Thanksgiving!

 All of the out of town people arrived by or before Monday (for the funeral) Thanksgiving week. To keep Grandpa company, every day except Wednesday everyone headed over for to his house the day and ate supper there..so it was almost like Thanksgiving before Thanksgiving Day. 

Saturday evening, Ina and Jonathan came to stay with us for over a week. It's so nice having them stay here! 

Their 2 year old son, Boaz, is THE funnest young boy ever! I'm so happy he's my cousin!  He's a ton of fun to wrestle with! ;)

This year we were able to rent the fellowship hall and gym that we've used for our Thanksgiving get togethers since 2009, excluding last year.

Isn't she so cute? My 3 year old cousin Bella. 

As the families arrive, the items and food immediately start being organized. 

The dessert table:

Hanging up a little decoration

Over 65 family members came this year so I was quite busy writing names on 62 cups! (Two short of one full, double pack!)

Stacking the cups by family made finding the one that was yours easier.

Debating something thoughtfully about the cups and then...I spot the camera at the last second... 

Why are you taking a picture of me??

Fellowship and Food...the two go-togethers. ;)

My 6 month old cousin Josiah. He is such a sweet baby and such an adorable chunk!

My pretty cousin Brianna looking forward to another fun day with her cousins!

Cousin and sisters!

Me, Hannah, and Esther

We always have such a fun time with our cousins when they come for Thanksgiving!

While a few women are working on setting up the food, the kids usually head immediately to the gym or the playground outside, while the other adults enjoy talking.

My Uncle Josh brought some Habagardill Pickles! Fifteen times as spicy as usual as you can see. ;) I actually really liked them! They were sweet..but then pretty hot! To some, it was so hot they couldn't talk for a little bit.. I was fine about them, and then when I had 5 the following day.. I ate the last two slices at the same time and my eyes turned red and started watering. I would recommend these pickles to..about anyone. ;)

Uh-oh..some of that pickle juice got in his eye..

He's okay now...Just in case you wondered. ;)

After everyone arrived and it all was set up, it was time to dig in! This really doesn't show much of the food..there was so much I felt like I didn't know half of what was there but didn't want to hold up the line looking. xD

We let the mothers get their children's plates first before everyone else gets in the food line.

Gabriel looks really happy about his plate, doesn't he! ;D

Mmmm...fresh vegetables and dip.

And the food line continuing to move along..

You can actually thank my sister Laurisa for all the pics in this post. I didn't use the camera any that week..

There were 3-4 "intense" chess games going on throughout the day between the guys.

As well as volleyball, which we don't have pics of. It was a colder Thanksgiving this year than we've had in probably..9 years. Usually we get to wear short sleeves, but this year started out with long sleeves and brought a cooler change of clothes. 

We rented the place for two days, so the following day everyone arrived around the same times as they had Thanksgiving Day, and we dug into the left overs and played alot more volleyball!!

Saturday and Sunday was spent at Grandpa's as our holiday celebration continued, most of the family from out of state beginning to head home on Sunday.

I trust you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving this year! Keep checking for more posts! :)

Crossed Over..

For those of you have not yet heard, my Romanian grandmother passed away Wednesday, November 20th, approximately 6:50 p.m. I'm glad she lived so close that I saw her a few times a week.

In Memory of Doina Borlovan September 23, 1943 - November 20, 2013 Obituary Doina Borlovan, age 70, native of Timisoara, Romania and long time resident of Mobile,  Alabama received her reward and went home to be with our Lord and Savior, Jesus  Christ on Wednesday, November 20, 2013. A devoted Christian wife and mother, Doina (our darling "Mama") lived a life that truly  reflected her character of pure gold. She fulfilled her calling in life as a faithful homemaker,  raising thirteen children and was a true example of a real mother and Christian lady in every  way.We are comforted by the assurance of knowing we will be reunited with her very soon. She was preceded in death by her father Gavril Nai and mother, Iosana Nai. Left to cherish  her memory are her husband of 51 years, Mihai Borlovan; 13 children: son Dorel Borlovan (Kathy),  daughter Mariana Reavis (Daniel), daughter Daniela Bray (Matthew), son Mihai Borlovan Jr. (Amanda),  daughter Doina Taylor (Curtis), son Ioan Borlovan (Kimberly), son Corneliu Borlovan,  daughter Monica Black (Robert), daughter Irina Baumgartner (Jonathan),  daughter Lavinia Cogdill (Michael), son Samuel Borlovan (Sharon), son William Borlovan (Gabrielle),  son Joshua Borlovan (Hannah); 33 grandchildren; her twin sister Emilia Nai; and several nieces and  nephews. Funeral service will be held Monday, November 25, 2013 at Mobile Memorial Gardens with  visitation starting one hour prior to services. Interment will follow in Mobile Memorial Gardens.  http://obits.dignitymemorial.com/dignity-memorial/obituary.aspx?n=Doina-Borlovan&lc=4959&pid=168125428&mid=5747586&locale=en_US She was such a sweet woman, and a wonderful Christian example. It was always so enjoyable to listen to her thick Romanian accent as she shared recipes, and even just to see her watch everyone quietly. We all miss her dearly, but it is nice to have the reassurance that she's a young woman, looking something like the black and white picture above, for all eternity. "  E-6    Then you're--you're living up till that time, and then you're dying. You're going back until the  day that it'll finally conquer you, and your cells deteriorate, go back into the dust of the earth. But God  don't lose nothing. He knows right wherever He had them in the first place. If He didn't, how did they  ever come on you? Nobody didn't paste it on you and makes you bigger. You just pushed out and  drove, and pushed out till they come to the regular size. Is that right? Then all that death can do for  you is take you out of this life. And some writer said one time said, "The only thing death could do to a believer, that God harnessed  it to a buggy, and it pulls the believer in the Presence of his Maker (That's a good idea. Is that right?),  just pulls him right up to God. And then that's--that's all it can do."  "293    One of these glorious spring mornings, when all of it's over; and the atomic bombs done bursted  the world and sent her over yonder, and she's whirled around through the years, and been purified,  brought back; and the palm trees will rise up in the earth again, a resurrection of all nature, like God  did in the beginning. There'll be no pollution in the soil. There'll be no pollution in the air. And the palm  trees, there'll be no germs or diseases to ever break them down again. The apple trees will never get old.  Hallelujah. She'll raise up. And some glorious, beautiful morning, when the big birds are flying from tree  to tree, Jesus shall appear here on earth again. And when He does, those that are dead in Christ, God  will bring with Him. We'll come up on an Easter morning too, meet our loved ones and greet them. Won't that be a  wonderful time?"  Although for a time she has left our presence, she will never leave our hearts.                                                                                                                                                          With love,

I'm back by request!!

We had decided to retire the blog, but then after receiving requests, I have decided to start posting again! I will definitely continue to do so if you all leave comments for me. ;)

Where to start....Ever since June we have begun to remodel our house. What started out as a summer project has leaked over into the fall, and possibly will continue until next spring or summer.

As I had posted some months ago, we first started working on Gabriel's room. It's been completed and he's sure enjoying it!

Mom is working on getting it decorated as an ocean-theme, but there are still a few jungle items remaining at the moment. 

A homeschooler's classroom. ;)

(Sorry the pics came out grainy.)

And then the added half bath and closet. 

Next thing Dad tackled was the front living room. Here is our new foyer! It's still incomplete as everything that has been going on lately along with the holiday has kept Mom too busy to finish decorating.

Mom's looking for an entry table to put here.

After a month of waiting, our new kitchen table finally arrived! We had sold our other one and had been eating on a plastic picnic table during that time. 

It was larger than we expected, the chair's high backs making it seem even more so, but I still love it. Mom plans on selling it and getting a new one after the holidays....*whispers* but I hope she keeps it. xD

(FYI, the camera decided to go on strike apparently. The dinning area doesn't actually have construction yellow paint on the walls. :P)

The current project is our late carport. Dad hired some men to finish walling it in. 

The outside is painted, but the inside has yet to be finished. 

Oh, yes, and before this was done, on the other side of the foyer wall is Laurisa's bedroom. (More space in my room! Whoot!)

I feel like I have alot to post this time (not posting for so long 'n all ;)) so I'm breaking them up into sections. 

Stayed tuned for more!