Chill

Even though we have had quite a few days to get out in the sun and warmth the past few weeks, I am beginning to feel the chill settle into my body. I love this time of year when Hot Chocolate, Soup and warm rice bags are on the top of my list. I am grateful that I have the warmth that my home offers me, and a nice warm bed to snuggle into at night. (with said rice bag)

Traditions

The day after Thanksgiving has a tradition in our home. Decorating the Christmas tree. Officially it is time to start the celebration. Dan and I spent all day re-arranging the house to make sure everything would fit right. And even though it is a fake tree...IT IS BEAUTIFUL!!! Amazing how different the house feels in Christmas mode. We decided that this year we will start a new tradition of sleeping in the living room with the lights on all night the first night. It is like a slumber party. Dogs everywhere (we are babysitting an extra one) so we have four to find room for. They are all snoring....including the papa. (Thank goodness for earplugs :D) I look forward to more traditions being added on.

Can't sleep

There is an apple pie in the kitchen calling my name. I cannot have any till tomorrow afternoon. Will I even get through the night???

FAILURE

I cannot believe it!!! I bought a fake Christmas tree today. First of all...FAKE??? Second, I was mortified to know that people saw me walk out of Costco with the tree before even Thanksgiving. I think it is all this Christmas cheer in October. Something has snapped. Will it ever be the same again???

Passport anyone?

I went on to a pretty cool website trying to find Dan a great birthday bash gift. What I found was a 5-day Caribbean vacation for $229 per person...including airfare. I was just about to hit the book button when I realized we never followed through with our new year resolution to get passports. THIS SUCKS!!! Guess what we are going to start on this next week???

'Traditional' Thanksgiving

This time of year is always the same to us. Tradition is something that I love to rely upon. Thanksgiving Day, Dan and I generally have to ourselves. (This year we have added one :)) So, it has caused me to reflect upon what of our traditions will change and which ones will remain.

The day after Thanksgiving is our Tree day. We either go hunting in the woods for our Christmas tree (only $5 - but kind of flimsy)...or we go to Martha's and buy a tree that will die (usually $80-90)...but we have been wondering if we are going to fall within the "fake" tree slot this year. I've always hated fake trees. But, this year it has been kind of appealing to me. (I have no idea why)

The Saturday after Thanksgiving is the annual Pippert Thanksgiving. All of Dan's brothers and sisters get together and just have a meet and mingle. Bring left overs from your Thursday meal (Which we never seem to have) and just hang out. It is great that we can depend on this to happen every year. It has always amazed me that most of his brothers and sisters live in the Willamette Valley....yet we only see each other on this one Saturday a year.

This year we are starting a new tradition. We are hosting Thanksgiving at our house with my side of the family on Sunday. I love the big traditional Thanksgiving dinners with all the trimmings. I am so excited to get this started. I'm kind of sad that it is not happening on Thanksgiving day....but, I'm very grateful that it is going to happen no matter what.

I love this time of year. I love spending time with Family and Friends. Happy Thanksgiving to all. And if you do not have a home to celebrate Thanksgiving this year.....please come on Sunday. All are welcome :D

All-you-can-eat CRAB...

This week we went to Spirit Mt Casino. (Believe me, I only go there for the food:)) I recommend taking good friends with you so you can sit there for hours. It is so worth the drive out and the money. It was a great 'Happy' meal. Sitting there for hours cracking crab...going back for more...doing it again. (Ok, I did have some good for me food too...they have desserts:)) Anyone who would like to experience it...I am offering my services if you feel like you need company :D

Comfort Food

I am on a quest to find the best comfort food available. You know that food you look for when your day isn't quite going right? Or something you can nibble on when you are curled up with a great book? I want to know what other people think comfort food is.

I've found myself addicted to pumpkin seeds. I'm afraid I won't find them much longer. So, That is what has prompted this search......

Stormy weather

Instead of shredding all of our confidential documents from bio-pest...I like to have a nice warm fire in the back yard. This is one of my 'duties'. It isn't that fun in the summer...but when it is very stormy and windy and even a little bit of hail...it is kind of fun. I sat out today with hot chocolate and a good book (audio) and enjoyed all the stormy weather. What a joy it is to just sit back and watch as the storms go by. I love the black clouds and the sucker spots. I really should have been a weather person....or even better....a storm chaser :D

Horrible Mom? Or 'Healthy' Medicine?

Please tell me that other parents have done this.....

Britanie wants to be on the freshman basketball team. So, we had to get her in to the doctor to have a sports physical. I decided to let her go back by herself because it seemed like it would be a pretty personal appointment. I thought she might like her privacy. Well, as normal, the nurse came out and asked me if there was anything that I would like to talk to the doctor about. And I remembered that we had a problem at the eye doctor. He had recorded her vision as 20/70 but could not match a prescription to her to correct it. Nothing worked. So, I asked if she might have recommendations for an ophthalmologist. The nurse then told me that they just did an eye test on her for the physical and her eyesight was 20/20. (Britanie wanted contact lenses...because she thought it would be cool) And I am just realizing while I'm talking to the nurse that she tried to fake the first test...but obviously did not know the right way to do that. And because the physical was not just eyesight...she must have forgotten that she complained about problems seeing. TEENAGERS!!!! So, of course I am steaming inside about the lies and the running around...when the doctor says "because of her age and because she is going to be doing sports...I highly recommend she get a flu shot." Is it bad that I almost cut the doctor off by agreeing to the shot? Not only that, but I requested to go back and watch her get the shot. I'm not one that has ever been sold on flu shots and I really haven't been worried about the current epidemic. I just wanted her to get a shot!!! That felt like the only "healthy" way to get back at her for being a teenager. Sad...but I felt much better. :D

I think I mention Hilary Weeks a lot....

I was trying to figure out how to do links and e-mails this evening and my head is just a little too fuzzy to figure it out. So what do I do? I ask my husband for help.

Conversation:

Me: "I'm having a bit of trouble figuring this out..."

Dan: "Can I help?"

Me: "I'm not sure. Do you have a few minutes?"

Dan: "Sure, what is it?"

Me: (I started saying, but was interupted) "Hilary.........

Dan: (LOUD laughter) "I thought you really needed help with something...and it is about Hilary?"


This may not sound funny to most of you. But, it kind of struck me as strange that my husband would know what I was thinking just by saying her first name. Maybe I'm a little to obsessed. OK...too harsh of a word. But, I'm seeing a few red flags here.

Hilary Weeks - Christmas once again

Not because she has challenged us to....but rather because I really want me friends to find the light.....

I started listening to Christmas music in October this year. I blogged about it earlier. The only reason why I would go against my own scruples is because it happens to be a new Hilary Weeks CD. She has been my favorite artist for about 10 years now. And, I have to admit is saddens me when I mention her name and some of my friends don't seem to know who I am talking about. That is absolutely uncalled for and it means I have not been doing my job to get her into your homes. Her new CD is amazing (just like all the others). I am making my goal to spread Christmas cheer and get all of my friends hooked on Hilary Weeks, just as I am. Well, maybe not as much as me....I'm a bit over the top. (Ask my husband :D)



Please check out her music. You will not be sorry. This is a link to her website (one that I check almost daily)

http://hilaryweeks.com/moreinfo.php?SKU=1021

She is amazingly funny and has such a strong testimony and spirit to her. I hope that you find as much joy and peace in her music as I have :D

Unknown Halloween Rules

Did you know that Halloween is for kids up to the age of 12? Did you know that Trick-or-Treating is only to be done between dusk and 8 ish? (One of my friends had kids show up at 10:30pm) Why don't they publish these rules? Why have I never heard of them?

We were pretty bummed that we hadn't seen anyone show up at our house until after 6pm. I had no idea there were time frames. We stayed home all day just in case. I wish I had known better. We always give out full size candy bars...we have been training kids in our neighborhood for 8 years now. We get more and more kids every year. It is a lot of fun. Some kids come way out of their way to come to our house. It always feels good to know that.