HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Our Thanksgiving was filled with food and family. Mom made eggs, bacon, and biscuits for breakfast. Then Andrew and Jeff napped. We had shrimp dip for lunch. Then Joshua napped. We were going to eat out turkey dinner between 4:30 and 5:00. However, the turkey took a little bit longer. We were about to sit down and eat our turkey, green bean casserole, yams, corn, rolls, and gravy...we noticed that we forgot to make the mashed potatoes and stuffing (stove top), so we put everything in the oven to keep warm and hustled to make potatoes and stuffing. Finally, two hours after we initially said we would eat we sat down at the table and had a feast. Yummy! Now we are about to sit down and have pumpkin pie with Reddi Whip...double yummy! By the way, my garbage disposal, Andrew, only ate bread today. He had a biscuit for breakfast and lunch and two rolls for dinner. He did not want anything else. Hmmm, hope he is not coming down with anything.
I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving and gave thanks for what is in their life.
Things I am thankful for...this is not an all inclusive list.
-my spouse
-my children
-my parents
-my siblings
-my siblings families
-the ability to be with my brother's family over thanksgiving
-my inlaws, all of them
-naps


Jeff and Andrew napping.

Andrew playing in Mom's lap.

Joshua napping way too late in the afternoon.

Our spread

TRIP TO MICHIGAN

My mom, the boys and I left for Livonia, MI Sunday morning at 3:42 a.m. Yes, you read that right, we left EARLY in the morning. I thought the boys would go right back to sleep, but Andrew stayed up for about 20 minutes and Joshua stayed up for about an hour. Once out, they both slept until about 8:00 a.m. I tried to sleep a little at the beginning of the drive, but I was not so successful...Mom really wanted someone to talk to. We made three stops along the way...driving through Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and into Michigan. All the stops were at least 30 minutes, if not a bit longer...the boys needed some time to move around. Andrew was pretty irritated on the drive, if he was awake. We played peek-a-boo a lot and sang a number of songs that required hand motions. Joshua was GREAT! He was the best little traveler. He "read" about 8 books and watched movies, some over and over. Mom drove the entire way, "Thank you Mom!" and I was responsible for making the boys happy. We had good weather and not too many problems with other drivers (although we did see a lot of dead deer on the back of trucks in Illinois). We finally made it to Jennifer's house at about 11:00 p.m. (they are on eastern time), so the total drive was 19 hours with about 2 hours of stop time. Gas Buddy said the drive would take 17 hours and 20 minutes. I say we made good time.
We used a web site called Gas Buddy. It provided directions and the best places (lowest prices) to stop for gas along the way. You even put in the make and model of your car and it tells you the amount of gas you will use and your gas emisions. If you are going on a long trip try it out.
I will try to keep you all posted during the trip...we have already seen snow today, but I did not make it out in time to take pictures...it is VERY cold here.


Andrew after he woke in the a.m.


Joshua after he woke in the a.m.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROBIN!

My niece, Robin, turned 9 on November 22nd. We celeberated with her on Saturday with hot dogs and hamburgers for lunch and cake for dessert. The cake was made by the same person that made Samantha's, see Happy Birthday Samantha! The top layer is strawberry, the middle layer is chocolate, and the bottom layer is vanilla. She got some great gifts, we got her a cash register. We all had a good time. Happy Birthday Robin.


Robin and her cake.

Robin and her best friend Destiny...they love each other one day and are mad at each other the next.

MONKEY SEE...

...Joshua does. It seems that a number of the things he liked at one time he no longer likes, or things he never tried before he says he loves doing, or getting. Let me tell you what I mean...Joshua eats sandwiches for lunch. I cut the sandwiches in four triangular shapes, or in 4 squares. He eats the whole sandwich, or he did. Now, he asks for me to cut the crusts of the sandwich. I asked him why. He said, "That's how the Beast (from a show called Maggie and the Ferocious Beast) likes his sandwiches." Hmmm! There was one show about it a few weeks ago. Another example is related to lunch again. We were at the store and he would not stop about getting a lunchable. He wanted to take them to school for lunch because Katybeth, the girl he sits next to in class, eats them too. Oh boy! Not only do cartoons influence his decisions, but cute little girls make him change his eating habits as well. Gotta love it!

OH YES...

I have some weird behavior. I know it is weird, but it is what I do. I guess I did not know that my friends did not know about my weirdness until this past Saturday. I was with a friend at Subway. We sat down to eat and before I eat I separated my chips into groups...certain groups are better with certain bites. She began laughing at me...that is not the half of my weirdness. Here is a list...
1 -M&M's have to be sorted by color and then the color with the least amount is eaten first...Joshua just grabbed some for him to eat and I sorted them...oh yea, they are in trouble!
2 -Chips are separated by whole and flat, whole and folded, and broken. If I am eating crust or middle determines which chip group I will eat.
3 -If I have a candy bar the chocolate is eaten first and then the middle.
4 -Crust of anything is eaten before the center...the center is the best and I want to save the best for last.
5 -If someone pushes their nose up, I freak. Just writing this I have to push my nose down. AND it is NOT funny to push my nose up...I just might cry.
6 -I count most everything...I think I am still in denial that I really DO count EVERYTHING.
I guess that is all...if I think about it I could probably come up with more. Have you ever thought about your weird habits? Do your friends now them?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOSHUA!

We celebrated Joshua's 4th birthday on Monday. Joshua is allowed one invite for every year he is old, this does not include family. So, he invited 4 boys, which is good because he wanted a fireman birthday party...not sure how much fun the girls would have had. We did what we could as far as the theme goes...Dallas fire departments don't come to your house like they do in Frisco...why did we move from Frisco (another blog)?

We had pizza, fruit, and salad for lunch. The boys played pin the hat on the dalmation. Then the boys played by running around the house. After some play time we sang "Happy Birthday" to Joshua and enjoyed the fireman themed pull apart cupcake cake. Once we cleaned up the sticky hands and mouths we opened gifts. Joshua really enjoyed this part, he got most everything he asked for...large firetruck, big wheel, basketball goal, ambulance, a few games, some books, and clothes. Wow! He really made out.

I cannot believe that 4 years ago I was sitting in a hospital just in awe over the amazing experience I had in delivering him. He weighed 7 pounds and was 20 1/2 inches long. Now he is 33 pounds 10 ounces and is 3 feet 5 1/4 inches. I look forward to the many years of growing more physically and mentally.

I love being your mother Joshua! Happy Birthday!

GO FIGURE...

...that on the day I do not have the kids I am in pain. I dropped the kids off with Dave and Lynda yesterday at about 3:30. I get home and go for a light jog. It felt great! After the jog I blog and watch a couple of movies. Yes, I can watch a girl flick without being interrupted once. In case you're wondering I watched Bridget Jones's Diary and The Princess Diaries. At some point during the movie watching I experienced a migraine, the second one in less than a week. Ugh! I am not huge on taking medicine, so I just work my way through it by taking a warm bath. After chatting with Jeff I go to bed and sleep through the night with no problems. I wake with the headache still, although it is not near as bad as it was the night before. I talk to Jeff, my mom, my sister, and while I was on the phone with Dave my upper back becomes tight and I have trouble breathing. What the HELL! I am only 32, not 82. My body should not be breaking down. Anyway, I guess pulled a muscle in my back. What's up with that? I tell you ladies it hurts. I would rather go through labor than go through this. I could not even pull my pants down to go to the bathroom without being in major pain...maybe TMI. After much pain searching for my 800 mg Ibuprofen I finally find it and take one. It took about 15 minutes to work, but it is working now. I still feel a bit uncomfortable, but I am not in pain and can breath with ease. So, now maybe I can relax and get some things done while the boys are away...I pick them up at 6:00. So ladies, keep a bottle of Ibuprofen around for cases like this. Face it! We are not getting younger!

BOB THE BUILDER OR JOE THE PLUMBER

So, I was not sure what I was going to dressup as for the neighborhood halloween party. I knew I did not want to spend a lot of money, so what I had in the house had to work. My options were a bunch of grapes, a pair of dice, or a nerd. Then I remembered that Jeff had a thermal overall outfit and I could go as a carpenter of some sort, maybe Bob the Builder. However, I did not have a tool belt...I just borrowed Joshua's tool belt, problem solved. The costume turned out fine. My costume...a wife beater shirt (it was very hot), straw hat, elmo tool belt held on by duck tape, big work boots (Jeff's), and the thermal overalls.
My friend Mary, Audrey Hepburn, went to the party with me. The party was fun. I was able to meet a number of neighbors, visit with some I already knew, and see some great costumes. There was a costume contest. I did not stay long enough to see who won what, but I think some people were confused as to who I was. I was asked at one point if I was Joe the Plumber...oh man! Where were they when I was thinking about a costume. I just needed to add a plunger to the costume and boom! Joe the plumber I would have been. Oh well! I will begin to think about my costume for next year now.


The house from the street...my camera could not get everything.

Entrance and me

Me and Audrey Hepburn (Mary)

HARD TO BELIEVE..

...that I have been out of college now for ten years. I mean seriously, where has the time gone? I feel like I am still in my 20's and just graduated...I did work in the corporate world for 7 years, I have been married for 7 years, I have a 4 year old and a 14 month old, and I am sure I look older than my 20's. Am I alone in this? I mean, doesn't everyone my age feel like they are in their 20's...late 20's that is? However, when I go back to the school I do realize that I have been away for so long. The campus has changed so much, some of the teachers when I was there are now gone, and the house I lived in is gone. If I am being honest with myself I don't look like I am in my 20's any longer. I know this...I choose not to completely believe it. Anyway, I enjoyed my 10 year with two of my roommates from college, Danni Rizzo McLaughlin and Margaret Spencer. We toured the campus that has changed so much, we visited one of the eateries we frequented as college students, watched a volleyball game, started to watch the football game then realized that the game was over as soon as we sat down, and then hung out with some old and new sorority sisters. Below are a few pictures that were taken...thank you Margaret! Oh the memories!

This spot was where our house was located. It was a two story house located next to the campus. My room was the one on the first floor. It was a rather small room and a bit hilarious to see my large bed in it. If my scanner starts to work again I will post a picture of the house.


Danni and I posing by a new sign. Lucket Hall used to be located on this spot. Our husbands lived in Lucket Hall...again, the memories!