Happy Thanksgiving!

We are doing things different this year. No turkey, no dressing and I am even going shopping on THE DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING! Never thought I would do that. I guess I just want to experience it. Leave myself behind, (the self that only feels like Ethan's mom and has no other identity except cooking and cleaning, of course) and plunge myself into the great beyond! Watch other people flying around with their own agenda. I won't really have one of my own I just want to pretend to exist in the "norm". I will just love feeling what it is like to be around a lot of other people bustling about. I want to let the world irritate me again, as i get pushed around and wait in long lines while possibly having to deal with an employee clerk who has no idea how to work a register.

Something about being in chaos makes me feel comfort. Twisted huh. I know it is, because I feel less chaotic while in the middle of chaos that is all around me but not within me. And of course, I love it because I sit at home in a very peaceful and calm environment with very little activity happening outside of baby nap time, baby changing time, baby play time. Believe me, I would not change my sweet world for anything, EVER! Not even a little. My little snow baby and all his tiny activity and existence is all this mamma could ever want. I love my life and being at home all day. It still amazes me that i get to wake up every morning to his smiling face and spend the whole day with such a precious being. However, for those of you who know the demands of the small sweetness in your own home, understand how excited I must be to have a day to myself!!!! YIPPY! A day to do what I want no matter how crazy!

Every year, for Thanksgiving, the women in this family are cooking and cleaning all day. How is that exciting. Not only do I get to do that everyday at home, but I get to do it even more on Thanksgiving. So, if there are people to fellowship with, or a parade to watch, or apple cider to drink while sitting by the fire, movies or otherwise, we are not doing those FUN things! We are in the kitchen! Isn't this holiday for fellowship and fun! I am just happy to be here and not spending the day cooking! Hanging with my family is all I care about. Jon David is home and we are having a lot of fun working on projects we have always wanted to do around the house! Yet, we are still having dinner at my house tonight with my parents. Dinner= soup! Yep! We are having soup. Not just any soup, but a butternut squash soup that has been caramelized with apples and onions and then pureed with chicken stock for a base with stir fried veggies, curry and coconut milk, served over basmati rice with garnished with either bananas, dried cranberries or mango chutney. Yum, huh. I don't even kinda want turkey this year. Besides, we just have it again for Christmas dinner in a month.

So, I am very Thankful this holiday season and very happy too, in this special season of my life. I feel full, rewarded somehow and incredible grateful for the simple things, the things we often take for granted (even being able to make a list, let alone check them off and have some time to shop alone!) So, here is to the simple things!

Blessing and Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

Food will tell...

This is my sweet Aunt Jessica, who came all the way from Aspen, Co, just to meet me. She's pretty, don't you think?
Who is this crazy girl? I guess she thinks I'm pretty cute!
I think she is pretty funny!

These are my friends Julianna and Isabella. Finally, the whole Frank family together again in Nashville.

A time we will remember in our taste buds and in our hearts!

So, my sister just left and to finish up the trip we decided to record on a calender all that we had accomplished on her month stay here, in Nashville. It became a "food recall" event as we struggled to remember each morning, afternoon and evening. They all ran together, especially since we were all sick for much of her stay. As Jessica processed the day beginning with what we ate and ending with what we ate...it all started to come back to us. It was proof to her very fine tuned taste in food. She eats well, always has. Now, having lived in Aspen for about 4 years, she has become accustomed to eating only the best and most gourmet. To her, fine food starts with time, energy and patience (of which, she has a small reservoir set aside for just this purpose) for all the flavors to be expressed, pulled, marinated and added. There are no short cuts! That is to be rule number 1!
So, I give you a list of the most delightful yummies we shared!
*Slow roasted "drunk chicken" with a pecan mixed greens salad
*The most Delicious homemade pizza you have ever had! Which was a margarita pizza with pesto and prosciutto added along with some special touches!
*Homemade cabbage rolls served with potato pancakes ( i did not have the pleasure to taste)
*Homemade BBQ chicken sauce served over grilled chicken and Jessica's made up couscous with veggies. Who knows how she made that ordinary dish so extraordinary!
*Thai chicken soup...pressure cooked whole chicken, (spent forever pulling it till it was in fine shreds). Fresh cilantro, green onions, and lime with spicy chili sauce on top. Mom cooked the soup with her home grown lemon grass, then we added mung beans, mushrooms, rice noodles and other ingredients. YUMMY!
*Black bean and chicken soup (also from whole chick and pulled with extra time involved)
*Delicious Finger licking Good Peanut Pasta...pulled chicken, rice noodles,homemade peanut sauce, shredded carrots, snow peas, mung beans, peppers, cilantro etc. with chili sauce. AMAZING! (My special dish, by the way)
*Fall soup... sausage, sweet potato cubed, onions, mustard seeds, cabbage etc. served with corn bread
*Enchiladas with arugula salad (again never ordinary)
*Mom's homemade and famous chili

Well, that is a rough draft and since i don't have a copy of that calender i am just trying to remember it myself! I just had to share it all with you.
We lived, we laughed, we did busy body stuff, we got sick, we took care of each other and we ate like Kings and Queens...as we should!
Isn't it funny how life really does revolve around food. Makes you realize how much more so food should revolve around a table and friendly faces. Unfortunately, especially in America, we have strayed away from this beautiful design.
God gave us The Banqueting Table! We are meant to break bread, fellowship, eat, drink and be merry. Ever since Jessica came i have wanted to bring the "Table" back into our lives here, at Adnevik Lane! Lately, we have been able to accomplish just that and I love it!
Thanks, Jess, for your inspiration. I had a blast with you and I am still savoring every taste we enjoyed together!

Pumpkin Fest and my little "Moo" cow

Definitely one of my favorite days with little snow!
There is nothing more lovely than the fresh crisp air, a festive atmosphere, dressing up your baby and your favorite person of all, asleep in your arms...without the weight!


I think if Ethan knew who this was, he wouldn't pretend to be Ok with The Dark Vader holding him. You have to get a picture of the big man in a black in white costume holding the littlest man in the black and white costume.

Jessica is here to visit! She made it just in time to join us downtown for some festivities. We have been having so much fun together, until we all went home that night and ended up sick for at least a week. I love this time of year, fall leaves, pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin soup, pumpkin pie, everything pumpkin; sweaters, hay rides and hot drinks. All to be topped off with a very bad cold!

At the end of a very long day, he still had enough energy to laugh all the way to our favorite Thia restaurant. I love this boy, he is just my kinda guy! He was so pumped by all the people buzzing by, costumes, dogs and smells...he had never had so much fun!

This is my favorite time of year. I love to walk amongst all that it offers. Is any one interested in joining me soon? I would love it if people commented on my blog by telling me their favorite thing of fall and even a suggestion of how we can celebrate fall together if your in the area.

Love to you all and blessings on your fall!

Another special visit from grandparents!

The two weeks that grandma and grandpa came, were really full! We had a dedication or two, I was in a wedding for a very good friend, we had lots of outings and even the Franks came to see us. It never fails, no matter how tired, stressed, or crying, this little man cheers up the minute you put him on his changing table!
Have any of you ever heard of The Funky Griddle? It is located on Brandsford Ave, just past the my parents store...The Beaded Bungalow. They have hot plates in the center of your table where you cook your own pancakes and eggs. They have all these different toppings and it is yummy! It was a little hot in there, but loved it! That is where we are, in the picture below. All the grandparents met us there for a very filling breakfast. Is this not the sweetest shot of dad with his grandson? We had to take Terje and Berit to Cracker Barrel for their last meal before catching a flight. Otherwise, it would be like they never came to the south. If you look closely at this picture, Bob and Sally Anderson are sitting behind us (For those of you who know them from church).It took three generations to truly define handsome!

Sad goodbye's are only soothed by sweet hello's. Till we meet agian. Tusen Takk for at dere kom

Ethan's dedication day!

This truly was one of the best days of my life and for little Ethan it definitely had to be THE BEST DAY of his 121 days so far! The Lord was so gracious and his presence was so thick. He did not spare us one ounce of his goodness. I was very unsure of what this day would hold. I had never been to a baby dedication so i didn't know what it should look like. I was really struggling to feel like i had heard from God about it. I also, really felt awful because i had nothing to offer at my own babies dedication. I had not realized, that was God's plan and his very best for this little guy. It really all came from him. It was a day the Lord had set aside to celebrate his billionth creation, to call him his very own son. As we gave Him a day, He gave us His heart. He wanted to use this day to ask Ethan to come away with Him forever to discover just how big His heart is and to know His goodness! Jon David and I went up to a beautiful mountain to dedicate Ethan. It was a very hot and sunny day. He was naked most of the time due to the heat. Later we dressed him when the family came in a gown that many generations had worn in Norway before him. During our time alone we prayed so many things over him. Jon David is the one who held him the whole time and lifted him up to the Lord and dedicated him. IT WAS AMAZING! I wish i had a picture of any of that.
We had all the grandparents there. Jon David's parents came all the way from Norway. We also had the franks there. We had asked them to be Ethan's Godparents and they flew in just for that day! In our time everyone anointed him with oil as they laid hands and prayed over him.
Everyone got to share something special that the Lord had given them. Here his grandparents are singing the most beautiful song in Norwegian over Ethan. It was translated for all of us and it truly had the most powerful words in it. My parents shared so much of what God had already told Jon David and I earlier that day. They even spoke about children being arrows, having no idea that we had archery planned as a surprise part of our days events and Jon David was reading from that very scripture!

At the end,the grandfathers shot an arrow on our behalf's toward parenthood as Psalm 127:3-5 was read allowed. Then Jon David shot one for baby Ethan. It was so cool. It was small and intimate and absolutely beautiful. Thanks for letting us share in the best day of Ethan's little life so far. We wish you could have all been there, and this is the best way to do that.

grabbing and holding...

Ethan has just started grabbing things and putting them into his mouth! He loves this swing so much i made my mom bring it over from her house and give it to me! He loves to bat at the bear because it will make a funny sound if he hits it just right. So, he concentrates really hard, aims for the bear and then strikes! It is so amusing we could sit and watch him hours!
This is fast becoming Ethan's first best mate! If he is anything like his mom or aunt Jessica, the bear is soon to find an ear or two chewed off! Never the less, Elizabeth, we will always remember you picked out his favorite toy! oh, i need to put one of your famous and beautiful cakes on my blog! She does the most amazing cakes you have ever seen!!!!! i will prove it later.
These days have been so very special. Ethan is talking like crazy and makes us laugh every day! I wish so much i could frame him in this special time to keep forever. This weekend his grandparents from Norway are coming to visit again and we are so excited. They are so awesome and just can't imagine staying away longer than three months. We have a lot to look forward to while they are here...We are having a private ceremony with just the family to dedicate Ethan and then we will do one at church as well. Then i am in a wedding and we have our Bradley class reunion (now that all the babies are born). So much to do in so little time. Looking forward to it all!

More fun at the beach

Julianna, Sally and Isabella with little Snow Baby
A Jon David sportin a little Bay Watch jive! Hee Hee
Does this baby even look like mine, let alone 3 months old. He could be a year or more old in this picture. He seems so clean cut...can't be mine,, oh yeah, he came from Jon David too!