Thanksgiving 2010

We had our Thanksgiving a day later than the "real" day when everyone else ate. We had a nice day, the Girl and I. I cooked ahead the stuffing, broccoli, and the cranberry sauce. the Girl made brownies. The Boy ate at his GFF's uncles and she brought him back late.

I had to go to the store because K didn't buy the kind of sausage I usually use for stuffing.. They didn't have any in the store! All they had was a habanero flavored sausage, so I had to get for that.

Friday K really wanted to get my car fixed, so I drove it to Burbank and drove around with the Mechanic a little so he could hear the rattle. K met me there and brought me home.

We put the turkey in the oven and I started the sweet potato casserole. I made the bread topping for the broccoli casserole, and tried to keep the kitchen clean. The Girl made mashed potatoes and I made an apple crisp for desert.

The GFF's parents stopped by when they dropped her off for dinner with us. Her mom I'd met before, but I was surprised to meet her father, as he was rather tall and handsome, and none of his kids really resembled him. His daughter is beautiful, I'm just saying.

We had a nice dinner, but the stuffing was kindof a roller coaster ride. Whew! Everyone liked it though, except for the GFF.

She doesn't like spicy food. And habanero? HOT!!!

The saga continues...

The day before yesterday I got an email notice that our TV had been picked up at Best Buy in Boulder, Colorado. OK, but the TV for K's parents was already picked up on 12/12. Hmmm....

When we ordered the TV online to be picked up in Boulder, we followed up with a phone call to the store. The store manager told us that our order couldn't be picked up without ID, which would be impossible since we live in California. So he had us order one over the phone, and put a note on it so K's sister could pick it up for him in CO.

K was concerned about accidentally buying 2 TV's, but the manager said it wouldn't be possible, without ID. Later, I also received an email about our first order, saying we only had a limited time to pick it up. So there was no need to cancel the order, because we wouldn't be charged until the unit was picked up.

A month later, someone DID pick up a 2nd TV, evidently without ID. I think it must have been an "inside job", as who would know that a TV was waiting for someone with a certain name? Who else would let someone pick up a TV w/out the required ID?

The store is now investigating, and hopefully we will not be out another $300!

We never had ANY of these problems before. What's with all the crime this Christmas?

Christmas Surprises

This year I didn't stress out for Christmas, I was so proud of myself. So grateful. In past years I've threatened to become Buddist. But this year I wasn't working, and altho I feel some anxiety about that, it was really nice. K has been working extra (basketball coaching), so I picked up the slack. Plus, the Girl is such a big help that I had presents ready and wrapped on time, cards sent out, everything.

In fact at one point I was remembering how sometimes Holidays have a way of telling me that I'm not important - over and over, and how much I hate that. But, no sign of that this year! I'm so lucky.

We had some work done downstairs which meant we moved lots of stuff to the garage, and our Christmas stuff is still stuck in the back. So I picked up some cheap decorations in blue (my favorite color) and our little tree looked so cute! But one day I was looking at it and realized - it's all blue! Is it a Hanuka tree? I still don't have the answer to that.

The Boy was home from college, desperately looking for a job.

A few days before the holidays we drove upstate to see K's sister & BIL who were renting a house in Cambria for the Holiday. No job yet for the Boy, so he came with us. They are dog friendly, so we took the dog and had a great time. Especially the dog, as he LOVES getting to run off-leash and especially at the beach. They'd already opened their gifts, and remarked about how generous my in-laws are. After all, they just gave everyone in the family a cruise. We'd expected them to cut back at Christmas. But no, it seems they were more generous than ever! I couldn't wait.

I'm really lucky that both my parents and my in-laws are so generous. It's something I had come to look forward to. But this year we tried to be generous too. I picked up an electronic photo frame for my Mom, and gave my Dad a CD of pictures to load onto it (plus some other stuff he likes). K decided to give his parents a TV. He gave them one about 20 years ago, and that's still the one they had! So he arranged for his Sister who lives nearby to pick it up and deliver it to them for Christmas.

With the kids I tried to give them ideas of what to get me, and I finally asked them for a magazine subscription that they would split the price. I didn't want to end up with a box of candy like I did last year. (My figure would protest)Then I felt guilty because $12.50 for half a present seemed like a lot for a 12-year-old, so I gave her a couple of books I had picked up for myself (at the $.99 Store), telling her she could just give me those. I talked to the Boy and gave him some ideas of things I might like.

The first sign of Christmas trouble came when my Mom called me. They'd received a package, but it was very light and taped and strapped strangely. There were no presents in it for my parents! It seems that someone opened the box, took out the heaviest and just a bunch of things, left a few gift bags and taped it back up, strapped it closed, and sent it on its way. WTF? The only thing of real value was the photo frame, the rest is a bunch of junk to anyone other than who I intended it for! SURPRISE!!

The Boy's birthday is a few days before Christmas, and when he opened his present from the in-laws, he was stunned. They gave him $1,000. That was a BIG surprise! He called them up to say thanks and ask why, and they were nonchalant, saying they had meant to give it to him in September for the school year. Wow! They really WERE being generous this year! That's just so crazy, I don't want to tell MY parents. They sent him a more reasonable amount of money, and I don't want them to think they have to compete. BTW, he is no longer looking for a job.

Then the day before Christmas Eve I noticed that I had what looked like a book from the Boy. So I asked the Girl, and she she'd given one of the books to him to give me. SURPRISE!! I know it sounds stupid, but I was really disappointed. SO disappointed, it brought tears to my eyes! After the year I've had with him, I was really looking forward to seeing what he'd get me. Instead I got something I'd bought myself. I guess I deserved that, for trying to control things so much.

Oh, and BTW, my FIL had bought my MIL a TV for Christmas! So it seems that even tho we both tried to be generous this Christmas, it was all for naught.

Stupid holiday.

Don't judge me. Sometimes we all need to vent.

Thanksgiving

The week before Thanksgiving, the Boy texted me that he'd gotten a piercing in his eyebrow. OK, I was afraid he was going to get a tatoo, so I guess a piercing is better than that. But he acted afraid of what his father would say, but what COULD he say? He just shook his head.

I love our turkey. I adapted an easy roast chicken recipe I saw on TV once (which is also great.) First empty out the turkey. Then I take apart at least 2 heads of garlic but leave the skins on, and scatter them on the bottom of the pan. Put the turkey on top, and pour a few cups of wine over the top of the turkey. Bake as directed.

Since I don't have a roaster, I also use those cooking bags for turkey, and a disposable roasting pan. It smells SO good once it gets cooking, and it's just so easy. Tastes great too. Yum.

I was telling the Boy about my recipe (once he got here) and how easy it was, and that song popped into my head, "Just put it in the bag." I heard Whoopi Goldberg on the View talking about how she gets up all night to baste the turkey (it's a tradition), and there's just no need for that. Just put it in the bag!

This year I noticed that I've been making the same mistake for several years now. If it says the turkey will be ready in 3-4 hours, I tell everyone it's ready in 4 hours. But it's always ready in 3! That's kindof OK, because I have to bake the sides, but that doesn't really take a whole hour.

And this year the Boy was a little late. He hit traffic, and his new girlfriend was bringing him. She couldn't stay, tho. So it was a little ackward. We were hungry, it smelled so good, but we waited for the Boy. When he finally got here, he introduced his girlfriend (v. pretty and seems nice), and we wanted to EAT!! So she kindof had to leave right away.

The meal was nice, and the Girl helped me quite a bit. It's a lot less stressful when I have such good help.

We had a nice visit with the Boy and I tried to be as pleasant as possible. He is really riding that line between childhood and adulthood, and even said, "I want all the perks of growing up but none of the responsibility!" when we were urging him to check something out with the school counselors.

We were asking him about his new girlfriend and he said he knew her last year, but she was dating a real jerk. The Girl and I both wondered aloud how he managed to do that again. He acknowledged that he only has to do the minimum and she thinks its great because she had such a bad boyfriend before him.

He also let it slip that he'd met up with her family a few times during the semester. I was surprised to hear that, as he only visited us ONCE all semester, when we asked him to come take care of his dog so we could attend a funeral in Indiana. He said it was because he was afraid of what we would say about his piercing.

He also surprised me by saying he needed to give us his Christmas list! We said, "What?!" We were already done and weren't planning on giving him much anyway. He's not a kid anymore! He doesn't get to give us Christmas lists anymore! He just doesn't know that yet. He asked us for things like presents for his friends and a plane ticket to visit his girlfriend!

I asked the Girl if I should tell him, and she said no. I said, "What if we just tell him we're already done shopping and he can use his money to buy what he wants?" and she said no. Next thing I knew, she was checking online and actually working to get him something he asked for (Clippers tickets). She offered to pay half. Isn't she the best?

On Sunday his girlfriend came back to spend the day and take him back to college (he still doesn't drive.) I had taken some steaks out for dinner, so I told him to let me know if they wanted to stay for dinner. They went out to the mall and visiting friends, and I didn't hear from him again until around 5, when he called to say he and his girlfriend would be there for dinner, and could he bring his friend too? (so his girl wouldn't feel put on the spot)

We went from 3 for dinner to 6, just like that! Luckily I had enough food and it came out well. I've been sauteing chard in garlic and olive oil, and it is SO good! It's good with rice or mashed potatoes.

The Boy called us a week later to ask what restaurant we go to in Chinatown and where it was. It seems he likes to show his friends the cool things we've done with him. I told K he'd probably do that with his kids too, and then they'll grow up and not visit him all semester.

But really, I'm thankful. I have a nice, handsome husband. A smart, charismatic son, and a beautiful, kind and helpful daughter. I have a roof over my head and more than enough to eat. I have my health.

Thank God.

Happy New Year

I hope everyone had a nice New Year's Eve. I ate way too much, and now have to start exercising more.

My sister, R, went to Aspen to visit friends for New Year's Eve. My Dad was worried about her driving in the mountains, but it turns out he should have been worried about a nut delivering bombs to banks. What are the odds, right? They ended up evacuating parts of town, so altho she didn't get evacuated, she couldn't go out for New Year's Eve! Everything was shut down!

But I guess she could hear the police cars and the police detonating the bombs. I heard the guy left long rambling notes around town, threatening mass destruction. I think he just wanted to be heard, and thought no one would read his long rambling notes unless he punctuated them with bombs!

My sister- she's always where the action is.

Birthday Christmas

I had a really nice Christmas this year. It started out with The Boy's birthday, tho, as that comes first (Dec 23.) That was not as nice. His girlfriend took him out to breakfast with his friends, and I asked if he could come back and stick around for most of the day, because his grandparents, etc., might want to call him on his birthday. He said sure.

Then he left for breakfast around noon and didn't even call until 5. I was SO mad at him. I had started getting angry around 3. I just like people to do what they say they're going to do. When he got home, I asked why he said he'd stick around and then didn't even try. He said he'd been playing monopoly and lost track of time. I said that would be a good excuse for a few hours, but not 5.

When we went to dinner at Chilis, I got back at him by telling our waitress that it was his birthday, so that they all came and sang at him and clapped at him and gave him a chocolate shake. He hates that. Ha!

I spent all evening feeling acute pangs of disappointment at how he's turned out. I keep wanting to think he's grown up and dependable now, but he keeps proving me wrong. The next morning I reminded myself that my happiness cannot depend on the actions of others, or I'll really be in trouble.

We went to D's for dinner on Christmas Eve, and it was so delicious. She made jambalaya, and I was so full that I felt sleepy in church.

The next day we opened our presents. I was surprised to get a gift from Sister #2 that I'd given her last year - a cute little Karma kit. She never even opened it! I was kindof offended at first, but then I thought that since it's karma, maybe it SHOULD come back to me! What goes around comes around. In that vein, I'm giving it back to her for her birthday.

People told us they were cutting back this year, but mostly we didn't notice it. We got some very thoughtful gifts. Not as many as some years, but at this point in our lives we don't need any more filler presents. No more Christmas decorations, no knick knacks please.

There wasn't as much clean-up afterwards, and for me, no post-present malaise.

It was great.

How about you?

Thanksgiving 2008

Thanksgiving this year was really nice - better than last year, when the Boy had to leave after dinner to go work. This year he was home from college a few days before the feast, and it was good to have him home. Suddenly he appreciates good food and hot showers without wearing flip flops!

As usual, I tried to see if I could cut a dish from the full traditional menu (stuffing), but the family again insisted on having everything. The Girl helps more every year. This year she made sweet potato pie all by herself and mashed potatoes too. The boy helped by washing the potatoes and emptying the dishwasher. Without complaining! This alone was a big improvement over the last few years living with him!

Our traditional feast consists of:

garlic turkey (turkey cooks in bag, roasting the garlic below it in its juices mixed with white wine)
mashed potatoes
cranberry relish (I make mine a spicy salsa, but I'm the only one who eats cranberries)
sweet potato pie (we also like the casserole with marshmallows on top)
broccoli cheese casserole (the secret is buttered pumpernickel or rye crumbs on top)
stuffing (two boxes mixed with cooked hot sausage, mushrooms, and onion)
crescent rolls
gravy (with a roasted garlic flavor, yum!)
roasted garlic (spread it on the rolls!)

I experimented with using the meat thermometer this year, and the turkey came out to be my moistest turkey ever! Now you know all my secrets!

I don't usually make any dessert, but I'd made a good batch of pumpkin cupcakes a few days before, and they were very tasty.

I'll post the recipe for them on my recipe website soon.

The next two days we had a huge yard sale. It was really a blow out of our storage unit, which we suddenly decided we can't afford anymore. I think it might be a sign of the times, because K said he saw lots of other people emptying out their units too when he was there.

I met lots of nice people and many of them asked if I'd had a store. Mostly I meant to, but never fully got around to it. Plus my Mom works at a Christmas store, and has given me highly discounted collectables for years. Time to get rid of it all!

The first family showed up early the first day and walked off with lots of bargains. They bought a BIG box of stuff I never fully looked at for $25.

Saturday even better. I sold more than I'd ever at yard sale, plus I got rid of lots of stuff. One man had me change a $100 bill, and bought $6 worth of stuff. Two ladies were buying lots of presents for their church. I got to see lots of my neighbors.

Our neighbor gave me a good idea about ebay, and I think I'll do that with the stuff I ended up keeping.

The Girl had a friend come over who visited for a few days. Her dad came to get her, and started talking about the boys who are still having problems that seem to stem from the high school's basketball team - especially the last few years. We talked about the Boy, and I think I fully realized what a blessing it was that he found something else to love instead of basketball, and that it may have saved him in the end. Saved him from the kind of problems (drugs) the other boys seem to be having.

Something to be thankful for.

I can't remember ever being this "out" of money before, and it's giving me all kinds of creative ideas. Like giving away for the holidays some of the best things I didn't sell at our yard sale. Like maybe going on the Ellen show to pick up some cool giveaways for really GREAT presents. Like giving the Boy a gift certificate for paying for his cell phone the last 5 months. That's $100 he was supposed to be paying himself!

Any other ideas?

Mother's Day 08

I've been a bit sour on parenthood lately. I see people with young children at Disneyland and I want to say, "Don't waste your time/money bringing your kids here so young. In 3 years they won't even remember it!"

Or watching "Jon and Kate plus 8", I want to weep for them in about 10 years. Having a teenager in the house is like living with the enemy. They've turned against you (as is their job to become independent), yet you're destined to live with them for a few more years.

I have to talk myself down from times like these, because I don't want to take it out on The Girl, who is still sweet, helpful and pleasant. I'm trying not to let my apathy take over. After all, maybe she will be nicer to us in her teen years than her brother.

Actually, I had a nice Mother's Day. Actually, it kindof started on Saturday, when I called my mom to make sure she'd gotten my present in the mail. That night I tried my hand at tortillas, and they turned out almost as good as Mom's. But the way they made the house smell transported me back in time, when I was a kid and our house often smelled that way. It smelled warm, like home.

I appreciate my Mom.











The Boy was nice enough to buy me a present, altho he declined to make me breakfast with his sister, as he had bought me a present, after all, and that should be enough. And I guess it was.

The Boy had to go to work early that day (9:30 am), so K and The Girl took me out for brunch to one of my favorite places. It wasn't as busy as I had feared, and we got there close enough to lunch to get my favorite combo (Jackie O salad and Portabella mini pizza). Yum!

Plus, Sunday is Farmer's Market day there, and I got to wander around and look at produce and other stuff to my heart's content. I saw an ex-coworker from Disney, and finally bought a copy of one of his watercolors.

Then we went home and I mostly got my way for most of the day. A few times I had to invoke the MOTHER'S DAY RULE, but mostly it was relaxing and a fun day. I recycled more pill boxes into art, but have no idea what I'm going to do with them yet. I found a good book in the library called Doodle Stitching, and I think I'm going to buy a copy to keep. It's got a good description of all the embroidery stitches in the beginning, which is a good reference.

For dinner, I asked K to make his best dish for me - chicken wings. We'd picked up some asparagus at the Farmers Market, and he sauted those in a little butter and olive oil. I've been reading the latest Barbara Kingsolver book, and had just read a chapter on asparagus. So far it seems like a good book, when it's not trying to make me feel guilty (tap water kills fish!)

K also bought two avacados on sale, so we had guacamole for an appetizer.

It was one of the most delicious meals ever. The wings were crispy and hot, the asparagus tender and nutty.

Yum!

Birthday at Disneyland

For her birthday, the Girl asked if she could take one friend to Disneyland. She chose a friend who goes to another school, which I thought was a good choice because no one at her school would be jealous about it.

We picked her friend up around 9 or 9:30, and were on our way. We'd brought along a sweater and a change of clothes in case we got as wet as we did at Sea World. The girls put sun block on during the ride up there, and I played a new CD I'd made for them, with Pocket Full of Sunshine and other new songs. We'd gotten a good deal on park-hoppers thru Cal Tech, which seemed like a good deal. I was afraid Dland alone wouldn't be a full day, but I didn't want to get the Vons 2fer ticket, as you could only come to the second park on a different day, but within one month. That just seemed too hard, as it's a long way to drive.

Well, I was wrong in that Dland alone really can be a full day! I was glad to have the ability to go to the other park, tho, because we also had fun there.

I was surprised how crowded the park was, but I guess Spring Break is a different week for lots and lots of schools! It was a nice warm day, and when we first walked in I kept smelling the faint scent of pee as the sidewalk heated up. I kept thinking, "Who would be peeing out here on main street? And when?" Also, every now and then a whiff from the sewers would waft up for a nice P U. It just reminds me not to EVER try to go there during the heat of summer when the park is running anywhere near capacity! Whew!

I'm just saying.

Anyway, we went on 11 attractions in about 12 hours, and were exhausted by the end. We ate at our favorite restaurants - Pizza Port in Tomorrowland, and the soup-in-a-bread-bowl place in DCA's pier restaurants. At all times we were either on a ride, standing in line, walking to the next place, or eating. I don't think we could have fit in one more thing!

We got lucky at Space Mountain. I'd forgotten that a guy was telling everyone on the way in that this ride was down, and I was looking for the place to get a Fastpass to it. As I looked around, suddenly the ride opened up, and everyone started rushing inside! That was one of our fastest lines all day! Also, at DCA there were not as many people, so lines were shorter there for many things. Not California Soarin'. That line was as long as ever.

We got much wetter than we thought we'd really get, but luckily all of us (except K) had brought something to change into. I changed my pants, but since my hear was soaked, it kept my shirt wet in the back for most of the day.

For the first time I started to feel sick on Space Mountain. Space Mountain! My favorite ride! The easiest of roller coasters. The visuals in the beginning got to my stomach, and it took awhile for me to recover from that. K too! He says we're officially too old for roller coasters now. Sad.

He stood in line with the girls nearly 2 hours for their second ride on Space Mountain. This was their last ride, and I was exhausted, so I sat near the exit and waited for them. I could see into the arcade, and was watching an elderly woman kick everyone's butt at "Dance, Dance Revolution."

That was funny.

On the way out, the fireworks show had started, and the ushers were routing the walkers into certain pathways, then shouting at us to "keep moving!" That struck me as being not very nice, and I hate it when Disney is not very nice. I also hate it that they encourage people to waste!

I have mixed feelings about Disney, but all in all we had a fun day.

Now The Girl is 11 years old. On her actual birthday, she got her ears pierced to celebrate. We ate at Olive Garden (her favorite) and I made chocolate cupcakes.

Christmas 2007

We had a nice, if fractured, Christmas. I got back from CO on the 20th, and it was downhill to Christmas after that. We bought last minute presents and finished getting ready. On Saturday we went to see some friends from college who are moving to Santa Monica, and the whole family was in town for a few days. We went to breakfast and then walked around for awhile. That's were we saw this tree made of shopping carts!

The Boy's birthday came on the 23rd. He was so happy that day, saying, "I'm a MAN now! Mom, what do you think about your boy who's a MAN now?" We took him to brunch with his friends, since he had to work that night. Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles was his choice. He tried to think of all the things he could do now that he's 18 - drive (hasn't taken the test yet), vote, serve on a jury and help decide someone's fate, and buy things with a valid contract.

He got an iPod from his girlfriend, and he was SO happy. She spent way too much on him, but he loved it. The Girl was jealous.

The next day was Christmas eve, but we tried to celebrate a lot that day, as K (my husband) had to go to work early on Christmas day. So I made a nice dinner, which wasn't too hard. The Girl kept saying we should start, but there was nothing that had to cook all day (like a turkey). We had ham. I also boiled some potatoes (for the Girl to mash), made spaghetti squash (which the Girl LOVES. It's very good), warmed up some tamales, made mole from a jar, and that was about it! K proclaimed it delicious.

Then we went to church, where the Girl had been asked to read something in their Holiday performance. She got SO nervous! Then some little kids lined up to sing, and they were SO, so cute!! One boy on the end barely knew the words, but kindof kept up with the motions. Then another girl who started out in the back row pushed her way to front, like "this is my chance!" She did that every song they sang. They were funny because they were so cute.

K was supposed to open all his gifts that night, but he got sleepy and decided to wait until he returns from work. As is tradition, we all opened one present, with several of us feeling like we opened our best present that night! That's not supposed to happen! The Girl opened the present she was most curious about, and it was an iPod too! From her Grandparents! Then it was the Boy who was jealous, until he determined that hers was 2 Gigs and his was 4Gigs. Also hers was engraved with her name, but he doesn't care about things like that.

Also, K started a NEW tradition of balancing the presents on our head before we open them. Whatever, don't ask me.

The next morning K was gone, so the kids and I got up and started opening presents. Our dog wins the prize for most liking his present, because once we opened it, he couldn't stop playing with it!

Once, when the Girl removed the wrapping paper from one of her presents, she found a Swann's quesadilla box. I said, "Oh, great! Quesadillas!" and the girl said yeah, and put it aside. As if that was really her present! Just kidding, kid! Inside was the station to a Mexican Train domino set.

We all got nice gifts, and people seemed to like what I got them, too. We ate eggnog french toast with syrup and leftover ham, which is just SO yummy! I'll post the recipes soon.

Merry, merry, and Happy, happy too!!!

I'm looking for '08 to be great. Or at least really, really good.

Thanksgiving 2007

For some reason, I wasn't looking forward to Thanksgiving much this year. Because of The Boy's basketball season, we haven't been able to visit family during the holidays for about 3 or 4 years now. And we don't know anyone without family out here, so we don't invite anyone extra. Just our little family. Last year I felt a little sad.

So I decided I'd make all new recipes this year. Try something new. But every time I saw something good on the TV Food Network, I couldn't find the recipe online. Or, it turned out to be soup. People, I made pumpkin (or squash) soup for my entire family one year, and no one was into it. I guess I was ahead of my time.

Turns out, I LIKE all of our usual recipes. So I asked K if we couldn't cut something out this year, because it seems like SO MANY dishes! Since we're having mashed potatoes, can we cut out stuffing? Turns out, no, the family really likes ALL those dishes. Plus, some of them I only make once a year.

I was not feeling well on Wednesday, but I gathered up the energy to get up and make the Cranberry salsa and the stuffing ahead of time.

The next day was Thursday, Thanksgiving. K came home from work around 3pm, but the Boy had to work until 6:30, so we decided to wait and have dinner with him when he got home. This gave me ALL DAY to make the rest of the food. I liked that. I made the two casseroles during the day - this year I made it seem easy.

The turkey gave me some trouble, as it hadn't defrosted in the 4 days it had been in the refrigerator. It's hard to know this ahead of time, but luckily, it wasn't the first time this has happened to me. I soaked it in cold water until it defrosted. I like to cook turkey in one of those plastic cooking bags. I put 2-3 heads of garlic, separated, underneath it, and pour a cup or 2 of wine on top of it. Then I close up the bag and pop that sucker into the oven!

It smells SO GOOD when that turkey is cooking!

We had:
Cranberry salsa
Stuffing
Turkey
broccoli/cheese casserole
sweet potato casserole
mashed potatoes
gravy
roasted garlic
crescent rolls

YUM!!

When the turkey was done, I took it out (to rest) and popped the casseroles (including stuffing, which I don't actually stuff into the bird because I like it crunchy.) When you're the cook, you get to decide things like that.

The Girl made the mashed potatoes and set the table, which was very helpful. I made the gravy and the rolls right before we ate. This gravy, flavored with the roasted garlic (and wine) drippings, is SO good (IMHO).

We gave thanks for:

The Boy: That he's not living on the streets on Thanksgiving. And for his good looks and charming personality. (yes, he really said that)

Me: All of our health (usually it's indoor plumbing)

The Girl: Her family, soccer, and TV

K - The family, and water (because we're 75% water) -huh?

It was a truly nice meal, and I was thankful to have us all together for dinner, which seldom happens anymore.

Halloween and soccer

Halloween was anticlimatic this year. At the last minute, the Girl said she wanted to go with her friend who was Trick or Treating at her Grandparents house. Evidently they close down the whole street for the event.

Of course the Boy was off with his friends, so I said I'd just stay home and give out candy. This was the first year I didn't go with The Girl. The first year since I can remember that I didn't go with either child.

But that's OK, I stayed home to give out candy. The only thing was, only about 3 sets of people came by! So I gave everyone a good handful and was done with it.

Later I had to go pick up The Girl at her friend's grandparent's house. Holy Moley! The main street to get there was filled in the median with parked cars. I drove to the top and was able to park, and I walked over to the street in question. It was PACKED! This is a residential neighborhood. What happened to people trick or treating in their OWN neighborhoods?

The friend's mom said that her parents had 2,500 pieces of candy, but there were so many people that they were giving it out one at a time. And they ran out of candy, so finally had to shut their door and turn off the lights!

I don't see the advantage for the kids, if you're only getting one piece of candy at every home. But I hear the homes there are really done up for this holiday, so maybe that makes it worth it.
--------------

Over the weekend, the Girl's soccer team had another game. They're doing really well this year, and have only lost 2 games all season. No ties. 8 wins. But the team last weekend was no joke, and I was nervous the entire game!

Even tho her team scored quickly - on about the second play! Then, the Girl, from defense, kicked a ball that flew high into the air and right into the goal! Then the coach put her up front for a little bit, and she scored again!

I keep complaining that the coach doesn't put her up front enough, but this should keep me quiet for awhile. As long as she gets the chance to score now and then I'll be happy.

Next week my in-laws will be visiting, and the team will be playing the toughest other team in our bracket. They beat her team last time, and they'll be looking for revenge! That team is very tough on defense, but they haven't won as many games as our team.

The in-laws just arrived, so hopefully we'll go eat something yummy!

Father's Day 07

K had a really nice Father's Day I think. He really deserved one, just because he's a great father that does LOADS of things for his kids. Also, for a variety of unforseen reasons, he didn't have that great of a birthday. So I tried to make the day nice for him.

First, we woke up and went to church with him, as he always likes to go and give thanks. Then we came home and made breakfast. I made bacon and The Girl made French Toast for everyone.

Then I did the dishes.

The Boy had to run out and work on yet another project for school, and was gone all afternoon. The Girl wanted to watch the end of "Night at the Museum", so I watched it again with her. She got so excited at some of the parts - let's just say I rarely hear her scream like that. When it was over, she said, "That was great! We should GET this movie!"

We hung out and read for awhile, then K and The Girl wanted to go to the park to break in her new soccer cleats. So I went with them and read on the grass with the dog. It's not often we go to the park anymore, so it was a fun change.

We came home and I started a pot of Gumbo for dinner. I diced and saute'd and got everything to the point where it could cook for awhile on the stove. Then I went outside and we all swam for awhile. It was cool in the water, which felt great after getting tired and sweaty from cooking in the kitchen!

Then I came inside and took a shower, and asked The Boy (home now from doing his project) to start some water to boil on the stove for rice. When I got out of the shower, I added the rice to the water and the meat to the Gumbo.

When the rice was done and the meat heated through, it was time to eat. This Gumbo recipe completely fills my largest pot, and the family ate 2/3 of it last night! K and I ate the rest of it today.

Yummy, that file' gumbo is good stuff. I'll post the recipe soon.

After dinner we watched the other dvd I'd rented, "Ghost Rider", until it was 10pm and time for Entourage.

Another guilty indulgence.

We watched the end of "Ghost Rider" later - K thought it was funny, and he loves motorcycles, so it was all good.