Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is such a special holiday! Setting time aside to get together as a family and simply be grateful for all of the blessings that God has given us. 

Most of our Thanksgiving memories are up at our Grandparents home in Iowa. Year after year grandma would fill all of the countertops and tables with food and we would eat to our hearts content while catching up with family. Since Grandpa passed away in January expierencing traditions isn't quite the same and this Thanksgiving we all missed his giant hugs and the sparkle in his eye.

Grandma is doing really well and has moved into an apartment in a town close to the farm. We are enjoying making new memories with her there, but it was so special to be able to go out to the farm for one more Thanksgiving Day. 

Grandma is absolutely amazing!! She starts prepping things days in advance and then gets an early start on the day to have everything ready.

Many hands make the work lighter! It is always a huge score when you make a recipe in the kitchen and it turns out just like hers!!

I could do a post on just the food that covers all the countertops and how Grandma knows everyones favorites and makes sure to have them all available. Then after the meal she sends leftovers home with everyone so that we can enjoy eating it again. We are SO grateful for the grandparents that God has given us! We love you Grandma!!

"That I may proclaim with the voice of

thanksgiving,

and tell of all Your wondrous works."

Psalms 26:7

Kittens

What is better than holding a baby kitten?! Holding 8 of them!!

Anyone want an eight week old kitten for Christmas?

"You will show me the path of life;

In Your presence is fullness of joy;

At Your hand are pleasures forevermore."

Psalms 16:11

Christmas Trip

Life is quite the adventure. Since we don't have the typical year round, 8-5 job it tends to be that much more of an adventure! Not to mention the different work, music and ministry things that we are involved in. You never quite now when plans will change and you learn to be ready for just about anything!

Take last week as an example... At the beginning of the week we thought the weather was going to shut us down from working in the fields and planned on being home all weekend. Then we decided it was a perfect opportunity to take a Christmas business trip to Branson, MO for the weekend! The next day it was decided that the ground wasn't frozen solid and we would probably be working for the next two weeks. The day after that the guys came home from work saying the ground was frozen and work is done for the season! Hours later we were all loaded up and headed down to Branson to help some friends and enjoy the Christmas season in Branson. We spent the day at Silver Dollar City and had a ton of fun!! Family time is one of the best things about the Christmas season and Branson knows how to create a special atmosphere.

Just as the sun set we received the call that the ground had thawed enough to go to install another field the very next day. So we enjoyed the lights a little bit longer and sent one vehicle home yet that night. We are still working in the fields and look back at our mini Christmas vacation and just smile.

<3 Cutest couple <3

"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;"

1 Peter 3:15

Grateful

“A spirit of thankfulness is one of the most distinctive marks of a Christian whose heart is attuned to the Lord.” – Billy Graham

Happy Thanksgiving!

Every year we make out a list of specific things we are grateful for from the last year. And every time we look at it we are blown away at God's faithfulness and the undeserved blessings that He pours on our lives. In the good times and the hard times, He is good. We truly have so much to be grateful for!! 

"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body;

and be thankful." Colossians 3:15

Doughnuts

Many of you know about our winter tradition that on the first snow of the year we make homemade doughnuts. Well I think it is about time that we shared the recipe with all of you. This doughnut recipe is actually from our Great-Grandma Wissmann and has a lot of special memories tied to them. We hope you enjoy them as well!

1 1/2 cups milk

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup mashed potatoes

1 tablespoon yeast

1/3 cup butter

1 teaspoon salt

4 1/2 - 5 1/2 cups flour

Heat milk until warm (about 115 degrees). Add in sugar and yeast and let sit for until the yeast is really bubbly. When using wheat flour I add that to the yeast mixture now and let us sit for about 15 minutes to soften it. Usually I do about 1 1/2 cups wheat and the rest white. In a different bowl combine butter, mashed potatoes, salt and nutmeg. Pour in the milk mixture. Add in flour and knead for 7-9 minutes. I go so much by feeling the dough that I haven’t measured out my flour in ages. Basically just pour in a little at a time until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl and is not too sticky. Let dough raise until doubled in size.

I roll out the dough onto an oiled or buttered surface to keep the dough soft. After rolling the dough out to 1/4-1/2 inch thick, cut donuts out. Let raise. (I learned the hard way that letting them over rise will make them fall when you go to put them in the oil. So start heating your oil before the doughnuts are done raising.) Putting the upper, dry side in first, fry in oil heated to 400 degrees, flipping them as they turn golden. Drain, drop into a frosting glaze, and enjoy!

"May my meditation be sweet to Him;

I will be glad in the Lord."

Psalms 104:37

Old Threshers

While I was working on an upcoming blog post I found a these pictures of us singing at Old Threshers that I forgot to post!! Over the course of 5 days we did 12 concerts. Here is a glimpse into a few of those concerts.

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!

O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation!

All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near;

Praise Him in glad adoration.

Praise to the Lord, oh, let all that is in me adore Him!

All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him;

Let the Amen sound from His people again,

Gladly for aye we adore Him.

"Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous,

And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name."

Psalms 97:12

Work Season

Once the crops come out of the fields in the fall we are racing the weather to see how many underground irrigation systems we can install before the ground freezes or it just gets too cold.

Some years we can work until right before Christmas, and sometimes we shut down early November. But until then, we are putting in as big of days as possible!

"Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it.

Then all the trees of the woods will rejoice before the Lord."

Psalms 96:12

Decorating for Christmas

Guess what was happening at our house on November 1st?!!

"You have set all the boarders of the earth; You have made summer and winter."

Psalms 74:17

Birthday Time

Before any of our siblings got married we had a birthday in every month except for three. Now the family has grown so much that we have every month covered and then some! A couple times a year with have "birthday season" where there are quite a few really close! June is the biggest month with 6 birthdays and one anniversary. The challenge is to remember them all and get the right ages with the right names.

 In October we celebrated three birthdays! The first one was Autumn's 1st!! It was so cute watching her dig into her little cake. First it was a finger, then a lick, then a hand, then her whole mouth! Everyone was cheering her on!!

Alaythia's 19th birthday was next. Because of our schedule each birthday is different depending on what state you are in and what we are doing that day. Some years we are able to have more of a celebration than others. This year we were home, but the guys were busy working. So we planned a sisters day! We did some shopping, had a scavenger hunt in town and then topped it off with chocolate lava cake and the best vanilla ice cream.

Playing with Grandma after the scavenger hunt was over.

A few days later it was Nathanael's 17th Birthday! Dad, Mom, Elizabeth and Charissa were out of town for the weekend, but since it was on a Sunday we didn't have to work! Nathanael enjoys being active and trying new things so we called up some friends and went to a trampoline park! I think some people got dizzy from all the flips they did, but it was a blast!

"He is your praise, and He is your God, who has done for you the great and awesome things which your eyes have seen."

Deuteronomy 12:21

Surprise!

Good surprises are just plain fun. When Susanna and I walked off of the plane from visiting Dan & Bethany we were shocked to see that our little nephew from Florida was there to pick us up! It was one of those "wait, is that..." moments. Then Andrew and Kori walked around the corner!! They were all here for the weekend!!!

They had flown in the night before and completely surprised everyone at home!!! Hooray for cheap airfare and weekends. Since Alaythia's birthday was on Monday it was the perfect start to the celebration.

Of course family in town is the perfect excuse to get together. So Alan & Rachel and their kiddos drove up to spend the weekend with us too!! It was such a blast! Saturday we all went into Lincoln for a big brunch at Ryan and Ruth's house and then walked around town to enjoy the pregame festivities. Then we hurried home to pull out all of the snacks and cheer the huskers on for their first win.

Watching the cousins play together is always fun! I think everyone is looking forward to Christmas when all 21 of us adults and 12 cousins will be in one house.

Teaching a new game...

So grateful for family!!

"Happy are the people who are in such a state;

Happy are the people whose God is the Lord!"

Psalms 144:15