Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving, we did something we haven't done in a long time...we stayed home. We planned our meal, and it turns out, that I am enough of a grown-up to "do" Thanksgiving.

Okay, I cheated. Enrique at the golf course cooked the turkey, dressing, and gravy, but I (with some help from Cody and Josie and all the people I called for recipes and cooking advice) did the rest. I won't mention how we sat down to eat and realized we had no vegetables except mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes, but I'm not really sure they count. We did have Pea Salad at Cody's request, but I know that doesn't count because no one but Cody was going to touch that stuff. I had planned to cook Funeral Beans (Green Bean Casserole for those people who aren't from a small town), but I totally forgot to do it.

I did, however, fill every one's requests. For Cody, it was Pea Salad, and he got the whole recipe all to himself. For Josie, it was Granny's cream cheese pie. Jake asked for Granny's chocolate cake with chocolate powdered sugar icing. And for myself, I made pecan pie. I tried this recipe from The Pioneer Woman, and it was delicious.

In the end, it didn't matter what foods we had or didn't have. We sat at our dining room table that belonged to Cody's grandparents and filled plates that belonged to my great grandmother, and I thought about how blessed we truly are.

NCA Lonestar Classic

Veterans Day

Veterans Day is always a special day at Magnolia Elementary School, and this year was no exception.

Although our program is small in the whole scheme of things, we love honoring the veterans in our school family. Thank you to all the dads, moms, sisters, brothers, grandfathers, and grandmothers who shared November 11 with us this year.

I can remember Veterans Day and Memorial Day programs when I was in school. My grandfathers always came to them. Both of them were World War II veterans. When I was a child, they were part of a large group of men who served during World War II that lived in my small community. It is sad to realize that there are few World War II veterans left to attend programs like this. We had only one World War II veteran at our school program this year. I am grateful that we were still able to honor my grandfathers by putting their pictures on our school Wall of Honor. Each year, I look at those pictures and remember so many things about them that I want to share with my own kids who never got to meet either one.

PaPa flew P-38s, but I remember him trying to teach my brother to drive. It wasn't a very successful lesson, as I recall. My brother came out of the wreck with a black eye and my nose has never been the same. I don't think PaPa was allowed to "teach" driver's ed after that.

Grandad was in the Army during the war, and I am not even sure exactly where he was stationed as he and PaPa rarely talked about the war. My memories of Granddad are of family reunions, stock shows, and playing games like 31 and Liverpool Rummy.

Outside my window...

This is one of the windows in our living room. It's up high above the regular widows that have blinds on them. It looks out on the deck and backyard.

Look what was sunbathing on our windowsill. I was not home to witness this visitor, but my Mama and Jake were. Thankfully they had the foresight to take pictures, because, let's face it, I woudn't have believed them.

Here's a different angle. Can you tell what it is?

And yes, that is something stuck on the top of the fan. A hairband maybe? Just trying to keep it real.

I guess this guy climbed up the pergola and through the vines that I have determinedly twined around the wood in hopes of it providing a great shade canopy over the deck. When I think of all the times I stood on the bench and reached up to move the vines and water the hanging plants, I get a little queasy. I guess it could have easily been this snake that I grabbed to twine around the wooden slats overhead.

Here he is turning around to leave. He's turning around to slither back to the pergola, through the vines, and presumably back to his home. I am very afraid he lives under the deck.

Celebrating 6 Years of Jake

Happy Birthday to our fun-loving,

ball-playing,

tackling,

hunting,

little brother.

We love you!

Supper Conversation

Josie: When there's a tornado, you should get out of your car and get in a ditch.

Jake: We can't all fit in a dish.

There's a spirit...

Last weekend, we spent Saturday in Aggieland, tailgating and watching the Aggies btho Texas Tech. There's no one I like to get beat more than Tech.

But let's face it, I go to A&M football games for one reason....to see the band.

Halloween

Character Dress-Up Day

Friday was Character Dress-Up Day at school. Everyone in school participates, and we have a parade through the building so that everyone can show off his costume. I was a pig from Who Sank the Boat?. Josie was Laura Ingalls Wilder. Jake finally consented to be a frog, even though his first plan was just to stay home that day.

Laura Ingalls Wilder and Katie Kazoo