Thanksgiving, Family, and Thanksmas

I got a bit crafty the other week and made a Fall/Thanksgiving painting.  I had fun. 

I think it looks quite nice.:)

 Wednesday evening, I did some baking for Thanksgiving. 

Apple pie.:)

Two pumpkin pies.  :)

The leftovers made small pies. 

The apple pies ended up boiling over into the oven.  I put a cookie sheet down, which didn't hold the juice, which ran over and down into the oven. The house filled with smoke and the smoke alarms went off. The joys of a gas oven with actual flames. 

We went to the Braker's (Martin's) for Thanksgiving day.  We went with them to church and then back to their house for the day. There was more than enough really good food. :) 

Turkey, stuffing, squash casserole, potatoes....

Pie!

Mr. Isaiah was also present.

 He enjoyed accidentally taking selfies with my phone. 

Friday, I spent the day cleaning and baking some more.  
I stepped out on to the porch and heard a crash. I looked over and this guy was sitting in my yard:

He stuck around for a bit, but ran off when I tried to catch him. 

Apple cider doughnut cake. 

Attemp #1 flopped. 

I didn't dust the pan in flour first. 

Attempt #2 was much better. 

And I got to eat attempt #1.  :)

Friday evening, Nathan's siblings came over for the night as a midway point for Saturday's Thanksgiving/Christmas Drayer reunion. 

Nathan read children's books to his siblings...:) like the old days. lol

They all spent the night.  We don't have enough beds so some slept on the floors. Ten people in the house, is not quiet either.  There was plenty of piano playing and other noisy activities. It was quite the house party.  :)

Saturday, all ten of us loaded up and headed to the reunion.  There was once again tons of food that stayed out all day. The main meal was lunch and the rest of the day everyone just scavenged. 
We played a long game of bingo with tons of prices for the winners. Every one one at least once. I think I got a lucky card because I got 4 Bingos.

The awesome old fashioned bingo card. 

After the reunion, Nathan and I went home and crashed. I think I had met my limit of socializing. :)

It was nice to have a long weekend away from work, but I'm wishing I had another day or two. Or maybe a whole week. :)

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:18

In Christ
~Michelle

The Messiah

Last week we went over to the farm for a meat-ing... Haha. I don't get the credit for that ridiculous pun, Nathan does.  Anyway, my parents had a hog butchered and Noah gave them half a cow so after splitting it all four ways, we still got plenty of meat for really cheap. :)

Pork chips, roasts, T-bone steaks, ground beef, sausage, bacon.... 

The benefits of being a farmer's daughter. :)

Friday night, Nathan and I went out to princeville. We decided it was about time that we get together with Tristan and Larissa.  We took them pizza and got a tour of the house. Their house is going to be cool. It's old and looks like they will have plenty of work. But the potential. Beautiful wood floors, woodwork, and a brick chimney and fire place. :) I've always wanted to build but now I'm wondering if I'd rather fix up an old house. You just can't build character. 

We stopped at Nathan's parents for a few hours afterwords.  They now have a loom, so I'm hoping sometime in the future they can teach me how to make my own wool blanket. :)

I woke up to this Saturday morning. 

Saturday morning began our weekend of singing.  We had dress rehearsal for the Messiah that morning. It was the first time singing with an orchestra. 

Saturday, afternoon I was actually really productive. I cleaned the house a little, did laundry, and tried out a few fudge recipes. The coffee fudge was not very good. The peanut butter chocolate, though, was amazing. I have a whole 9x13 of it in my refrigerator... Next time you see me I may have gained a few pounds :) hehe.

Saturday evening we went to Ed and Barb's singing shower.  I sang alto most of the time to spare my voice. Although, some hymns are just too good and I had to switch back to soprano. :)

Sunday, after church (more singing, of course) we went straight to Morton for the Messiah.  It was wonderful.  The words, mainly scripture, and the music tell the beautiful story of the gospel from man's sin to our redemption in Christ's death to His glory and power in heaven. It is kind of sad that the Hallelujah chorus is really the only well know chorus from the whole piece. 

 The performance that afternoon was actually the first time we had sung the Messiah beginning to end with the soloists.  I think it went well though.:)

"For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." ~I Cor. 15:21,22

In Christ

~Michelle

weather and work things

Cold, blustery, wet, and grey
October, you are not my favorite month. 

Alas, it will be some time before I see perfect weather again. :)

Since the temperature has dropped outside, getting dressed in the morning becomes increasingly more difficult.  Mainly, because the temperature in my office is more unpredictable than the Illinois weather forecast.  One week,  I don't think I took my coat off at work all week. I have a corn heat bag that I heat in the microwave and keep in my lap all day. I warm my fingers up in between bouts of typing.  Then, the maintenance man finally got the boilers working.  And the radiators were on full blast. I of course was loving the temperature, a nice 85, but my coworkers however, were not.  I eventually conceded and allowed them to open windows. That lasts for a few hours until the school (on the other side of the building), complains and off go the boilers, on goes the coat. 

I've been spending a lot of time at ICC these days with my clients.  If I haven't said it before: just because the opportunity is there does not mean everyone has the same opportunities in place to get there.
 When I went to ICC, I signed up online, completed my FAFSA, took out a loan, scheduled a time to register for classes, and I was in. 
That is not how it works for people whose parents, socioeconomic status, family background etc. are different than the typical middle class family.  
I literally feel like pulling my hair out trying to get these kids enrolled. It's exhausting just thinking about every way the system is so much harder for them.  
Transcripts- most ICC students come straight out of high school, and maybe even sign up and send their transcripts in school, before they even graduate.  My clients- lacking the stable family, being tossed around through DCFS, they have to call their high school, mail them paperwork and money, and wait, and wait, and wait for their transcripts to arrive after classes start.

Residency- most ICC students live at home with parents, or at least they can give their parent's address at the start of school. Most of them have their driver's license since the age of 16, and can provide that as proof of residency.  My clients- no one ever went driving with them. At the age of 18,19, and 20 most of them still can't drive.  A state ID is the alternative, but like with the transcripts the chances of them living in one place long enough to collect the paperwork to get an ID placing them in district is slim to none.  This becomes a problem how? Cost of tuition. My clients, if I don't spend ridiculous amount of time with them gathering documents and running back and forth from ICC to the DMV,  get charged a higher rate. 

Financial aid-  Now most middle class kids just take out a loan, pay out of pocket, or have their parents pay. My clients-  most are eligible for a grant through the state. However, if they are registered as out of district. Financial aid will only pay the amount up to the in district cost.  This leaves my clients with upwards of $1000 in debt each semester.  That may sound like nothing, but to them, that is a huge set back.  In one case, Financial Aid wouldn't pay at all, and my client had to drop all of his classes halfway through the semester.  
I can hear the middle-class person inside of me saying "well they should just work." Ha.   Note above where I said they can't drive.  They have to take the bus. Which means an extra one to two hours, depending on the bus schedule, to and from class.  Add an hour to and from work.  And, that equals 25 hours a week spent on transportation alone. They can work yes, but not enough to cover tuition. 

So, no, not everyone has the same opportunity to go to college. If I wasn't there doing all the leg work, some of my clients would have given up long ago, like many young adults in the community, and worked a McDonald's for the rest of their lives. 

So from now until January 16th, the start of Spring semester, I will get to spend more time than I would like haggling with the financial aid office and the enrollment office. 


On another cheerier note, last Saturday night, Wendi and I carpooled out to Larissa's personal shower.  I barely get to see Wendi anymore so that was awesome to begin with.  Then, I got to hang out with Larissa for the first time since she was engaged!:)    There were a bunch of other good friends from various times in my life and it was wonderful to see them again too.  
I'm so excited for Tristan and Larissa. Not only is she my good friend, Nathan and Tristan and great friends. :)  

I hear snow is on the way this weekend. While I am not a fan of all most things cold, pretty white fluffy snow does sound much better than this dreary rain. 

In Christ
~Michelle

Duncan Manor

Last Sunday evening, Aaron and Kendra invited us over for pizza with Wendi and Henry. William and Henry were pretty much the center of attention.:) 

Last Tuesday, I had to stay late at work to take my parenting clients to a parenting class. So, while they were in class I went shopping.  I didn't get anything but I gathered Christmas ideas. I've been in a search ever since we got married, for a painting or picture for above our couch.  I haven't been impressed with anything I've seen so far. I think I'm too picky. We've been in our house over a year, and I still have random fabric covering the windows in our bedroom. I just can't decide on curtains. 

Friday night, Nathan and I planned to go to Timber Ridge for a singing with the residents. Nathan listened to my terrible suggestion and we decided to take the interstate.  We left home at 6:45 and didn't make it to Morton until 7:30. Apparently they have started closing the interstate to one lane at night. We didn't make it to the singing. 

the traffic backed up for miles.

Saturday, I had an extremely productive day. We cleaned the gutters and finished raking some of the leaves, cleaned the house,  and I baked bread for potluck in the morning.  In the afternoon,  Jenny, the girls, mom, and I went to Duncan Manor.

Duncan Manor is near Towanda, IL not far outside of Bloomington. It was built by the William Duncan in 1869. It was for sale for a few years and was pretty run down. Someone recently bought it and they are fixing it up. They have open house tours to raise money to restore it. 

Duncan Manor :)

sigh. just look at those beautiful windows.

servant's stair case

the view from the front porch. 

Emmy liked the couch.

beautiful exposed brick.

this was the children's room on the 3rd floor.

the attic 

the full grand stair case. 

The door to the basement. 

 It would have been such a cute picture, but Cecily didn't feel like posing. 

The back...maybe technically the front. 

Emmy enjoyed being outside.

Attempt at another picture

:)

If only...:) 

It is such a beautiful house. I'm glad someone is fixing it up.

The inside of the original barn.

Saturday evening, we  went to Max and Mary's for potluck.  Ed and Barb were there and they told their engagement story. It was a wonderful testimony of God's faithfulness. It was also quite humorous at times:) 

This afternoon (Sunday), we went over to the farm. Kay and Larry, my relatives, were in town so my parents had an open house for the family to stop by and see them.  I don't see that side of the family very often, but it was good.  Us "kids" have grown up a bit and it makes it easier to connect on an adult level. Where, when we were kids we didn't have much in common and being shy, I didn't really want to get to know them. 

In Christ

~Michelle