Like Little Elves

Yesterday was a half day of school. Why they didn't schedule that half day for last Wednesday I don't know, but anyhoo.
E took it into her head to hand make Christmas cards. I guess now I'll have to send some. The weather has been unseasonably warm (that's info, not complaining) so the others played outside. C and S walked to the scout cabin and river and brought me back pinecones. I am to use them to decorate. Um, have they noticed that their mother is sadly lacking in artistic ability? I gave L and A (who I babysit) glitter and glue and now they are beautiful. I think I'll be really creative and sit them in a bowl on the piano, lol. The church gave us a really nice felt advent calendar so I don't need to download one. It seems like Christmas will get itself taken care of without to much effort on my part. I never decorate too much and like to wait until after the middle of the month to go buy a tree. That is one of our few traditions. We gotta have a real tree! I usually get it up around the 20th. If I had to look at decorations for a month before Christmas I would be sick of them. I did click away with my mouse and get some shopping done. I don't really like shopping. It occurred to me that what I really don't like is too much choice. It's wonderful to have so much to choose from but then I dither about whether it's exactly right, and the best price and if somewhere or something else is better. Very frustrating! I would rather be frustrated at home with a cup of coffee however, than in an actual store.

Putting The Fun in Dysfunctional

A typical American family after a holiday-Possessed, Drunk, Frightened or Angry

A successful Thanksgiving. The weather could not have been better. It was sunny and probably 45 degrees. The kids all played outside ALOT-cops&robbers, capture the flag, soccer, football, tag--they were tired and that was a good thing. We had plenty to eat but not a crazy amount, more like a good Sunday dinner. We took it easy today. We went to the library and I finally raked the leaves and trimmed the hedge. Yes, I know summer and autumn have passed, but I didn't want to rush into anything :=)

The younger contingent taking a break from running around like idiots.


A killer game of euchre. It's a Hoosier thing.

Preparation

No one wants to attend Thanksgiving without appropriate make up and manicure.

And a pedicure would be important too.

Conglomeration

I have about 17 different posts floating around in my head, but no way to make one coherent one appear.

I went on the annual Cub Scout Food Drive Saturday, which always makes me feel good. I hope my boys learned something from the experience. I pointed out to them that the most generous givers were not always those who lived in the nicest homes or had the nicest cars parked out front.

Dh is working on Thursday but the kids and I are going to my dad's and his wife's house. I'm not sure what to bring. No one will commit to what they are making, argh! I think I'll go with a pumpkin roll and cookies for all the kids (ok, except for one all the kids are mine, but you know.)

I tried to find Thanksgiving paper plates today to send to F's kindergarten feast on Wednesday. I had to go to three different stores before I found some. I was thinking I would have to resort to drawing hand turkeys on each individual plain paper plate. (Yes, they were specific that they be Thanksgiving plates.)

I need to think about what to get the kids for Christmas. I've had no requests for anything, and when I ask they say they don't know. This of course makes me think that they must already have enough stuff so why bother. Have I mentioned how much I loathe Christmas shopping? I have a feeling that the oldest two have asked for nothing because they think maybe we can't afford it. We have had some unexpected bills but I don't want them to be all noble and stuff.

I am shocked that no one is slowing down for the long holiday weekend. We have all our regular activities, with extra church thrown in, except Cub Scouts which happens on Thursday. I had a couple boys ask me if we were meeting. Umm, no, I plan on being in a food coma.

Which brings me to a worry. I've lost 26 pounds since April. I know it's not possible to gain them all back in one day, but it's bugging me. Not to mention that every weekend through New Years is already booked with some event. I'm hoping for lots of strength.

Have You Ever

I got this from Paula at Full of Life.

Have you Ever?
01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
*03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
*06. Held a tarantula
*07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
*08. Said “I love you” and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
*11. Visited Paris
*12. Watched a lighntening storm at sea
*13. Stayed up all night and watched the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
*15. Gone to a huge sports game (and survived the crush afterwards)
*16. Walked the stairs up the Leaning Tower of Pisa
*17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
*19. Slept under the stars
*20. Changed a baby’s diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
*22. Watched a meteor shower
*23. Gotten drunk on champagne
*24. Given more than you can afford to charity
*25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
*26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
*30. Had a snowball fight
*31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
*32. Held a lamb
*33. Seen a total eclipse
*34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
*36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
*38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
*41. Taken care of someone who was drunk.
*42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched wild whales
*45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe.
*47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
*49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
*53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
*56. Alphabetized your CDs
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
*59. Lounged around in bed all day
*60. Played touch football
61. Gone scuba diving
*62. Kissed in the rain
*63. Played in the mud
*64. Played in the rain
*65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
*68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
*69. Toured ancient sites
*70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
*72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
*77. Made cookies from scratch
*78. Won first prize in a costume contest
*79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
*82. Been on television news programs as an “expert”
*83. Got flowers for no reason
*84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
*88. Kissed on the first date
89. Gone to Thailand
*90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
*92. Buried one/both of you parents
*93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
*95. Performed in Rocky Horror(in the aisles)
*96. Raised children
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
*102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Touched a stingray
*110. Broken someone’s heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears
*116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
*117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
*118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
*123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
*127. Eaten sushi
*128. Had your picture in the newspaper
*129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
*130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
*132. Touched a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read the Iliad-and The Odyssey
*135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
*138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
*141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
*142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
*146 Dyed your hair
*147. Been a DJ
148. Shaved your head
*149. Caused a car accident
150. Saved someone’s life

I guess my life has been more interesting than I thought.

Nothing New

As usual, a week has gone by and that pesky real life got in the way of posting. Nothing too awesome, just the usual detritis of life I blather on about here. I did get alot of batch baking done that I wanted to take care of. I would rather get everything dirty once and freeze the extra than make a little every day. I made lots of bread, muffins, cookies and cup cakes so there is no carbohydrate shortage on the horizon here. I also ordered wood and got it all stacked. I fixed a couple loose shingles. I ran the kids to all their stuff. Saturday E had to be at the high school at 6:45 to make the bus for her debate meet. That made for an early day. (She got 1st place in novice congress by the way. I knew she was a good arguer). Since I was up and around I took the other kids to the free movie. The local theater plays a kid's movie Saturday mornings. We saw Over the Hedge which pleasantly surprised me as being amusing. Usually if I'm not stupefied when I leave I consider it a victory. We spent the rest of the day tucked inside with a fire. It was ugly and cold. Sunday was church and Brownies in the afternoon. This week probably won't be any more exciting. I did finally buy a new digital camera this morning. I need to get it out and read the instructions. Yeah right.

Taking My Day of Rest

Well, I have now handed over most of dh's check to the shoe store. I have purchased four pair this weekend. What happened to the days when sneakers were the cheap shoes? They really needed them though. The least anyone's shoe size increased was a size and a half. You would think they would have mentioned that their shoes were too tight. C's had actual holes in the bottom. Did he tell me this? Duh! I was quite shocked when I had to buy S size 12 men's shoes. Your shoe size shouldn't match your age. His foot is now bigger than dh's. My gosh!!

Yesterday was a full day too. Dh dropped E off at the high school at 7am. It was her first debate match. Eight students participated in her forum and she placed fourth. Not bad for a freshman in her first debate. While dh did that I dropped off S for a Boy Scout bike event. They biked a 27 mile river greenway. After I dropped him off I took F,L and C to sign up for basketball. We changed leagues this year. I just felt where they were playing was ridiculously competitive. It's just kids recreational basketball for heaven's sake, not the NBA. I have no illusions that they are going to win a scholarship, this is for fun. The league we changed to also has Saturday games so no more running around like crazy during school nights. I have enough we are committed to then already. Hopefully this will lead to less stress. S opted not to play this year. He thinks he would like to try swimming at the school. That's alright by me. E is just too consumed with her grades, student council, dance and now debate. I think not playing was probably a good decision for them.

Dh took the older three to see a movie this afternoon. The Prestige. Sounded boring to me so I'm hanging out reading and drinking tea. That's really my perfect day anyway.

In Defense

I'm feeling the need to defend my favorite holiday. Anybody remember Thanksgiving??? I knew I was in trouble when I had to shop for Halloween candy among the trees and reindeer but geesh, every magazine, commercial, pop up ad, etc seems to be for Christmas. Along with articles on how to make it memorable, perfect, awe inspiring and stress free? Huh? Give me a day that involves eating, napping, sports or family games, oh and gratitude and I'm good.