Thanksgiving Up Till Now

A real North Dakota Thanksgiving!

Sledding at the Strand's place in the Turtle Mountains 

There were ten of us up to the table on Thanksgiving. Special guests were Great Uncle Carl and Great Aunt Sylvia.

Don't play cards with Amy unless you plan to get beaten.

I started the puzzle but JoAnn couldn't sleep one night and finished it for us!

While Ethan has been out West in Idaho support-raising the last couple of weeks, I will update you on the happenings around here.

We had a great Thanksgiving trip to Bottineau to visit Ethan's parents.  It was cold and snowy up there near the Canadian border, so we took advantage of it and played outside a lot! The day we left ND it was -4 F (that's -20 C for you Europeans).  Yikes! We drove down to Bismarck to pick up a car Ethan was renting from a mission organization, and then visited our pastor friend there.  The kids and I said "goodbye" to Ethan and began the four hour drive back home.  It was about an eight hour drive that day altogether.  

Since then we have been here continuing our lives of learning and working hard.

The kids insisted on Trimming the Tree before Dec. 1 even rolled around. Mommy gave in.

Decorating the tree in a ballet leotard...the fun never stops for these girls!

Thanks for the snowflake ornaments, Uncle Dan and Aunt Carol!

Missing Daddy!

It's been fun to prepare for Christmas and celebrate the Advent season together in our family and at church.  God sent to us the best gift...a Savior!