Thanksgiving 2014 in Pennsylvania

This is what it looked like a couple days before Thanksgiving, but it didn't keep us from celebrating!

A pie for Thanksgiving dinner.

Aunt Joella and Uncle Craig were so gracious to allow everyone to come to their house. The decorations were charming in their simplicity.

So homey

The "Mayflower" was creative!

The girls' table

The youngest grandchild with big sister.

Natasha loves little ones, and little ones love her!

Laura and Lydia are about the same age.

After dinner, the boys had a snowball fight.

Then the cousins had game of Capture-the-Flag.

The adults made a puzzle

and played Scrabble.

Solving the world's problems :)

When it got dark, Dutch Blitz became a game of choice.

 
Singing together was the perfect way to end the day. I am thankful for the time we had together.

Cousins

Several of my cousins made dresses from the same kind of material in different colors. Candace sewed me a dress of the same color to match her and Amaris, but it was after these pictures. These pictures came from Ezra.

Six lovely cousins.

The matching pairs:

Susanna and Natasha

Pearl and Charity

Amaris and Candace.

Susanna, Natasha, and Pearl

Me with the cousins.

Pictures of our Thanksgiving and girl's tea party coming up!

Projects in Pennsylvania

While back east, I sewed a jumper with fabric I had bought.

Candace gave me directions and helped with the hard parts. I enjoyed it more than if I had tried to do it all myself.

One day, I went with Uncle Elon's and Uncle Fain's family and a group of acquaintances from a church nearby to the warehouse of Christian Aid Ministries. We got the job of bagging flour for the food parcels CAM sends out every month. Teams of two each started with a hundred-pound bag of flour. One person held the bag open so the other could put three big scoops in.

The next person made sure the bags weighed five pounds, adding or taking out flour if needed. That was my job.

After the bags were weighed, they were taped shut. Here are a couple of my cousins doing that. Our group bagged several tons of flour in three or four hours. That was all the flour for the month. I enjoyed taking part in CAM's ministry.

Uncle Hoshea's visit

A couple weeks before Thanksgiving, part of Uncle Hoshea's family came for a short visit. Amanda enjoyed feeding this puppy whose mother had too many to be able to take care of them all.

The guys tried to figure out what was wrong with this car,

and visited.

Amanda helped the girls put together hygiene packs for Christian Aid Ministries to send to needy people. As you can see, all the items are placed on a bath towel folded in half,

then the towel is folded over and pinned with a couple safety pins.

It was a good visit, and we hope to see the whole family soon!

Flowers and Friends

One day some of us girls had fun taking pictures where there were some beautiful roses.

My dear cousin Candace.

Candace is still my friend even when I mess up the picture!

I loved this birdhouse near where we took our pictures.

Making apple pie filling.

We girls during a weekend at Uncle Elon's place.

Friends forever. I am so thankful for the friends I have among my cousins.

Helping at Aunt Joella's

I stayed at Aunt Joella's house for a couple days to help. A highlight for me was listening to her family practice their handbells.

 I also enjoyed listening to them practice their strings.

Some pictures of little Laura. She was so cute and loved to help.

Three families got together for a service at the nursing home where prayer warrior Anita Brechbill is now. Here they all were singing, "Jesus Gives me a Song." I sang another song with them.

 Uncle Fain's family played lovely chime arrangements.

Pearl and Laura afterwards. I enjoyed being a small part of my uncles' nursing home ministry.