Thanksgiving Aftermath

Thanksgiving day, Todd and I prepared the house for the 8 guests who were coming for dinner, 2 of whom were Todd's parents. Todd loves to do things his mom would disapprove of, like shaving a bit of a mohawk in his hair. Snicker snicker....

Friday we actually went out shopping, even though I SWORE I wasn't going out. We didn't hit any Black Friday spots; I can't stand the ridiculous crowds. We just did the regular Costco thing and I actually dropped my rings off to be resized, since I'm a fat @$$ now. Thank you very much. It's nice to wear my bling again!

Saturday we went hiking at Usery Park. I put on 3 layers of shirts and it was so hot I had to have sweated off at least one slice of pecan pie:

Then Todd hung the Christmas lights. Zane helped.

And Allie decorate the Christmas tree:

It was a great holiday weekend. It was soooooooooooooo awesome having Todd for 4 days straight! All the kids were happy, too. I am so very thankful for my wonderful family. I love you guys so much!

smooch!

s

p.s. i posted 50 pix on Facebook...come find me!

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The BEST History Lesson Ever!

Being from Virginia, Thanksgiving for me is ripe with tradition and full of history. This little history lesson doesn't actually have anything to do with Thanksgiving, it's just flippin' hilarious!



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A Little Holiday Vocabulary For You!

Thanksgiving is only days away and I can already smell the apple pie baking, the cranberry sauce (my SECRET recipe with SECRET and MYSTERIOUS ingredients--SUPER FLIPPIN' YUM) bubbling away on the stove, the rolls rising and browning to a delicate perfection, Todd basting Tom...celery and onion sizzling, ready to be added to moist and flavorful stuffing, the pecan pie cooling on the window sill.... Crap, I just drooled on my keyboard.

Anyway, in honor of our pal Tom, here is a fun word for you. (Be sure to check back tomorrow for the best history lesson you will EVER get. EVER.

EVER!

Okay, here's your word:

snood, noun: 1. A fleshy appendage over the beak of a turkey. 2. A net for holding a woman's hair at the back of her head.

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Nostalgia

I am feeling really nostalgic right now. I got an email via MySpace from an old friend I was stationed with in Japan. And then I saw some pix of other people I used to know. Then that Beatles song started playing in my head..."There are places I remember...some have gone, and some remain...." Ah, the good old days.

And by the way, i quit my job today. it feels weird. good, but weird.


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Twilight, Take 2

I took Allie and Zane to see Twlight again last night. We had good seats; a great view, and I was all set to enjoy my favorite forbidden-love story for the second time.

Then, a group of rowdy, crude, inconsiderate and in-need-of-a-severe-beating 13-year-old boys sat behind us. They snickered and talked loudly during the opening scene. I turned around and asked them if they intended to talk through the entire movie. They said no.

They lied.

Finally, about mid-way or so through, I had to turn around again. I was PISSED. PISSED. One of the squirrely turds had just let loose the "f" bomb and said the most crude thing about Edward (!!!!!!). So, I turned around and, very forcefully, said:

"I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU! DO YOU NEED ME TO HAVE YOU REMOVED? ZIP IT!"

He zipped it.

The little @$$ completely ruined my happy Twilight night. That's okay, though, because the last few minutes of the movie were ruined by a commercial reel that suddenly started playing on top of the movie, so WE ALL GOT FREE TICKETS to come see any movie of our choice. Hehe.

One note I have to make: it was WAY MORE FUN seeing Twlight at midnight with the die-hard fans who swooned, gasped, ooo'ed and aaaah'ed than it was to see it with people who weren't so devoted. When the New Moon rises, I will be there at MIDNIGHT to see it with my sisters who love it as much as I do.

I highly recommend that to you, too.

Smooch!
s

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Crapping My Pants--NEW MOON is OFFICALLY in the Makes!

Summit Entertainment Announces TWILIGHT Sequel - NEW MOON
Last update: 1:00 p.m. EST Nov. 22, 2008

LOS ANGELES, Nov 22, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --

Summit Entertainment announced today that the studio is officially moving forward with the production of NEW MOON, the second installment of its filmed franchise TWILIGHT, the action-packed, modern day vampire love story. The movie will be based on the second novel in author Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" series titled, "New Moon." The first movie in the TWILIGHT franchise, the self-titled TWILIGHT, arrived in theaters this weekend to sold-out showings.

Stephenie Meyer stated, "I don't think any other author has had a more positive experience with the makers of her movie adaptation than I have had with Summit Entertainment. I'm thrilled to have the chance to work with them again on NEW MOON."

Starring Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, TWILIGHT tells the story of 17-year-old Bella Swan who moves to the small town of Forks, Washington to live with her father, and becomes drawn to Edward Cullen, a pale, mysterious classmate who seems determined to push her away. But neither can deny the attraction that pulls them together ... even when Edward confides that he and his family are vampires. Their unorthodox romance puts her in physical danger when Edward's nemesis comes to town and sets his sights on Bella.

About Summit Entertainment, LLC

Summit Entertainment, LLC is a worldwide theatrical motion picture development, financing, production and distribution studio. The studio handles all aspects of marketing and distribution for both its own internally developed motion pictures as well as acquired pictures. Summit Entertainment, LLC also represents international sales for both its own slate and third party product. Summit Entertainment, LLC plans to release 10 to 12 films annually.
SOURCE Summit Entertainment, LLC http://www.summit-ent.com

Copyright (C) 2008 PR Newswire. All rights reserved


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Bite Me--I've Been Twilit

Last night around 9:30, my super cool friend Shawna and her daughter Cayli picked up Allie and me and we ventured off into the dark night to our local theater to see the much-ached-for-and-agonized-over TWILIGHT.

It's been almost 2 years since I read the book, and I wanted to keep it that way so I wouldn't spend the entire length of the movie comparing one to the other. I'm glad I did it that way.

The movie was romantic, dramatic and funny...the facial expressions on some of the Cullens, including my beloved Edward, were HILARIOUS and appropriate.

I thought it was really well done, especially considering it was done by a relatively small film company without the huge Hollywood budget it deserved. Actually, I think that made it even better (for me at least).

So, in short, I LOVED it and can't wait to see it again!

And in case you missed "Edward" and "Bella" on The Today Show yesterday:




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I Lost My Husband in the Backyard

Has your husband ever gotten so completely wrapped up (read: obsessed) with something that you were jealous of it?

I am jealous of my own backyard.

This past spring, The Toddster and I decided it was time to get the backyard finished. I wanted grass. Grass would lessen my guilt over sending Bryce out back to play. It would also mean less DIRT tracked into the house which would = less cleaning for me to do. So, even if I say I want grass for the benefit of our children, it's really all about me. As usual.

So it's late November now and do we have grass?

Absolutely NO.

And here's WHY NOT.

The grader dude graded our yard in a manner that took about 6 feet off the depth of the yard. It's a long story about how and why, so I'll skip those details and just say that I wanted as much of those 6 feet back as we could get. I need the space for my bad minton set. I do, honestly. I'm obsessed with bad minton.

So, our next door neighbor kindly offered to let Todd borrow his roto-tiller so Todd could take down the annoying, yard-stealing hill that sloped up to our back wall. After a month, YES A MONTH of tilling, Todd was satisfied that he could handle the remainder of the task BY HAND.

He shoveled, he leveled, he graded, he envisioned, he shoveled more, leveled more, re-envisioned, shoveled, decided to take the hill down a little more BY HAND with a PICKAXE.

Todd has been picking, shoveling, digging, raking...DAILY for

7 months.

He gets home around 7:30 pm from work and heads straight out to the backyard. I peer out the window at him, missing my husband. He looks up and grins sheepishly. I smirk. He comes inside and takes me by the hand.

"Just come look at this!" He exclaims, truly excited by his accomplishment.

I reluctantly and skeptically go outside and look. I don't see anything different.

"I raised this whole area to match the other end." He says, a bit dejected but still hopeful.

I roll my eyes and head back inside, arms crossed.

Todd rakes on.

I solemnly promise that if we do not have grass by SPRING, I will construct a home-made pipe bomb and blow up the entire back yard. Yes, we will have no backyard, but at least I will have my husband back.

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Not Caving For the Doctor

Nope, uh-uh. Not gonna do it.

They want me to be there at 2:50 for a 3:10 appointment. That's a 20 minute wait on top of the 20 minute wait we all know I'm going to have anyway.

So, no. I'm not going to wait for a total of 40 minutes at the doctor's office. That's 40 minutes I could've spent doing something meaningful, like shampooing the carpets or lounging sideways on the sofa, left hand delivering chocolate chips to mouth, right hand twirling hair.

Sure, it's my first visit with this doctor so they want me there early to fill out forms. But I've already printed them online and filled them out, so there.

To be there at 2:50 I would have to leave RIGHT NOW. But I'm not.

See?

I'm still typing.

Yep, still typing.

Still sitting at my computer!

Okay, I'm going, but I'm driving really slowly and sitting in the car for 5 minutes. I refuse to give in completely!

I am so obnoxious.

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Another Line of Hope?

Researches have found that 2 common Leukemia drugs can cure type 1 diabetes in mice. Todd called a few minutes ago to tell me he had just heard that on NPR.

I fell over myself trying to get to the computer to look it up. I found this article:

http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE4AG78H20081117

I read it, then cried. This is the third line of hope in the cure for type 1 diabetes that I am clinging to.

Given how bad Allie's A1c's have been in the past year, how sick she's been lately and how bad her vision has been, these little strings of hope are all I have to cling to. They force me to stay on my feet, to keep pushing forward, to keep climbing back up from the depression that hovers at my shoulder every time I see Allie drawing up a syringe of insulin to keep herself alive.

Thank you to all the researchers who continue to search for a cure. I love you all.


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AdSense is Making Me RICH!

Seriously? I've had AdSense on my blog for what? Two months now?

Guess what I've earned.

Go on, guess.

No, really.

You'll be amazed.

A-mazed.

Really, seriously.

Do you know how AdSense works? Google takes words here and there from my blog posts and picks what they deem to be "appropriate" ads for my readers. They suck at it. Sorry, Google, but seriously.

Then, when you guys click on the Ads, I make money.

And here's how much I've earned in the past 2 months:

20 cents.

Come on, girlfriends, let's rush out on a shopping spree!

WHOO HOO!

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Gonna Get Me A Gun

Okay, well, another gun, since I already have one. But this little "Baby Glock" is so much cuter than my current handgun.

Santa?

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Are They Flipping Kidding Me?

I've let loose a rant or two in the past about the Chinese government and the INSANE and DANGEROUS products they ship to us which are health hazards (lead paint on toys, tainted seafood, toxic plastics, melamine laced chocolate, etc., etc., etc., etc., etc.,).

Now the latest:


Hair bands made from USED CONDOMS. The pictures were too gross to post; go see it at Snopes: http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/hairband.asp

Are they just really flipping kidding me with this? Seriously?



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Happy Veterans' Day to Me!

This morning, I heard shuffling and whispers in the wee hours of the morn. Soon after, there was a knock on my bedroom door. I stepped out to find this:
And this:

Allie and her sweet friend Cayli had made me a yummy breakfast of pancakes, scrambled eggs, strawberries and fresh whipped cream! Allie made me the sweetest card, too! Bryce helped me eat my feast :o)

What a great Veterans' Day! Happy Veterans' Day to all my brothers and sisters in arms, to my late father who served in the Navy in the Korean War, and my Uncle Wm. who retired from the U.S. Navy!

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Cheetah Toes

Yesterday Allie painted her fingernails in such a cute cheetah pattern, I begged until she relented and agreed to do my toes:

She's so creative and talented!

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Giddy With Russian

Saturday I Googled for "Russian Markets" in the Phoenix area and found a few. I was so excited, I talked Todd into driving me to a couple (I DO NOT drive in or near Phoenix). I was hoping they would have some Zemfira CD's, but no luck on that.

BUT, I did buy some Russian food (oh my Holy Yumminess) and lots of Russian candy.

AND the lady at the first store asked me, in Russian, if I was from Russia. I said, in Russian, "No, I'm American and I speak Russian badly!" She laughed and told me I speak Russian well. I know she was just being kind, but it totally made my day!

Outside that store, a young, adorable Russian guy was wandering around looking totally lost. I had a short, broken conversation with him. He told me he had only been in the U.S. for one month. He looked so lost I just wanted to take him home and teach him how to get around in Phoenix. Oh wait, I can't get around in Phoenix. Never mind! Good luck, cute Russian guy!

I got to speak Russian with the owner of the second store, too. He was funny and nice. He said I was Russian.

I was giddy the whole drive back. We picked up lunch and hung out all afternoon with Todd's parents. It was a great day!

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Walkie Talkies are Cool

Click if you're cool!

President Elect Barak Obama

Okay, I can see that you've all been waiting for my commentary on the results of yesterday's Presidential election, so I shall keep you in suspence no longer. :o)

And this is all I will say:

President Elect Obama is in my prayers. I will pray for him regularly. I will pray that he keeps the true Gospel of Jesus Christ in his heart and comes to understand it better; it will help him in the rough years ahead. I will pray that he does a good job for this country and brings us out from the financial crisis we are drowning in. I will pray that he will keep us safe and that he will protect family values.

That's all I can do. Best wishes and good luck, Mr. Obama.



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Crazy Rubbery Dude

WAIT FOR THE 3rd GUY...you'll know him when you see him (orange shirt).




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I Am a Russian Magnet

If there is a Russian or Russian speaking person within a mile of me, I will absolutely find him/her. I think I mentioned that when I took Allie to the dentist last month, we had a "sub" dentist and she happened to be from Russia. So, I to put forth a little bit of my Russian skills and decided I was ridiculously insufficient. Hence, the relearning of Russian every Monday.

There are many other instances I could list in which I have had the great opportunity to exercise my Russian tongue, but I won't go into details just now.

But yesterday, Todd and I arrived early at our Church's Regional Conference (we wanted good, cushy seats and not the hard ones way in back). The only empty bench was way up front--3rd row from the very front. Behind us sat a tall, sleepy man and his small, alert child. Soon, his wife and a few more kids joined him. Conference began and we started to sing our first hymn of the event. As I sang, I was quickly silenced by the words coming from the man behind me. He was--seriously--singing in Russian! I was so excited I leaned over to Todd and whispered,

"That guy behind us is singing in RUSSIAN!!!"

So Todd and I are quietly listening and Todd couldn't really hear it. He said I was nuts. Well, that may be the case, but the guy was still singing in Russian.

So, when conference ended, I stood and whipped around to face the guy in the pew behind us.

"So, I'm dying to know what language you were singing in!"

"Russian," he answered nonchalantly.

So in Russian I say: "That's what I thought! I speak a little Russian, too."

And so ensued a little conversation in Russian. It was absolutely thrilling!

I can't wait for my lesson today!

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November is so Yummy!

Halloween was fun; we let the older kids loose on the streets with their friends while Todd and I visited neighbors and let Bryce take in the flurry of activity and taste the excitement in the air (and the candy in his hands).

At home late that night, I began to drift away in thoughts of November, which was easing it's way into the spotlight.

One thing about November, I have loved it no matter where I've lived, from Virginia to Japan, California to Texas. And now, even in Arizona, I find I still love November. The crisp air, cool mornings, juicy apples in season. And this year...


many fun events are happening! For one, on the 13th, the 3rd book from the Vampire Academy is being released. Sure, it's a teen series, but I love it!

Then on the 21st, Twilight the Movie is opening. I am on the edge of my seat for it! Have you bought your tickets yet? If you buy them on Fandango now NOW PEOPLE, NOW! they will give you a code to download a song from the soundtrack, Bella's Lullabye!



And of course, Thanksgiving is right around the corner. I can already taste Thanksgiving dinner...juicy turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, my secret recipe cranberry sauce, hot buttery rolls, pecan pie. Four days in a row with Todd!
.

Ahhh, November. Thank you for coming.



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