I'm Thankful Anyway!

I am thankful for...

My husband, who actually read Twilight before he took me to the movie last night, and also works hard to let me be a stay at home mom

My children, who keep me humble

My home. While it may not always be clean, it is always welcoming

My parents, who taught me the important stuff

My health

A car that starts

A job that pays the bills

An education to back me up, just in case...

The ability to read anything I want, and also to understand it (something I took for granted before having first-graders)

Friends and family who like me the way I am, social ineptitude and all

The promise of being together forever with my loved ones.

Now, I will try to keep these tremendous blessings in mind as I tell this very sad tale...

My family believes in the sport of Black Friday. Yes, it is a sport in every sense of the word: strategy, quick reflexes, fleetness of foot, etc.
We strategized after Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday and came up with our plan. The morning was to begin at Wal-Mart at 3:30 AM. I came home, checked my ads, set my alarm, laid out my clothes, got my coat, keys, and purse out at the ready and went to bed so I would be energized the next morning. I was prepared for the cold, I was prepared for the sleep deprivation, I was prepared for the battle ahead...
Alas, the one contingency I didn't plan on was the one that occurred. The power went out around 2 AM and didn't turn back on until 5:15! I was awoken at 5 by my cell phone ringing in the next room. It was my sister, wondering where I was. I had missed it! It was so sad...kind of like a child missing Christmas morning *sniff*. Burke, the sweet guy he is, was quite sympathetic even though he just doesn't "get" the fun of Black Friday. I pulled myself up by my bootstraps and left to go paw over the leftovers. I did get a few things that morning, but ended up having Burke check online for some of the deals I had missed out on. I probably could have saved the hassle and the gas by staying home, because he was able to find just about everything I was looking for.

Although I was very disappointed, I can put it all into perspective. Things are not important, people and relationships are. A friend in our ward lost his father on Sunday. I am so grateful to be able to have all of my family with me this Thanksgiving, even if they are a few states away. I love you all!

Ready, Set, Go

For those of you who don't wade into the hazards of Black Friday, you might as well move on.
But for those who love the adrenaline, angst, and euphoria associated with waiting outside in the cold at 4 AM for a great deal, check out this site.

My Secret is Out

Adrienne has been really sick the past week. All she wanted to do was be wrapped up in her blankie and be held all day with the TV on. Since she was so pathetic, I gave in. We watched a lot of Disney Channel and SpongeBob.
I have to say that I have become quite a fan of some of those "kid shows". I would also have to say that Phineas and Ferb ranks right up there near the top. It is hilarious and reminds me of Burke and Nathan, only in animation.
Sad for my Phineas addiction, Adrienne is on the mend and seems to be feeling better, as long as there are no chores that need to be done or vegetables that need to be eaten.

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

The title says it all...
It was parent teacher conference on Wednesday. Each time we go, I am reminded how different my children's personalities are.

Annika likes to chat, but she is very smart and miraculously gets her work done.

Kade is extremely helpful, has lots of friends, and is very smart.

Nathan is very creative, smart ...and challenging to teach.

I am grateful to those teachers who tackle the students like Nathan. Anyone can take a child like Kade and show him the wonder of learning. It takes a true teacher to get a child like Nathan to see the worth of new knowledge and the joy of learning. (It usually involves some sort of bribery and/or showing him how it will improve one of his experiments or inventions).

Keep up the good work, teachers!

zigging and zagging

Now that I am free from the Twilight obsession (finished #4 last night), I can show some pictures of another hairdo I stole from one of the hair blogs I love. Adrienne isn't always the greatest guinea pig for two reasons:

1. She is really suffering from a lack of hair

2. She doesn't like to sit still

Nonetheless, here is the latest.



This is her "I'm so excited about this hairdo face". It seems to show up in all of my hairdo pictures.


Here is the back view. This 'do lasted about two hours. That was when she decided it was itchy and deconstructed it. I have learned through experience that if I want to document my "living art for the ages" I need to do it right after it is completed.

So Sad to See it End

Finished #2

and #3,

started #4 last night.

I will be sad when I get to the end, I haven't read a really absorbing book for a very long time.

Can't....Stop....

I succumbed. It started easily enough, "just try it, you'll like it". "You can always stop at one...."

It came from all sides, the lady at Karate, my sister-in-law, and then my mother-in-law who even gave me the thing.

I started last night and I can't stop.

I swore I wouldn't do it, I didn't even think I would like it. Isn't that for people much younger than me?

I finished it this morning.

I'm hooked, on to Book 2...

Good, Better, Best

History happened here

...

The best news happened here

...

Real hope can be found here

(It isn't filibuster-proof)

...

God Bless America!

We'll need it.

Truly Scary

What is more frightening that a group of kids full of Halloween candy?

Go and VOTE!

Boo

Git 'Er Done!
I did it! I got them all done. I am so happy. Best of all, they are so happy.
I am talking about their costumes.
They turned out pretty well, in spite of the fact that I am unable to sew in a straight line.

Nathan went as Anakin Skywalker. The boots are a hand me down from me. They actually fit him! His feet were feeling the pain by the end of the night. I got in a great "I told you so".

Kade was Count Dracula, but the big grin on his face kind of detracts from his overall spookiness.
Annika was a girl from the 50's with an adorable poodle skirt. She felt a little left out when we were painting everyone else's faces and begged us to put whiskers on her because she was a "poodle girl". I finally talked her into some lipstick and blush in lieu of whiskers.

Last but not least, Adrienne was a kitty. She loved it.

I must give myself a pat on the back. Each and every costume they wore this year was handmade by myself, including Kade's medallion. However, next year, I will not do that to myself again. I am not that great a seamstress and am easily frustrated. It is a good thing I have three seam rippers.

I already got Kade's costume for next year on clearance at WalMart.

They made a haul and were quite happy to come home and share with mom and dad. I snagged all the Bit O Honeys and even sneaked some of the bubble gum out. Burke weighed the bags and the grand total came to: 13 pounds!

Whew, no wonder they were so tired.

Now, on to the next important holiday: Black Friday! Oh, I mean Thanksgiving.