Thanksgiving 2009

I didn't want to do the usual Thanksgiving post. Anyone can be thankful on Thanksgiving right? What about the other 364 days of the year?

We did go around the table yesterday at Lee's and mention for what we are thankful. There we some sweet things, like my husband said he was thankful for his family. There was a thankful for my job, thankful for 51 years of marriage and health. Me? I was thankful I had eggs for breakfast. ( I had been out for a couple of days and had to eat yogurt.) I can't follow the trend you know. Because, every day I am thankful for my wonderful husband who takes good care of me and B, and works to provide for us. Every day, I am thankful that my Mother wakes up another day. I am thankful everyday, that B is a smart little cookie, who frequently tells me how much she loves me, or that I am her best friend, or that "we always like to be together." I am thankful, that while we may drive each other up the wall, my Mom, sister and myself, talk everyday to try and keep our family close. Every year, I am thankful my sister works so hard with her family to make Thanksgiving delicious and special. And every time B spends time with her cousins, I am thankful they love her so much. And every time we see Cathie P., I am thankful she is such a wonderful "aunt" to B. And believe me, every day I am thankful that this pregnancy is easy, and my future delivery is, so far, a healthy little bundle.

OK, now for the fun part. The cynic in me is not thankful for the following:

1. Cats who throw up, all the time, everywhere.
2. Family members who won't tell me what they want for Christmas.
3. Though I am thankful for a husband who cooks dinner, I am not thankful for the amount of pots, pans and bowls I have to wash afterward.
4. And yes, he vacuums too, but do we have to have the loudest vacuum ever?
5. And I love my mother, but does she have to live an hour and a half away and not want to come to any holiday/special event that occurs?
6. Why, oh why, does junk food have to taste better than the healthy stuff? Reese's Peanut Butter Christmas trees vs. swiss chard.
7. Why is it Shadow (our dog) can run around after the cats, often jumping off the furniture to "get" them, but when you yell at her because she is in the front yard again, on the corner by the fire hydrant (where she shouldn't be), she limps and hobbles so slowly up to the door?
8. The dishwasher. Yes I am thankful it washed the dishes (usually), but why can't it fill and empty itself? Seriously, I fill, run and empty the dishwasher every day.
9. And I will regret complaining about this, but why is it I gain weight every summer when there are bathing suits involved, but I lose weight in the winter when all I wear are jeans and sweaters? Yes, I am thankful that I lose weight at all.
10. Why is it B wakes up just as my toast is done from the toaster oven. It is like she wants me to eat cold toast. And forget about eating any treat behind her back, she can sniff that stuff out a mile away, asks for a bite, then finished it for you. IF you ask her to share? "Be patient and be patient," she says.
11. And finally, I am not thankful that B and Mike bring random bugs home from school/work, give me a cold, and don't have the decency to even get a runny nose.

Hope you all enjoyed Thanksgiving. I know I had a wonderful day with my family. And today, we will do nothing. With all the shopping hype, I feel like I an missing out if I don't participate. But really is it a bargain if I am trampled trying to get it?

July 3rd and 4th

As usual, when we have one thing to do, we have many. So weekends are dead slow, with nothing to do. Others are cram packed. Last week we had a lot to do.

Wednesday evening, I went to the first meeting of a cooking club. We didn't actually cook, but we discussed when to meet and what we wanted to do - primarily canning. And, we all brought appetizers. There were fantastic cheeses, gazpacho with cherries, gourgeres, fabulous sangria, fruit with a great sauce that was flavored with amaretto, smoked salmon sandwiches (my contribution), arugala and edamame spread with crostini, another cheese with fresh cherries, fruit skewers and out of this world rice pudding with rhubarb compote. We should have all brought the recipes to share, because everything was incredible!!! And, I should have noted the cheeses, because they also rocked.

Thursday we went to Furry Murray's birthday party. There were many young celebrators, B was in heaven, and I was in heaven getting to sit on a great porch talking with friends. There were hot dogs of course and great lemon cupcakes for Murray to share.

Friday, B got her hair cut. I made cupcakes, 2 kinds of ice cream, and wanted to make coffee cake for the 4th of July parade, but didn't get around to it. We headed over to Mike's sister Kate's house after B woke up. We went over to wish Eileen and Ryan "Happy Birthday."

We went swimming at their neighborhood pool, and had pizza and salad. It was cold, so only the kids went in the pool. Then we walked back to the cousin's house and had s'mores made on their cool backyard fire pit. We planned to be home by 8:30, but it didn't work out that way.

Trying to convince Mike to get in the cold water.

Cute hair right? She got it cut that morning.

Cousin Eileen.

I love to see her smiling in the pool.

B's swimming like a sea lion - her words.

On the morning of the 4th, we got up early. We wanted to be at my sister's at 8:30. That means we had to leave at 7:30, earlier if we wanted to stop and get a treat. And, the promise of a donut is the only thing that got B out of bed - and that was at 7:10! We didn't leave the house by 7:30, but by 7:45. We stopped and got donuts. Mike and I got cake donuts with chocolate frosting and B got donut holes. She is just like her cousin Jeana, she loves donuts!!! When I got back in the car, B's face was contorted with excitement.

So we were late to Lee's house, but she waited for us and we rode our bikes to her friend's house for the parade. I would have taken more pictures, but the battery was dying on my camera. See, if we had a rotten time and got home earlier on Friday night, I would have gotten stuff ready and packed batteries! Oh, well.

Anyway, the parade was good and my sister's friend had great food. The best breakfast burritos I have ever had! Then we rode back to Lee's - in the rain - and ate more! Guacamole, BBQ chicken, potatoes, salads, chips, hamburgers. Plus, the ice cream and the cupcakes. I swore Saturday night, I would never eat again. It was a full house, my nephew had a bunch of friends over - they were playing some made up game of tree golf, and my niece had a friend over too. It was a lot of fun!

At the Parade - poor thing looks tired here too!

B fell asleep at Lee's house. She was tired.

We were all tired. I am still tired today!