Back To The Routine....

It's always hard to get back into the swing of things after a holiday weekend. Little One provided a negative running commentary this morning on her feelings about the day. "I don't want to get up. I don't want to go to school. I don't want to eat breakfast. I don't want to brush my teeth."....Well, you get the picture.

The Husband and I headed to the school parking lot late last night to try and start the car that I had to leave in the parking lot last week. Dad's car may have provided me with some good memories in the past...but this last memory made me consider just leaving it there. However, after tightening several wires, it started right up....Many thanks to the 'friends' who said they were actually in line that day and 'would have stopped if they had seen me.' ....Uh, ok, yeah, thanks....However, heartfelt thanks to Mr. J, who kindly picked me up, waited in line for the kids, and made polite conversation, all the while pretending that I had not interrupted his day....
SO happy to be driving my own car this morning. The Husband was kind enough to get those tires on so quickly for me. And for those of you who are thinking that it was some sort of payback for the nose incident...you are most likely correct.

Speaking of the nose, it is much better this morning...but there is agreement among the family that it looks a little crooked. Now The Husband thinks this is because it is still bruised and this somehow "causes shading that makes it look crooked." ...Uh, ok. The Boy just said "You better go to the doctor." I say it is a good thing I am not vain (Husband is belly-laughing at this) because otherwise, the crookedness would affect my mood. I do admit to being happy that I have no appointments today. I also admit to hiding during school drop off this morning....

I went shopping on Black Friday (what does that mean?) with Big Sis and Little One. We actually only made it to one store. Little One found a lovely turquoise shirt with attached necklace which she wore the whole weekend. Big Sis scored a chic animal-print dress which I would wager she is wearing to work today. I came away with a lavatory sign that says "toilette" in french. What I really wanted was a pair of red suede 5 inch platform heels. Little One and Big Sis tried to talk me into getting them, but as I have said before, 5 inches puts me at 6'3...and where do I go these days where I need to be 6'3? I wasn't able to talk myself into them, even at the fabulous sale price...but they are still on my mind today. If I could just come up with a place to wear them...

Lastly, we had a wonderful dinner with BFF friends on Saturday night. So nice after eating leftovers for a few days to go out for a delicious meal. I had to plot out my meal, since the first thing I saw was that the chocolate creme brulee was the "special" dessert for the evening. Everyone said they were going to take a bite...but as it turned out, it was just me and Little one who polished it off....I left feeling like I couldn't move. It was the best dessert I've had in ages...but it also made me feel like I better step up my workouts a bit this week....

So that's it for today. Little One is making her stage debut as an elf in the Christmas play...so I am off in search of a costume...Until tomorrow.....

All's Well That Ends Well....

The turkey was a resounding success. Not as good as The Husband's Italian Meatball Sandwiches, but pretty darn good. Now you might think that meatball sandwiches are a strange addition to a traditional Thanksgiving meal, but for those of you who know us and our last name, you know that this is the norm...

So tonight, the house is once again quiet. The Husband and The Boy have snuck off to the Hawk's game. Little One is watching her Mary-Kate and Ashleigh movie for the 10th time. Big Sis and SIL have gone home to do homework for graduate studies, and The Senior has taken the Tike home to put to bed. This is the lovely, yet kind of sad time of day. In years past, this is when Grandma and mom and I would sit around and clean and talk. But this year, it is just me. The Husband asked me last night why I seemed so stressed out about the meal this year...and I think it is because I miss not having to be in charge of the whole meal. In years past, even if I was doing the cooking, I had plenty of suggestions and advice. But hey, that is the cycle of life. It's my turn to be in charge...it just came too soon for me. So today, we used Grandma's china and mom's silverware...and it was wonderful.

So a few thank yous for today:

1) Thanks to my friend K who is responsible for my successful turkey.

2) Thanks to Big Sis who showed up this morning just when I needed her..and kicked me out of the kitchen after the meal so she could do the cleaning. Thanks and I love you.

3) Thanks to the Son-In-Law, whose humor adds a lot to our family. Your heartfelt, hummed rendition of "Come On Baby Light My Fire" was amazing....

4) Thanks to the Senior for making it over here on time with the Tike. You travelled the farthest...and the strawberry shortcake was yummy. (Little One has had 3 servings)

5) Thanks to The Tike, for taking me on a long walk on the golf course, pointing out things I would have never seen...and warming my heart.

6) Last, but not least, thanks to The Husband for maneuvering though the chaos of the day with good humor. Your sandwiches over-shadowed my turkey...but that was a good thing.

So that is it for today. A lovely day filled with family and good food. If you have your parents still with you, turn to them and tell them you love them. Appreciate them.

Until next week....

Please Let the Turkey Be Good

Well, Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. I wasn't going to blog today, but I find that the time between 6:00am when I got up to put my turkey in, and the time when I need to actually start my other stuff...is pretty low-key. Now this being my first year cooking my own turkey, I was overwhelmed by great suggestions from all of you readers. I wrote down every single tip, and I figure I cannot miss, right???

The Husband was not thrilled last night when he saw me set the alarm for 6:00am. "Do you have to do that?" he asked. Well, I reminded him that he had said he did not want 'dry turkey'. He asked if I couldn't just "wake myself up". Well, I told him, I could try that, but we might end up eating at Burger King. Anyway, I set the alarm and stumbled out of bed at 6 to start the day. I would like to say I ran with excitement, but that would be lying. I followed the directions that my friend K had given me... her main piece of advice was 'Butter is Queen for the day...No low-fat options." This advice was making me laugh as I piled on the butter. (K, if you are reading this, I didn't just pile on the butter, I mixed the proper ingredients and slit the skin and shoved it in.)
I then debated on making coffee and staying up, but I figured I might as well get a few hours of beauty sleep since my nose is still a mess from the previous night's basketball incident. When I got back to the bedroom, I was sorry to hear that I had hit the "snooze" button instead of the "off" button...so Christmas music was blaring.....Why The Husband did not turn it off is beyond me, but I'll bet it is so he could let me know what I had done. I'm sure I will hear about it when he gets up.

I slept for about an hour, and then I actually smelled the turkey cooking. K told me I needed to baste every 30 minutes, so I decided to get up and get with it. The house is still quiet. The sun is shining. The turkey looks edible. My nose looks better. My family is near. All is right with the world.

So today...as I dispell the myth in our family that I cannot cook a turkey, I will take a moment and be grateful for all of the little things in life.

Until tonight, when I will let you know how the turkey turned out....

On Being Thankful for Flat Tires and Broken Noses...

I hate to be a whiner, but I am going to allow myself to partake in it for a few minutes. Last week, I was driving around the local college campus, when my tire evidently shredded, causing my car to make a sound like Armagedon was here. It was lunch time, so every student was out walking...and staring at me creeping down the street. I quickly called The Husband and he said...and I quote...."Well, the nearest tire place is about 2 miles away. See if you can make it." I hung up on him and began the longest journey of my life. As I crept among the eyes of 20,000 students with my car howling, my tire tread was following me. When I finally reached the tire place, a man named Tommy sauntered out, took one look at my license plate, which for some unknown reason carries the school emblem of The Husband's school, and he said "You can't come in here with those plates." Now he had a smile on his face, but when he saw me start to cry, he backed down and sweetly put my spare on.

Fast forward to yesterday. I'm driving my dad's old car since my car still has the spare on. I'm sitting in pick up line with cars in front of me and behind me, when all of a sudden, my car dies. And I mean DIES. It won't turn over. I quickly call The Husband, who says...and I quote..."Why do you keep calling me with these car problems when you know I am an hour away and cannot help.".....Ok. So I hung up on him and got a guy in front of me to help maneuver my car into the nearest parking spot (of course this was after having to have everyone in line move)

So last night, when we arrived at Grandma's house, I was so happy and relieved to be here. All of the stress just left me, as I sat down to prepare for Thanksgiving. The Boy and Little One ran in and asked if I would run up to the gym with them and The Husband for a quick game of basketball. Why not? I thought. A good family thing to do. So off we went, and started a friendly, yet fairly competitive game. Halfway through the game, The Husband had the ball...and he kept scoring on me. So I decided to actually play some defense. As I stepped forward, he elbowed me in the nose...and I hit the floor. Blood went everywhere, and I saw stars. The Husband said....and I quote...."You got in my face"...... I hobbled over to the side...sobbing loudly....and The Husband quickly reminded me that everything was being taped on the security camera...so I needed to behave myself. No Problem. I couldn't move. Reluctantly, he decided to drive me back to Grandma's house, with Little One along to take care of me. Since we had no ice, he grabbed a bag of frozen peas and I held them on my nose for an hour.

Later that night, after I decided it wasn't broken, I asked The Husband how it looked. "Bruised", he replied. And for maybe the third time since we have been married, he said "I'm sorry." Well, I was sorry too...for being such a defensive whiz during the game. But all's well that ends well...

Until I saw my nose in the mirror this morning. There will be no Thanksgiving pictures of me. But that's ok. We are here...and I am happy...swollen nose and all. Many, many thanks to all of you who sent me suggestions for cooking my turkey. If I am not successful after all of these tips, I might as well just buy one next year...

So until the end of the week, when we will have celebrated a wonderful Thanksgiving...with a full heart and a swollen nose...and a thankfulness for everything that life throws my way....

The Pressure To Cook Like Paula Deen

I cannot believe that Thanksgiving is 2 days away. Once again, it has totally snuck up on me. Last year, I watched the Food Network for weeks beforehand, and added several dishes to my normal Thanksgiving repertoire. The problem with doing that is that now, everyone has high expectations. When I ran through the menu with The Husband, he asked "Where are your fancy dishes?". Big Sister and The Senior asked the same thing. So now, 2 days before, I am forced to scour my recipe books in order to be more creative. Usually, I just buy a ready-made turkey from the local grocer. This year, I decided to give it a go on my own. I told The Husband I would probably cook it the day before to avoid any mishaps. "NO! I don't want any dry turkey! Just get up and stick it in the oven at 3 am on Thanksgiving." Now, this is the funny thing about The Husband. He has never cooked a turkey in his life (and I don't see it happening in the future)...yet he feels the need to tell me how to do it....

We are headed to Grandma's house for the holiday, which makes me extremely happy. The only downside is the transportation of the animals.....the incontinent, 14 yr old doberman...and the 2 car-sick cats. Though the drive to Grandma's is only about 45 minutes, it will not be a pleasant one.
The Husband came through this morning and said I could "'pick out his clothes for Thanksgiving". ....Huh? I think this was some sort of trick offer. I noticed he had thrown several t-shirts and jeans on the bed to bring along. I will make a bet right now that whatever I bring and suggest he wear .....will not be worn.

Ok, that's it for today. Back to scouring cookbooks. I'm bringing the laptop to Grandma's...but it is always questionable as to whether or not I can "log on". So, until tomorrow, when I will hopefully "be on".

On Remembering to be Thankful and Happy

We began the weekend by seeing a terrific movie. "The Blind Side" was both touching and inspiring. The kids loved it, The Husband loved it, the friend who went with us loved it...and so did I. I love a movie that has the kids asking lots of questions about life. I love when they see examples of people being honorable and courageous. And just icing on the cake that it was a true story.



Saturday I headed to Tennessee with a friend. A roadtrip of sorts to do some unfinished business. My mom's house has to be sorted through...there were closets and drawers to rummage though...letters to be read...memories to pack up and store away...and plenty of tears to shed. The first time I tried to do it, I failed. I took a look around and headed back home, not ready for closure. But with the year anniversary of her death just past, it was time. I loaded my car with recipe books, dishes, letters...anything that made me feel good and connected to mom. My happiest moment came when I happened upon a beautiful coat of hers that I hadn't seen in years. I had remembered her wearing it...and I had loved it. An emerald green vintagey coat with jeweled buttons and a fur collar and cuffs. It had disappeared for years...and I'd figured it was long gone. When I opened the hall closet, I spied something in a clothes bag...and sure enough, there is was. I screamed in joy..and scared my friend to death. I took it out of the bag and put it on...and it was a perfect fit...and in perfect condition. I didn't even cry. Just smiled and remembered mom.



After I finished, I stopped by to see an old friend whose husband had just passed away. She was so happy to see me that it made my day. We reminisced about her late husband, who had been very dear to me. And then in walked someone else...a guy I went to college with, who had also been a great friend. After an afternoon full of reminiscing and tears, it was so good to see someone who immediately patted me on the back, made fun of me, and reminded me of that some good people and times have passed...but there are still good ones ahead. By the time I left, I was laughing again.



On my way back home, I stopped to see both of my brothers. As I've written before...and as corny as it sounds...I have the best brothers in the world. Loving, thoughtful, kind....not to mention VERY funny. I cannot be around them for long and stay in a sad mood.



By the time I made it home, Little One had gone off to spend the night with a friend...and The Boy and Husband had exhausted every fast food outlet, and settled in to watch some horrible movie. Home Sweet Home.



So today, on this week of Thanksgiving.. I am thankful for friends...old and new. For family near and far. For memories, good and sad. And for those at home waiting for me...



And today...a Very Happy Birthday to The Senior, who I love and cherish....I hope your classes are quick and easy today....and I hope the coming year is everything you want it to be...



Until tomorrow.....

On Basketball Practice and The Morning Drop-Off

The basketball practice went well last night. It started off a bit rocky, with The Husband giving instructions on picks and screens. I glanced around and saw some blank looks on the faces of our 9 and 10 year old girls. One little girl had tears in her eyes, but I was relieved to find out it was just dust, and not fear. Two of them leaned over and said to me "What is he saying?" I waited for him to finish his talk on the importance of the pivot foot...and then I quietly suggested that he 'dumb it down' a bit. Afterall, it was the 9/10 Pewee League and not the Atlanta Hawks. To his credit, The Husband took a deep, impatient breath, and went through a slow, thorough review. By the end of practice, I saw many smiles on the girl's faces. I think they had fun and learned a little bit, which is what it is all about. Unfortunately for The Husband, our last year's record of 7-1 may be hard to re-achieve....

Yesterday I had lunch with my 'morning crew". This is one guy and one girl who also participate in the tedious ritual of morning drop-off line at school. The guy has been doing this for 8 years, I think...and the girl for 7. I am the 'baby' of the group, having only been at it for 3 years. Last year, the 3 of us participated in what could only be described as the "Amazing Race". It was a cut-throat daily race to see who could get there first and drop off the kids. As the year progressed, so did the danger of the driving practices. I almost found myself reaching for a helmet and driving gloves after being cut off and "put in the wall" several mornings. Of course I would never do this, but some participants may have actually shoved their young daughters out the door in an effort to win. The guy in the group changed the rules near the end of the year, as men sometimes do when they cannot win. He decreed that it was the first car to LEAVE that was the winner...not the first car there. Well, the danger factor that was involved with this became too much...and the 'Race' had to come to an end before someone was injured...

So this year, morning drop-off is more about discussing what was on TV last night or the latest gossip. The problem is, you start a conversation...then the line moves...and you are forced to dive back into your car, or else be run over. So it was nice yesterday to sit down and chat with the group and finish some conversations. When you have to deal with tired, grumpy kids on a daily basis, it is nice to be able to share a few laughs over it....

And finally, thanks to The Husband for watching the season of Project Runway with me...and with very few smart alec remarks. Last night was the season finale....the final 3 girls put together a runway show and competed for the prize. The husband demanded that I pick a winner...and he did the same. He did this because he knew who I liked...and he thought she wasn't going to win...but she did. I was very gracious in my "winners' speech....

So that's it for the week. We're doing a family movie tonight...and then I am off on a road trip of sorts this weekend...more on that next week....