ahhhh, I am so stuffed.....

Emily said her teacherr said "I stuff the turkey and then the turkey stuffs me."  Oh, so true.  And now that dinner is over, the kitchen clean, and a pie in the oven.......NOW I can update the blog. John is nursing his pop knot with a good nap.  Poor thing.  I want you to know, THAT was the best Thanksgiving dinner I have ever prepared.  Everything turned out great and it was all done at the same time.  Ya know how, inevitably, something gets done first and then gets cold while everything else is finishing--I always have that problem anyway.  The turkey was moist, the potatoes fluffy, the dressing, a new recipe in a crockpot, was awesome.  It could not have been better.  Well, if all our family was here it would have been better.  The first thing I thought was well, that means Christmas dinner will be a flop.  John, ever the optimist, said that just means I am "perfecting".  What a guy!  And now John is napping, the kids are outside playing and I get to plan out my morning of shopping tomorrow.  I was not going to go, but Emily wants to go so bad, we will try it.  We won't be long.  I need to get some painting done in the house.  Will it ever be done?  I don't think so.  When I get the last of the painting done, I'll just start over.  But I enjoy it.  

And this just in....I just pulled my chocolate pecan pie out of the oven and it is beautiful.  Don't ya just want a piece.  

Truly, I have had the perfect day.  Got to sleep in....just a little.  Made a great dinner without any pressure or stress.  John cut a piece of plywood and some pieces of wood for legs to build a platform for my Christmas houses.  I am a happy, happy girl.  I'll get squashed flat by a cement truck before bedtime, I just know it.  

A couple of pictures posted here are:  Emily's getting her soccer trophy from her coach at the soccer banquet, the kids painting the pieces of the platform for my Christmas houses, and my chocolate pecan pie.  

Why don't you do it?

You would think I would know better than to ask Kathy a question today.  "Hey Girl, when are you going to update the blog?"  Oh how I wish I could think before I speak.  She is fully engaged with the excitement of Thanksgiving dinner and I'm so bold as to ask about a silly blog site.  Normally it would have been a benign question but today it was the straw that put the pop knot on my skull.  A pop knot that a calf could suckle I might add. 

 

So I volunteered to update the blog site today while Kathy finishes the Turkey.  I was supposed to smoke the turkey but my attempt at smoking a butt was a disaster.  I know it is sophomoric but I have to laugh every time I say smoke and butt in the same sentence.  So we will have the traditional oven baked turkey again this year.  I like tradition so it is just fine with me.  A traditional Thanksgiving for me is; Turkey, Dressing, Cowboy Game sprinkled a couple of Naps.  So according to tradition, I’m off to eat, sleep and wait for the game.

 

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!   

Where's John

John is in this picture somewhere.  Can you find him??  He is getting ready for hunting season.

Snow Day

Well, not really.  But it did snow today.  Flurries.  It was so fun to wake up to.  There was a wee little bit stuck to the grass and in the trees.  Beautiful!  But I will also tell ya this.  I am COLD!!  Oh my word, I am always freezing.  The HEAT PUMP is a worthless contraption.  Hate it.  It does do well in the summer when it's an air conditioner.  BUT in the winter when it gets really cold, it doesn't work.  It changes to this thing called "auxillary heat" and it's like the air conditioner is blowing.  And until spring comes, there will be much more complaining to come.  

I had to meet with Ethan's teacher today.  I thought he was going to tell me that Ethan has not been turning in his classwork.  That has been an issue.  He is the absent minded professor sometimes.  He will do his work and then shove it into his desk and not turn it in.  Or maybe he wanted to stay late and have me come in just so he could tell me how bright and creative he thinks Ethan is.  Well, that wasn't it at all.  Ethan has not been doing his homework at all.  And his reason??  He said he just didn't want to do it.  Didn't he think that was going to catch up with him??  He says no.  Goofy monkey!  So, tonight he had to do two weeks worth of homework.  Didn't really enjoy it.  Maybe he's learned his lesson.  

John and I are going to Virginia Beach this weekend......all by ourselves!!  I cannot wait.  We are going to finish our Christmas shopping.  What fun we are going to have.  Probably won't go to the beach, though.....too cold.  Alright, speaking of children.  I do need to put them to bed.  

Studying for the 3rd grade science and social studies test

Emily Gayle was hilarious.  The question is--"I visited my aunt and uncle in WASHINGTON DC.  They took me to see this monument.  What is it?"  (It's a picture of the Washingtom Monument)  Emily says "The Eifel Tower".  I laughed and laughed.  So, then, when she got the answer right, she said "the Washington MoMument".  That girl!  She's so funny.  

Alright, so another question is this--"A cat just ate a mouse.  The mouse was the...."  The answer is "prey", which she got right, but, then she had to make a joke.  She said "Daddy, I know why the mouse was called the prey.  It's because they have to PRAY that they won't be eaten."  It was even funnier because she was so tickled with herself.  

So, now,  did you enjoy pictures of my grass?  Very pretty, right?  

And, I'm crazy, I only ended up with a picture of Emily for Halloween.  And, obviously, she was a very cute witch.  Ethan was a Confederate Soldier.  And John pinned Smarties to his pants and became......you guessed it.....Smarty Pants.   I went as myself and John went as an angry old man.  Didn't even need a costume.  He got to drive his tractor with the trailer behind for a hayride through the neighborhood.  What fun!!  It was soooooo ccccold!  

Ethan's last football game on Saturday.  Emily's got 2 more soccer games.  Then we will just be down to dance.  It's bittersweet.  We have really had fun with the sports and the kids really enjoyed themselves.  John's going to California tomorrow.  He'll be back next Wednesday.  And I think that's it.  I'm just still working at the school and sometimes at the hospital.  I NEED a maid, yes, I do.