November brought us the delightful and super quick visit of my youngest brother, Jonathan. He was here for just a short weekend, but we hadn't seen each other in over four years, much less connected the way we were able to this weekend.
He was a great sport and played games with the kids (thought I don't think playing board games is really his cup of tea!). It was great to see him and host him. It isn't something I get to do often.
Victoria strikes again:
The growing belly.
Ben was able to install the old pocket doors in a barn door design. I was so happy about this because I knew we needed to re-do the room where the pocket doors used to be, but I couldn't really think of a place to use them. We realized that they would work beautifully as barn doors in the separation between the great room and dining room/kitchen entryways. I am so thankful for that!!
And this just in time for one of the wishes we had had for YEARS! We dreamed of the day we could host the Levendusky crew for Thanksgiving!!
Older kids table (+ Victoria)
Young adult/teen table
The adults (and some of the middle boys).
We were especially blessed by having Ford and Sarah Reynolds (Heidi’s parents) join us for Thanksgiving Dinner!
As we sat after dinner around the piano and sang hymns as a family, I couldn’t help but shed tears of thankfulness. This, a house full, of people, of family is the teason why we undertook the renovation of the house. We’re so blessed to be able to open it up now. We’re still not done, but we will get there some time!
Dessert spread
*****
Tree getting day! Unfortunately, I couldn't be a part of all of the tree getting excursion and we didn't get pictures because not even a mile away from the tree place, Victoria got car sick and threw up all over herself, her car seat, etc. So upon getting to the farm (where there was no water, no bathroom, or any other kind of facility that we could use), I had to stay in the car, trying to figure out a way to clean the car seat, the seat belts, etc. with the next to none wipes that I had brought with me.
So this picture of Victoria is pretty much all I have to show for our tree getting day!
Victoria was dressed in a combination of a winter vest of her own we found in the car + Elena's extra coat that had also been forgotten in the car.
As life goes and with how busy the month was, we also did not decorate the tree for a few days. But here is the final moment, when Ben puts the star on top of the tree.
