thanksgiving...

so tomorrow will be a busy day. but today was BUSIER. i LITERALLY cooked for almost 8 hours...and we aren't even hosting!!! but that's okay. things always take longer when you have a lot of "help". but both pies got baked...pecan and pumpkin. (interesting side note...i wasn't intending at all to make a pumpkin pie, but little mama informed me that she learned at school that you always have pumpkin pie on thanksgiving, so i caved quickly) cornbread and sausage stuffing. oh, and sausage-cheese ball appetizers (cause the in-laws say we'll eat at five...and by seven we are gnawing our own arms off).oh, and a pot of mac'n'cheese for the babies, in case none of the other sides that are planned go over well. whew!!!

but thanksgiving....like Christmas....but without the stress of gifts. and shopping. and cards. not that i hate the holiday season...but thanksgiving is everything good about Christmas....without the worry of presents and all. its just more relaxed. BUT that being said, i wouldn't trade watching my kiddos on Christmast morning for anything. ever.

this thanksgiving little mama is greatful for (in this order) ponies, and her mom and dad.
the boy doesn't understand the question.
i am thankful for (in no order) my family (especially my husband), our health, our friends, still having a job, the children's schools (who take such good care of my kids while i work), and the fact that all the adult siblings on the hub's side have decided NOT to exchange gifts this year!!!!

i know. i am awful.

ahhh....a whole week.....

woooo-hooooo!!!!

a whole week off of work. a whole week.

and....monday and tuesday the kids can go to daycare. and...husband has already promised to take thanksgiving day off!!! so i am really really looking forward to this week.

monday....manicure (thanks monica!) and an appointment with my baby-dr.
tuesday...shopping and flu mist for the kids...
wednesday...prepping for thanksgiving...me and the kids at the store and in the kitchen all day!
thursday...you don't even want to know how crazy..
friday...SHOPPING, SHOPPING, SHOPPING....black friday...here i come!!! (also, check out www.blackfriday.info for the black friday ads posted as they are released!) seriously, there are some good deals on things that were already on my list to buy...and since hubby will be home, i do intend to be one of the phychos out at 5am. maybe i can get some folks crossed off the master list!
and then on sauturday and sunday, i fully intend to rest and pig out on leftovers!!!

hope you have a fun and busy week too!!!

3 - 0

3-0 . Thirty. Three decades. Almost a third of the way to 100. arg.

i won't say "old". but lets say that this has not been my favorite birthday. i think its the whole milestone thing. I was okay with 21 (duh). I had a little trouble with 25...only because it put me in the mid-twenties. but 30 is a little harder. nobody says (when you are 30) "oh, don't worry, you're still young, there's plenty of time to....." (fill in the blank....go to college, switch careers, etc.) you are supposed to have it all figured out by 30...right?

i guess 30 just seems "Grown Up" to me. not that the house, the husband, the two kids and one on the way, the closing in on a decade in the classroom, blah, blah, blah, don't feel grown up....i don't know. i guess i am not explaining myself well.

and i found that i have the starts of wrinkles between my eyebrows. i am sure it is from constantly giving students a look that plainly states "what the hell?". i guess i gotta stop that.

oh well....i gotta go clean the house

husbands greatest day EVER....

ok. so i can be hard on husband. i'll admit, i do expect alot from him....but then, he is also a really good husband. i mean it. i rarely have to ask for much help with the kids, and when he is home, he does help with the domestic side of life. and he puts up with me.

so like i said, he's a good guy.

and every once in awhile, its nice for him to get (or do) something he really wants. up until recently, he hunted. mostly deer, but really, anything that moved...and was in season (usually...haha) and was in range was also in danger! hunting is out of the question for now....and so husband turned to a new interest. talking me into letting him have a kegerator at the house.

really.

so he approaches me, about how i haven't sold the extra fridge yet....and how much space it wastes in our tiny garage. and how really, having a keg (that would last up to four months) would actually save money, since it is cheaper by the ounce...compared to a six pack. and how he is just "looking" online to see how much a kit costs. and i knew i was in trouble when i heard him telling me..."i am even looking on craig's list to see if i can find a used kit or something". he was in full sell mode. arg.

so i gave up, and gave in. "yes, just get it, order it all...." that was on a saturday. he was the happiest guy on the block by halloween....

ahhh...the first draw......so happy....

trick or treat....

halloween. i hate to say it, but i almost dread it next year. this year, we got off pretty easy.

i mean, the kids had fun, but they are still little enough that eight or so houses on our block was enough walking (in those giant costumes) and seemed like a ton of candy (i will admit, they are pretty candy deprived children....) so we were able to head back to the house by 7:30, and then we all passed out candy till about nine.....

next year will be a different story (i fear). something tells me that one block won't be enough...and passing out candy will probably not be seen as fun as trick or treating....

here are the kids getting ready to go....(yes, you are seeing that right...little mama is french fries and the boy is a hamburger) thanks to aunt e for helping us find our (wonderful) costumes!!!!

the very best part about the whole experience was watching the boy fall down. i know, i am a terrible mom, but when he would flop over in his costume...well, he looked alot like a frustrated turtle...and he would holler "stuck, stuck, stuck"....