, but I do have 6 kids.  

We took a walk up the beach for some yearly Starbuck's hot chocolate, but of course it's better when it comes in a fancy cup and when we pay an entire paycheck for one round.  Ryan and I stuck with the apple cider, mine sans whipped cream. 

Ryan strapped little Drummer to his chest and he slept the whole time (Drummer, not Ryan.)

I had the kids write in the sand what they were thankful for.

In case you can't tell what they say,

Olive is thankful for nature.

Clover is thankful for messes (and noise and chaos and more messes.)

Pearl is thankful for her blue beta.

Divine knows what to say ;)  She's growing up, that one.  The other day at dinner she replied to someone's story, TMI (too much information).  Yeah.  She's already speaking in acronyms and abreeves.  I told her that her parents aren't Peeps, are we?  Sheesh.

Azure is thankful for God.  Ditto, Azure.

Drummer is thankful for snuggles with his dad,

and food from his mom.

We didn't do turkey.  

Neither Ryan nor I like it.

We had homemade pizza, and the kids don't seem to mind we don't do a traditional Thanksgiving feast.

I told them to make a funny face.

Then I told them to each kiss their neighbor.  Ha.

We spent the morning painting toenails.  That's a lot of nailpolish.  Yo. (I'm practicing having a tween.)

Then I told them to spread out their toes.

And tangle their legs.

Then tangle their arms.  Clover doesn't like to mingle, apparently.

The hot chocolate was guzzled and made for full bellies and warm bodies.

They're all so different, from what they'll eat, wear, and do to how they need to be loved, parented, and teased.

Some slip their hand into mine without even noticing, just needing a touch.  Others you have to sneak in a hug when they're not looking ;).

They make us laugh and want to pull our hair out from one moment

to the next.

I'm grateful for the man who made them with me.

He's pretty amazing, you know.

He makes me want to do and be better, supports me even when I have crazy ideas.  Plus he's a hunk.

Okay, enough mush.  Happy belated Thanksgiving,

and off to wrap Christmas presents, hang stars and snowflakes (that's the only way we'll see any snow here.)