~Our Thanksgiving preparation and day.~

~Our family shopping at the market for things that we needed for Thanksgiving dinner.~~We traced Elijah's hand to make the invitation that we gave to our Colombian friends to invite them to our house for Thanksgiving dinner.~
~On Monday we shopped for the food, and supplies for the dinner. On Tuesday we cleaned the house, and on Wednesday we BAKED all day. Here is what Elijah did some of the time while we were baking!~
~Sarah and Noah wanted to help me make the 64 rolls. They had a BLAST helping. Noah would get flour on his hands and then clap them together and say, "Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow! There was FLOUR everywhere. =D My kids were sooo excited to be baking and getting ready for Thanksgiving day.~
~Here Kimberly is getting the apples ready for me to make 2 big apple pies and one small one.~
~It was a really good time for Kimberly to learn how to make a pie. She asked a lot of questions, I showed her how to make a pie and then I let her make some pies by herself. (or nearly by herself.=)~
~Here is Kimberly and I with the 64 rolls and 2 apple pies.~
~Kimberly with a pumpkin pie.~
~Noah and Sarah wanted to make a miniature pie too. So, we prayed...and S-T-E-T-C-H-E-D that pie crust and Sarah made a apple pie (but we ran out of crust for the top) and Noah "made" a pumpkin pie. Two happy kids, and one happy but TIRED Mommy. =)
~Noah asked me if he could lick the bowl and I said, "Yes." But I had NO CLUE THAT HE WOULD PUT HIS WHOLE HEAD INSIDE THE BOWL!! =) You can imagine my surprise when I turned around to see a "headless" Noah...It cracked me up when I saw him. He had pumpkin ALL OVER HIS HAIR, and had to get a bath and wash his hair. Fun Memories!~
~2 yummy pumpkin pies.~
~The Lord helped me with the centerpiece. My flowers are actually a light yellow, but this photo makes them look like white. I was happy to find these cute little leaf dishes on which to serve the cranberry jelly.~
~2 yummy apple pies.
~A place setting.~
~I was happy to find these cute little orange leaves (That are actually Christmas ornaments) that had a clip on the back to hook to your Christmas tree, but I used them for Place Card holders. =} (Phillip got these for me for part of my Christmas gift, early. =)
~When we make Thanksgiving dinner there in the USA, there normally is a couple ladies, or more to help make the meal. But...this time it was just me to make it all to serve 20 people. So...I was very GLAD to have Phillip's help!! Sarah took this picture of us cooking away in the kitchen.~
~Our turkey. (I cooked it a little too long for it to be really pretty, =) But it was yummy...and our guests and our family enjoyed it!~
~The big table.~
~One of our 4 tables.~

~The 2nd table with Kimberly and Paula. (Leidy could not come due to having a test to take at school. She was very sad, and we were too that she could not come.)~
~The 3rd table with Phillip, Felipe, Marisol, and Karen.~
~The 4th table, with Noah, Sarah and Gaby.~
~Enjoying the "Comida Americana", or the American food. They seem to really enjoy the ham, turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, creamed corn, rolls, 7 layer salad, cranberry jelly, southern tea, and apple and pumpkin pies. =)~
~Cleaning up.~
~God's presence settled down upon us as we each said something(s) we were thankful for, and sang hymns, and Phillip explained the history of Thanksgiving, and exhorted us to be Thankful to God in everything.~

We thank God that we had a very Happy Thanksgiving. I hope that y'all did too! Our Colombian "family" helped us not to be so lonely. =)