Thanksgiving Weekend Update!

Do tell, how was your long Thanksgiving weekend??



Maddy

I think it is surely the mark of a great holiday

break if I get to take a nap every single day! 

Some were only catnaps -- but a nap is a nap is a nap, right!

 

Wow -- can I say that I outdid myself and

 give myself a big ol' pat on the back?!!

 

First, let me say that I am not the best cook AND I am not
always the best at timing dishes so everything is ready and
 warm-ish at the right time, but this year, I rocked it!

Connor

 

Oh yes I did!

 

The turkey was a fresh brined one from Trader Joe's and turned out fabulous --
it looked even better than it tasted and seriously,
 how often does that happen??

Grandson Walt

And the sides -- can I tell you about the side dishes?

Lisa's Mashed Potato casserole was incredibly yummy as always.

If I could have only one side dish -- it would be those mashed potatoes!
 

Mrs. Peppperidge Farm helped my stuffing this year -

huge improvement over the incredibly dry cornbread stuff I attempted last year. 

A corn cake casserole was a big hit with all --

even Maddy the non-veggie eater liked it!

Granddaughter Janie & Nemo

Hubby's requested green bean casserole was

evidently delish (I don't eat that stuff, ever).

My daughter-in-law brought the best Mock Thunderbird salad --

 not sure what the mock is about --
it's definitely mocking my diet! 

What's not to love about a salad with both bacon and mayo in it?

Probably not on the Biggest Loser meal plan but extremely delish!! 

Add dinner rolls and wine and it was a real meal and . . .

get this -- it was all ready at the same time!

Catherine, Walt, Philip & Janie

 

Pumpkin pie and a
Chocolate and Vanilla Flourless Cake
(aka chocolate marble cheesecake) made appearances too. 
Oh yes, and then a food coma ensued
-- hence the naps! :)

 

Thanksgiving -- the family, the food, the fun

so much to be thankful for -- it was a fabulous holiday! 
We missed those who couldn't be with us this year.
 

 

Ouchie!

Who knew that I was such an awesome runner and athlete that I

 would end up with a stress fracture in my foot!! 

Holy cow -- I know why they call it a stress fracture --

 it's stressing me out!

No, those are not really my feet,
but I wanted a photo for you all!

 Am taking double doses of Aleve*

(where are the real pain meds I ask you?)

and have started wearing my lovely orthopedic boot again. 

It's been a couple weeks and it still hurts . . . a lot!

Can you tell I'm hoping for loads of sympathy from blogland??? :)

 

The worst news --
am not certain if I will be able to rush around on Black Friday --

but hopeful that I can do a bit of shopping and then go home,

 crash on the couch with a bag of ice and some pumpkin pie!!

 

Happy Thanksgiving friends!

Gobble gobble . . .

Thinking ahead just a little bit

 (not too far though--

I'm kind of a last minute gal, you know),

but . . .

 

look at these ADORABLE Thanksgiving invitations!

 

 

 

 

Yes, it's true, I found them through my friend, Kim of

3 Peanuts fame, as she used this wonderful Etsy vendor

for her hub's 50th b-day party invitations.

 

It's happened before and I'm sure it will happy again --

I'm a big copycat!

 

Just in case you want to be a copycat too --

check out

girlingearstudio

 and tell her that I sent you! :)

The Story of A Triangle Desk

 

My little sister had the most adorable little triangle corner desk when she was growing up. 

I think my parents bought it to encourage her to do her homework

as she was the most sociable in our family

and homework sometimes got pushed aside! ;)  

 

Cell phone photo - forgot to get a better "before"

I'm guessing that they bought it sometime in the 1970's. 

And guess what -- it worked -- she did her homework

and excelled in college and post-college studies.  

Not only is she the sociable one, but also the really smart one!  

 

 

Anywhooo -- this past summer it was time for the desk

(and it's sisters - a lovely dresser and chair) to find a new home. 
 

Nobody seemed to want them, so I volunteered. 

But, I didn't really like the wood finish. 

I had some plans in my head for those Ethan Allen pieces of furniture. 

Please don't tell my twin -- she said it was wrong, wrong, wrong

 to even think about painting Ethan Allen furniture!!

 

 But, I didn't listen. 

 

Look how fabulous that little old triangle desk, chair and dresser look now.  

No, I didn't paint them myself

(not one of those talented furniture painters),

so left that job to a professional!

I didn't want to screw up the nice furniture, you know. 

But, I did pick out and put those new knobs

and drawer pulls on myself -- so adorable!!

 

 

And now, Miss Maddy has a lovely corner triangle desk,

sweet chair and bonus dresser and that most adorable furniture

from the 1970s has a new lease on life.

 

Hello November

Hello November! 

Wow -- doesn't this year seem to be speeding by?

Hello American Girl Doll!!  

Maddy put an entry into an American girl contest. 

She'd been thinking about it the whole month and

finally we got a little video accomplished on the very last day!

So sweet! (Sorry, couldn't get it to load).

Hello decorative cabbage! 

Did more yard work -- raking and mowing -- rinse and repeat-

seems to be never ending and makes me a little sad to see

trees bare already! 

We planted some purple cabbage here and there in the yard. 

Love that stuff and it loves cold weather -- last year it grew through January!!

 

Maddy and I went to a performance of Jugglemania with Shoehorn last Thursday.

Wasn't too sure about it and kind of hate to go to things on a school night,

but it was fabulous -- and so were our seats  -- in the very front row! 

Maddy laughed and laughed (me too) -- fun to see her enjoy it so much.

 

 

 

Hello photo shoots! 

We keep attempting to get a Christmas card photo!

One of these days we'll catch a good one, I'm sure!

 

Hello November!