It never stops...

Meaning the hectic.  The on-to-something-new.  You think you get older, you have time, and - guess what - yeah, I can hear the wild laughter of everyone who is retired.  Next two weekends?  Booked.  And no room to hike.  Used to be a hobby....At least I still get to take my morning walk most days.

 The set table on Thanksgiving Day

 We thought it funny to show ourselves before getting it all together, and no,

I do not have an after picture!

Okay, I do, but on my droid, and I do not know how to upload yet.

There has to be an app for that, but...

And our youngest guest.

I was too busy to take many pictures,  but I did escape with the children briefly

while the dishes were cleared and done.

(no way was I going to be involved with that!)

.... and the Christmas rush starts

Thanksgiving was lovely.  The food was good, the cooking took forever, but was great, the company was the best, and time flew by much too fast.
Matthew wanted me to find bird food, he loves watching the birds come to the feeder.  I told him to look on top of the refrigerator.  He climbed on a chair, but couldn't reach it.  I climbed on a chair next to him, to get the bird food.  He looked at me and exclaimed: You can climb on a chair?  What are you, 300 pounds or something?  It doesn't collapse under you?  (he's nine and trying out sarcasm and humor).  After I recovered from laughing, I told him it wasn't very nice what he said, and to please correct that.
His answer:  'I'm sorry you weigh 300 pounds'

Happy Thanksgiving  .... and on to the Christmas rush!
Thursday we went to MA, and went to a lovely quilting shop in the hills of Massachusetts.  Of course I got a quilt kit!  Now, the trick will be to find the time to make it.
Today?  Trimming the tree - done.
Laundry - done.
Making the advent calendars for three families (one each!) - not done.
Christmas shopping - started....
Cookies?  One dough made....
Off I go...

Morning - Happy Thanksgiving!

It's still very early, I'm just up to take the turkey out of the wrappings, and start the sweet potatoes.

We did a lot of prep work last night.  M made a mushroom soup, we fixed the stuffing, and opened the table.

Here is what I want you to see,  it's M, chopping mushrooms.

He does the same with onions and celery, and anything else that needs chopping.

On that note, I need to leave you, and get going with the preps!

Matthew and Jessica will arrive later, after the go to New York with their parents to watch the parade.

I met them yesterday for lunch.

I asked them if they were excited.

No, they weren't.  They didn't want to see a 'dumb' parade.

And then were outraged when their mother announced the parade

was three hours long.

And they would have to stand the entire time.

Even longer, in order to get a spot, they'd have to be there early.

I was laughing, cracking up, because it reminded me

of the times I tried to show my kids special things.

Same reaction.

It only becomes wonderful after the fact!

Enjoy your day!

PS, and oh, Matthew and Jessica will join us for dinner after the parade.

Monday before Thanksgiving

The weekend was nice.  Saturday we puttered around the house - I can't even remember what we did.  In the afternoon we went to Matthew's last soccer game, they won 5:1!  Good for you, Matthew!

Yesterday shopping and cooking.  Not even for Thanksgiving, just to cook - we still need to eat every day, even though the big feast is on Thursday!  We tried out a recipe in the Slow Cooker, or Crock Pot, as it was called in 'the olden days'.  Chicken Provenciale, it was good!

We had friends over, and we talked about hiking in our area.  Which will happen sometime....

I'm working on Christmas, with a large family there is lots to be organized, and checked, and emailed back and forth, and teased, it's fun.  My one friend tried to organize us and tell us to go to a website, and have everyone check into that, but I'm happy with the emails.  Part of the fun is telling what one bought for whom, and then remembering to leave the recipient off the list - tricky, I tell you!

If I get everything done at work, I'll take Wednesday off and cook and clean - a pecan pie wants to be baked, the rolls need to be done (I'm baking my own), the cranberry sauce can be made....

And I will have a big help in the kitchen, M loves to cook and is good at it!  Excellent, even!
Still so not used to it, and it's so lovely to have.

I finally finished a jacket in fleece that I'd started last year.  Turns out I bought too little of it, and it's the Polartec (expensive compared to the regular stuff), so I didn't really know what to do.  I happen to have some remnants of red and multi-colored fleece, which I used to make the collar and pockets, and a stripe down between the zipper - and it looks great.  I like it, and it's not like anything out there.  (and if I wasn't too lazy to go to the car and get the camera, I'd show you what I look like.  I'm retarded and can't take a picture with my cell phone, because I keep hitting all the other choices when I point the phone at me - I didn't get the android with both forward and rear-facing camera, drat!)
Enough rattling on about nothing,
enjoy your week!

Week before Thanksgiving

The guests are invited.  I'm still not sure, how many we will be for Thanksgiving, but that's okay!

Not much news here.  Love the phone, still not sure of all the features.  And still have questions about it, but that's okay, it's a learning curve.  Matthew got a hold of it, and found the games right of the bat.  And played.  Jessica wanted to know if she could have my old phone.  Not to dial out, just to have it.

More later - gotta run, I just ordered Christmas presents!!!  Yeah, and not on anyone's list!  (hope they like it)