I Made It

P has to work his regular shift today and tomorrow (he said it was reeeally busy until noon), so we were homebound for Thanksgiving this year. The girls enjoyed building a "float" out of 10 pillows and blankets in the living room while watching (and dancing along) with the Macy's Parade on tv. We got the pie made and the turkey in, then went out for a bike ride(them) /walk (me). It was sunny and gorgeous along our nearby lake. I wish I'd had my camera with me then. I also wish I had a bike myself, or at least roller blades to try to keep up with those two on their bikes! ;)

Daddy got home just after 2pm, and I had dinner (or lun-er, or dunch, as the girls were calling it) on the table at 2:35. We had:

turkey

(just a breast, but oh it was good)

mashed potatoes

(yes, they were real, Eric)

gravy

(which I got thick for the first time ever)

stuffing

(ok, that was Stove Top)

cranberry sauce

(homemade)

corn

(that we froze ourselves this fall)

yams

(with apples, raisins, walnuts, and marshmallows)

Heavenly Trash salad

(whipping cream, fruit cocktail, bananas, marshmallows)

Fancy green salad

(cranberries, broccoli, bacon, nuts, yummy homemade dressing)

Crescent rolls

(Thank you, Doughboy)

And for dessert...

I had just planned on making P & M's favorite pumpkin pie, but my foodie friend, Colleen, beckoned me to her home yesterday, saying, "Come keep me company while I bake. And, if you bring a pound of butter and 8 eggs, you can make a chocolate mousse cake with me." Oh. My. What a decadent treat! We didn't even eat 1/4 of it; it's soooo rich! Heaven, but I hope it freezes well 'cause we'll never finish it this week!

Here's one last picture of something I've "made..." I am so very thankful for these girls, and for their daddy, too! Happy Thanksgiving!

She Knows When to Give Up

M has recently been campaigning to be allowed to watch shows on Cartoon Network. We have let her watch a few, but I've had objections (sassy, disrespectful, potty humor) as I've listened to them. We had a bit of a family meeting about the matter on Monday night and she agreed that she probably shouldn't be watching 2 of the shows, but there were still one or two she thought were ok. I said I'd sit down and watch next time and we left it at that.

I happened to mention it to two friends of mine who have tweens and teens and both of them said, "Oh, no, we don't let our kids watch that channel!"

I relayed the conversation to M that night. She didn't say anything. I said, "Did you hear what I just said?" She said,

"Yeah. I just know I don't stand a chance against all those moms."

"Silly, Silly Tree"

M's class just wrote poems themed on fall, winter, and/or holidays, then printed them all in a booklet. Guess who wrote my favorite one?!?

Silly, Silly Tree

Tree is foolish

Tree is strange.

He'll wear a green coat

When summer comes near.

And when it gets cold,

When Jack Frost does

His stuff, Good old oak

Drops his blanket and

Stands bare in the snow.

For You Black Friday People...

Thanks to my merchandise-savvy friend, Colleen, here is a great website to preplan your "Black Friday" strategy. I never knew such a website existed, but apparently, it gathers all the major ads for Nov 28 for you...I guess this is usually top secret info?!

I've never done the day-after-Thanksgiving-shopping-4am-madness...I'm more of a "10:30 am stroll thru Fred Meyer to see if there are any socks left" kind of gal. BUT, I did spy a digital camera at WalMart for a very good price...maybe I can talk Colleen into grabbing one for me? P has to work (on Thanksgiving and) on Friday, so since he leaves home at 4am, I won't be able to leave my sleeping children unattended to go to WM myself.

(Can't you see that story on the evening news..."Mother of Two Leaves Sleeping Children to Shop Black Friday?")

ANYWAY, I just thought I might help you save a few $$$, or some zzzzz's, if you look at the ads and don't see anything that's really worth getting up that early for!

Just In Time for the Holidays

Once again, M has come up with another hit. Inspired by the upcoming holiday (Thanksgiving) she penned "Grateful, Thankful" today. I think it is also a great song for all those kids working on their lists for Santa...I feel so blessed to have children who are grateful and thankful and are not "Gimme, Gimme" Girls!

Lyrics:

Grateful, thankful, grateful, thankful

Who needs a mansion, I've got a roof over my head

Who needs a grand feast, I get a warm dinner every day

Chorus: I got what I need, I got what I want

Why go looking for more?

Who needs a limosine, we've got our little van

Who needs a 100 bucks, I've got enough for gum

Chorus

Who needs to be popular, I've got my share of friends

Who needs video games, I've got my imagination

Chorus

Look for the best, not for the most

For in life, it's quality, not quantity that counts.

Self Manager!

Just when we thought life couldn't get more exciting and wonderful, E was awarded her "Self-Manager" badge at school yesterday! It is quite a process to apply and be found worthy of the honor...you have to be consistently kind and responsible for your teacher to even begin to consider the possibility... Then, you have to take your application around to about 10 different adults in the school (music, library, recess, etc) plus get 2 of your friends to sign off on it, too. Once everybody agrees (including yourself, your teacher and the principal), your name gets read over the loudspeaker and you get to walk down to the office all by yourself to pick up your Self-Manager Badge!

As an official card wearing member of this exclusive club, you get endless privileges, like special seating at assemblies and running errands for your teacher and all sorts of other amazing honors. Better watch it, though, 'cause if you are not managing yourself, then your teacher or any other adult in the building can take it away from you, and will only give it back when you've earned it back! (Lord, help us survive that trauma if it ever happens!)

Little Miss E was the first in her class to earn her SM badge, and wow, is she hot stuff. I guess after library time, she was the only one who remembered to go back and ask the librarian for her signature, thus completing her application first. You snooze, you loose, guys! I'm sure there are other classmates who will join her soon.

The best part of all of this hoopla is that it's inspired us to come up with a Self Manager Award at HOME! For instance, I am pretty sure that a Self Manager would put her shoes away and hang up her coat (instead of tossing them on the floor) when she came home, aren't you? She would probably clear her place and pick up her socks without being reminded, too... Oh, the possibilities! Now I have to think up the reward privileges and we're all set. Any suggestions? ;)

Reptile Man

The Reptile Man came to our friends' elementary school tonight and, knowing how much our girls LOVE close encounters with animals, she called and invited us to come along. It was great, and M especially got into the hands-on time!