Thankful

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It's been super busy around the Rollins' house this month so I'm just now getting around to blogging about our Thanksgiving. Although it's not the Thanksgiving we had planned, it turned out to be a really great day! We had three Thanksgiving dinners planned for the day - Wewoka, then Ada to Jeb's dad's, then back to Wewoka for my mom's side. A pretty tough schedule with a 2 year-old and an 8 month-old, but we were going to try and make our rounds. We stayed at the lake the night before and walked up the hill to Grandma and Papa's house for the big Cook Family Thanksgiving lunch. We also invited Jeb's mom this year so it was kind of like a Cook/Rollins joint Thanksgiving. Right as we were starting to eat, Kassidy came up from our lake house and told me he had a pretty severe headache and that he wasn't feeling well. Dad took him back down to our house and after I finished eating I went to check on him. We decided because of his history we should head to the ER. Long story short...I ended up riding to the hospital with mom, dad, and Kass to get things checked out, while Jeb set out on a Thanksgiving adventure with the two kids - taking them to Ada then back to Wewoka. He even took my 6 year old cousin, Grayson...three kids and he conquered Thanksgiving like a champ! D.O.T.Y. (Daddy Of The Year!) 

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The Lupers - Will, Karen, Audri, & Eli

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The Kimreys - Tammy, Tyler, Jessie, & Tara

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Aunt Glenda got Reid a Christmas book and he looked at it the entire time!

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Gam-Ma Missy and her two girls!

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Aunt Glenda and her gang

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The Rollins Bunch

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The Rollins - Josh, Lacee, Jett, & Josslynn

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She's getting so big!

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My cute little cousin Grayson wanted to be in the picture too! After all, Reid is his "brother."

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Cousinly love!

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Hanging out at Grandma Lucy's house waiting on lunch

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Playing with daddy

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I think this was his face when I told him he had to take the kids for the rest of the day to all of the Thanksgivings!

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After spending all day and night in the hospital, thankfully things turned out fine with Kassidy. He has a clear bill of health and is better than ever! He's loving college, President of his fraternity pledge class, involved in President's Leadership Class, chasing girls, and making all A's in some extremely difficult classes. I couldn't be more proud of him! Although the hospital's turkey and dressing wasn't quite like my grandma's and their mashed potatoes had nothing on my granny's scalloped potatoes, it was a special evening spent with my family - just us four like old times. The room was filled with love and laughter and I wouldn't trade that Thanksgiving for anything. God has truly blessed our family and has given us more than I could have ever wanted. Thank you, Lord, for keeping us healthy, safe, and happy and help us to share your love and your blessings with all those we meet.

The Best Words Ever

While we were lying in bed tonight about to go to sleep, Reid cuddled close to me and wanted to hold my hand. He gave me a kiss and then said, "momma you're my best bud ever." I think those words are the best words ever!


-- Kell
Posted from my iPhone

A Family Tradition

It's that time of year...Cheese Apple time!!! My dad's side of the family has a tradition of all getting together (usually the night before Thanksgiving) to make cheese apples. What is a cheese apple? You ask. Well, sorry...but I can't tell you exactly what it is because the recipe is an old Cook family secret passed down for generations, but I can tell you that it basically is a special kind of cheese ball. We put holly leaves in the top and make them look like apples, hence the name "cheese apple." From what I've been told (some of you who know more about the recipe may have to help me out), the recipe started from the owner of a small, local grocery store/general store in Wewoka on the corner of Main Street. He was related to the Cook Family through marriage, I believe. This man knew everyone in town, as Wewoka is a really small town, and every year he would make these cheese apples and put them in his front window in a cooler to sell around the holiday season. Over the years they became a VERY desired holiday snack and everyone in town (and some out of towners) just couldn't wait to get one! And they are very yummy...that is, if you like them. They are kind of an acquired taste. Those that like them, CRAVE them! And those that don't, really don't like them. I didn't start liking them until I was pregnant with Reid. I guess pregnancy changed my taste buds! 

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This year we all got together at my Aunt Glenda's house and made almost 200 cheese apples! It's always so much fun because the entire family gets involved. Even the little ones have started helping out! When I was younger we would set up an old card table at my grandparents' house and attache 4 grinders to the side, each taking turns grinding the cheese. The past two years, thanks to technology, we have a mechanical grinder and when get them done in about 1/4 of the time! Sometimes I miss the old grinding by hand, but it sure is a whole lot easier with the new grinder! 

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My cousin Tyler - in charge of the "mixing" this year!

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This college boy was too tired to help...he chose to babysit instead! Sis looks a little unsure about it!

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 Reid and Jett really wanting to get their hands dirty!

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Lacee - the "ball maker!"

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This was Garrett's (my cousin Tara's boyfriend) first time to do cheese apples! We usually don't let any "outsiders" be involved in the preparation process in case they try and steal the recipe :) Since they are soon to be engaged, we thought the secret was safe with him!

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This was grandma's face when someone mentioned that we were almost out of a certain ingredient! She takes this cheese apple making pretty serious!

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 The Grinder - Uncle Terry has been named the "Official Grinder"

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Newbies get the stinky job!

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 Cheese! Lots of Cheese!

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 Just too many kids and too much going on...it was somebody's bedtime!

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Aunt Tammy & Aunt Glenda - they've done this a few times!

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 And these are cheese apples...minus the leaves on top.

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Papa - "the supervisor." He's earned his title!

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 Some of the crew of the first shift

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He's was just there for the socialization!

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 I don't think the babysitting's going very well!

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 These two love birds can even make cheese apples a romantic event!

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 One of our newest cheese apple makers...Baby Joss!

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Everyone takes their share of cheese apples home and we wrap them up in cute little dishes or serving platters and give them out to friends, neighbors, and co-workers as holiday gifts. Usually the same people get them every year, and over the years people have started asking for them...some even asking for 2 or 3! Everyone tries to figure out the recipe and some people have even tried to get their children married into the family over the years to get the secret recipe! They make a great snack to serve at holiday parties and get-togethers and taste extra good on Ritz crackers or with a piece of Robertson's summer sausage. So if you'd like to try one or need something to take to a holiday party, don't hesitate to ask us for one! We'd love to share our family tradition with you! Just don't ask for the recipe :)