Jacob's feast...
We are getting ready to celebrate our 3rd feast when I realized I haven't had the chance to post- for Grandmother- the happenings from our second feast. This is DS #3, Jacob, and he is 12. He's the artsy type and makes really cool earrings. And tables and just about anything involving his two hands. His feast was Monday night- definitely a nice way to spend a Monday evening. He had an Italian-themed feast with Garlic bread and cheese dip and calzones stuffed with all kinds of good things- there were no leftovers, and that's saying something. For dessert he had chocolate fondue with pound cake, strawberries, bananas, and pineapple. Yummy stuff, that. His gift to the other kids was lip balm. Hey, when you've a set of kissers like that, chapped lips could be more than average-ly painful!

Just thought I'd mention a couple things that happened during the evening. We moved to this area to be near DH's family. He only has one sister and his mom was living with her. Now, his sister has 6 children and we were able to find a house only one mile down the road from them. My children affectionately call her children, "The Cousins." We spent the last 6 years, here, together. Celebrating holidays and seeing each other nearly daily. The kids were in heaven. Well, The Cousins moved this past school year to Florida. Talk about trauma and heartbreak! So, my kids have been a "bit" blue. I say all this to preface the conversation at the dinner table, Monday night. DH decides that, really, enough is enough and it is high time we all move on. Easier said than done, but still he thought he'd give it a try. So he begins by saying that his DBIL made the decision to move and that we need to accept that and be happy for them. All of a sudden, and out of the blue, DS Paul, who is 10, stands up with his fist in the air, and says, "I can't accept it because I don't understand why they moved, and his decision is ruining my life!" Thump! His fist bangs down, firmly, on the table. We all sit up a bit straighter, blink, and then burst out laughing! Not that what he said was funny, but you have to know Paul. He is ever so reserved. He is the strong silent type. Not much to say, but apparently, a lot going on in that quiet head of his. Poor baby. Well, then DH tries to make things better by saying that, yes, we have all suffered a loss, here, but don't we all still have so many blessings in our lives? We have our health. None of us are worried that one of us is going to drop dead at any moment... eight little sets of eyes all shift down the length of the table... "OK, guys, stop looking at Grandma that way!" Honestly, you're a day over 25 and you've one foot in the grave! Reminded me of circling vultures. And only Bill would have worded it so...directly. Ok, maybe I would have. So now the kids have the assignment of listing the things in their lives that are good and that they are thankful for- and they have to be specific.

Recipe for Chocolate Fondue

• 2 12oz bags of semi-sweet chocolate morsels
• 3 Tablespoons of butter
• 1/2 Cup of whipping cream (milk would do)

Melt these in the microwave, cooking one minute at a time and then stirring. Let cool and add:

• 1 Cup sour cream

Pour into a fondue pot and serve with fresh fruit, cake, shortbread, whatever- anything tastes good with chocolate! If you don't have a fondue pot, just warm it back up in the microwave and serve in a warm bowl. That works fine, too.