Let Thanksgiving Overflow...

We enjoyed our short trip home for Thanksgiving and spending time with both sides of the family.  We have many blessings to be thankful for, not the least of which is family. As we spent time catching up on each others lives and reminiscing on the past it was humbling to see how God has worked and is continuing to work in each of our families.  We missed Cory and Lynn and family but are thankful they are doing well in Haiti. 
We didn't start back to school until today which was a very good thing.  (I am learning to relax a little about the homeschooling...)  We used Tuesday as an unpacking, catch up on wash, Mookie haircut, library, food pantry, grocery shopping day.  Wednesday the boys (actually just Caleb as Nicolas was home with the stomach flu) had orchestra.  School on orchestra day is always a little tricky so we just decided to start today.  I was all gung-ho but the kids had a little trouble attending and getting into the groove.  I mentioned this to Russ when he came home from school today and he said that I sounded like a teacher.  He noticed when he taught that students always had trouble coming back from a break and getting back into a routine.  I have empathy for all those teachers out there, and my classroom is quite small!
Here are a few pictures of the Herman clan:

Dad and Carol

The grandkids with Grandpa and Grandma.  The two on either end of the back row, Claire and Bradley, are Carol's grandchildren.  Her son Vey and his wife Pam who live Indiana have joined us at Dayton Oaks for the last several years.

The grandchildren

Mara with her boyfriend Skyler.  Mara is the oldest grandchild and a freshman at Dakota Wesleyan this year.

                

Doesn't this look like trouble?  These are Nathan's two boys on the left and Renee's youngest on the right.

Lydia with Kaylan, Philip and Pam's little foster child.

Straws and connectors--the kids have tons of fun with these