November Tuesdays With Tracy ( I am Thankful)

Hello friends.  Welcome to Tuesdays with Tracy, November 2023 edition of my “Ponderings on the Pond”.  It is such a pleasure to join you on The Tattered Pew, my daughter Kelly’s blog.  

November is a month of remembering to be thankful.

This is our current view of the pond.

As you can see, things are not looking quite so green here in Colorado.  But, the pond is not frozen yet.  We have actually had a beautiful, comfortable fall.  For that, I am thankful.

November Travels

But then there was this… Kauai, Hawaii.

November has been a month of travel… Palm Desert,CA,  San Jose,CA,  Kauai, Hawaii, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.   As I’m pondering I realize that most of our friends are somewhat tied to our life in football and our many moves. 

Larry, my husband, played football in college so it was fun to visit with college era friends. Then he moved into coaching in college football and so it was fun to visit with coaching colleagues, who are also friends.

What a pleasure it was to join friends in California, and Hawaii.   We are blessed to have friends from college days and friends we have made along the journey of life.  Our visits with each of them were merely times of enjoying their company.  Nothing fancy, just enjoying time together. For that, I am thankful.

“The real test of friendship is can you 

literally do nothing with the other person?  

Can you enjoy those moments of life 

that are utterly simple?”                    

Eugene Kennedy

In San Jose, CA we were able to visit with a former player/coaching colleague who now coaches for the 49ers Football team.  A true joy for Larry and I to stand on the sidelines and see this man (and his wife!) who has worked hard and overcome life’s challenging obstacles.  

For that, I am thankful.

My fourth trip was to Pittsburgh, PA with my daughter, Lindsey.  It was what I would call a painfully beautiful time.  We traveled there to celebrate the life of a wonderful man whose life was cut short by illness, way too soon according to our hopes and dreams.  That was the painful part. 

But, the celebration of his life was held in the Pittsburgh Steeler’s stadium… how cool is that? That location was a huge part of his life and work.  He was a man of deep faith who was loved deeply. That was the beautiful part. For that, I am thankful.

November Around Home

So, what have I worked on at home?  The answer is not much.  Remember the wheat bundles that I crafted in the October Tuesdays with Tracy?  Well in preparation for our Thanksgiving dinner I moved the wheat bundles off of the dining room table and onto the sideboard.

Every year we put Christmas lights on the fence in our backyard.  The fence circles the pond and almost all the neighbors put lights on their adjoining fences. So that is one thing that we have accomplished before the weather becomes freezing.  For that, I am thankful.

Operation Christmas Child

Every year we have filled shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child with the grandchildren. https://www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/

It has been a good experience for all of us and causes each of us to develop an attitude of generosity and gratitude. This year the timing was last minute so our oldest grandsons weren’t able to join us but we’re still treasuring the memories.

For that, I am thankful.

Last week I enjoyed my once a month Bunco evening with dear friends.  Sherri, our hostess, had some Christmas decor ready for us to enjoy.  She has the sweetest Hot Cocoa bar set up on her beautiful antique sideboard. We always enjoy food, laughter, and friendship on Bunco night.

For that, I am thankful.

Dollhouse Tradition

When our girls were little, my dad built the frames of dollhouses for each of them.  Well those unfinished dollhouses moved around the country with us. 

Kelly’s townhouse dollhouse was finished for Grace’s birthday when she was seven. Here’s what hers looks like on the inside, before and after.

Then Crosby wanted her own dollhouse so I found one on Facebook Marketplace.  It was really beat up so here are the before and after photos. 

I kept it simple with an all white interior and exterior.  She was quite a bit younger so the decor is quite simple.

Well my daughter Lindsey has two girls that are ready for a dollhouse. When Lindsey was little she loved her Grandma’s dollhouse so with her it was “go big or go home”, ha!  She chose a dollhouse that was large and had two additional wings. 

Remember, my dad had completed the frames and stained the floors.  So this is our huge endeavor going on right now to gift to her girls for Christmas. 

What do you think, will we get her done?! Ha!! Stay tuned for the December edition of Tuesdays with Tracy.

A Visit With My Sister

My sister Pam is here visiting for Thanksgiving.  Yesterday we were at Kelly’s house working on Christmas decor and today we will go to Lindsey’s house to work on her Christmas decor.  This time spent with family decorating our houses and dollhouses brings me so much creative joy. 

For that, I am thankful.

On Thanksgiving we enjoy turkey, sweet potatoes, pies, and a variety of foods.  Kelly’s husband, Mike usually makes a huge amount of mashed potatoes with cream cheese that are a family favorite. What foods do you enjoy on Thanksgiving?

Happy Thanksgiving.

Remember to set your scales back ten pounds this weekend!

Thanksgiving Wishes

This week we will host family and friends for our Thanksgiving dinner. Thirteen of us will gather together to give thanks to God and enjoy a feast!

For that, I am thankful.

I am so very grateful for you, our friends of The Tattered Pew.  My prayer is that you will have moments that you treasure with a grateful heart. Moments of quiet encouraging faith, and moments of contentment and joy.  

For you, I am thankful.

Love,

Tracy