Long Week

I spent the first three days as an accountant and the last two days substituting in the 5th grade. Sickness has run rampant in the school. Other than son with the sinus issues everyone else in the house has stayed healthy in spite of being exposed time and again. I contribute this to plenty of sleep, good food and all the herbs I've pumped into them. I started everyone on astragalus root when school started.

This morning we are off to youngest's soccer tournament. Oldest is spending the day with her boyfriend and son is helping with the haunted house at the fire department tonight. My girlfriend and I are taking her son and youngest trick or treating and then we are off to an open house hosted by friends.

BIL sent me a note. After making plans to come down for Thanksgiving his work schedule changed and he must work on Friday. With only having the one day off the five hour ride one way is too much to make in a day. I don't blame him - I wouldn't drive that either.

I limited MIL to three dishes to bring for Thanksgiving (this is two more than I'd like her to bring). She wanted to bring more as well as the tables and chairs and..... I wouldn't invite that many people to my house if I couldn't handle it. This is NOT the first time I have hosted this group and I have all I can do from screaming why don't you just bring the flippin' turkey and mashed potatoes too. Of course, if she did that I would go to my parents and cook for my family and let them do what they want at my house. I'm really hoping that hubby is working next thanksgiving. When he works I have Thanksgiving on Saturday or Sunday and then MIL is happy because she can host it on Thursday at here house. In the past that has meant the kids were at bio's and I went to her house alone.

The kids are off from school Monday and Tuesday for teacher in service. I see a whole lot of cleaning going on.

Yesterday was hubby's birthday. We are once again the same age. It is a whole 27 days that he is younger than me. He wanted spaghetti with meat sauce, Italian sausage on the side and garlic bread. I made a a golden butter cake with maple butter cream.

And today is my dear friend Rose's birthday. Happy Birthday you beautiful Goddess sister!

apples and cooking

Sunday the girls and I went apple picking with friends. I'm not sure what they like more picking apples or the hot apple cider donuts. I think it's the donuts.

We came home to find son asleep on the couch. He slept through dinner. 103.2 degree temp. It was down by morning but I kept him home from school much to his disapproval.

Tonight I took a few of those apples and worked them into an apple cobbler. Yum! I also tried a new recipe from Big Daddy's House - smothered pork chops. It is a keeper. I also baked a batch of chocolate chip cookies to mail to hubby's Justin who is away at school.

And most important

11. You do not have to give birth to be a mom!

What I know for sure

Oprah lists this every month at the back of her magazine. Annie picked up the challenge and put it out to her blog readers. Here is what I know for sure.

1. My parents love me unconditionally.
2. I love them.
3. I love my husband.
4. My husband loves me ( and sometimes I am still surprised by this).
5. I love my children and wouldn't trade them for anything in the world.
6. My children love me (though they may never admit it out loud).
7. When my world crashes that is when my true friends appear.
8. That age is just a number.
9. That education comes in many forms.
10. That cooking makes me happy.

A week in review

After all the hullabaloo about Thanksgiving the drama is over. Hubby call MIL to tell her we decided to continue having it at our house and whoever could make could make it. She goes oh, I call your brother and the dogs will be fine in the garage so we will all be down. Maybe she should have called him first, or maybe she should have called us back. Either way life is good. My new dishes arrived and planning is in full swing.

I have survived Girl Scouts, subbing for the first grade class and the elementary school Halloween soc hop (aka. the scream fest). Youngest was thrilled to go "dance" with her girlfriends. I even managed to get on the treadmill three days. I stayed up past my bedtime and grocery shopped Thursday night. I have the rest of the groceries to get this week end sometime.

Today is off to closing day of soccer in the rain. I'm not sure why they call it closing day - next week is tournament games. Youngest will receive her trophy. In sixth grade they receive a trophy for participating. It doesn't matter if they have played one year or six. I think it is silly. A certificate would do. They don't receive anything for winning the tournament. Tonight she sleeps at a girlfriends house. Friends dad told both his kids that if they really, really cleaned their rooms they could each invite five kids to sleep over. Call me a mean mom but I don't care if she spit shines it - ten kids for a sleep over is NOT happening. Friend's mom didn't think so either - she's going out tonight and leaving dad with the twelve kids.

Oldest's boyfriend came for dinner last night. He is much, much, much better than the last one. Nice kid. She will out grow him rather quickly. I think the attraction is he is smitten and not intimidating in the least.

I need to call MIL. She wants to invite our oldest son for Christmas. She will pay for the flight and have him stay with her for the week. She wants to know if we mind. We don't mind. I'd be shocked if he left bio to come here. And we love him but we can't have him stay here. He is way to disruptive to the household. Son still hangs up on him every time he calls. I can't leave him alone with the other kids. It is really sad. I have let the guilt go. It is what it is. He's 21 with a maturity level of an 8 year old and one night is more than enough.

I feel like I woke up Monday morning and haven't stopped yet. Maybe next week.

Rainy Sunday

Hubby and the kids headed out in the cold rain to play paintball. I finished my little pity party and decided to proceed as if MIL had never called. I headed to temple in the morning and then stopped to pick up the disc with our family pictures. Darcy did an awesome job as usual. Now I just have to decide which ones I want to print.

I had a big pot of hot cocoa waiting for my warriors. Then I made fried chicken, mashed potatoes and butternut squash for dinner. I had put a dry rub on the chicken the day before so it was full of flavor.

Today is laundry day and then girl scouts and soccer practice. I'm making shepherd's pie for dinner.

Thanksgiving

When I was little Christmas was my favorite holiday. Both sets of grandparents were there as well as aunts and uncles and friends. It was so much fun. As I grew up I loved picking out presents for people and wrapping and all the pretty bows and ribbons. As people's appreciation of a pretty wrapped gift dwindled and the hoopla of Christmas came on the holiday held little joy. Plus as I grew to love cooking and feeding people my favorite holiday became Thanksgiving. In divvying up the holidays among my family my brother gave me Thanksgiving until death do us part. OK by me.

I have the basic guest list and menu on the computer. I keep notes on how many people came and what quantities of food I need and so on. With hubbies schedule I've had Thanksgiving on a few Sundays. Last year we were able to have it on Thursday. My mother-in-love consented to letting me have the holiday because my sister-in-love was hosting her in-laws and my BIL was staying home. This year I asked if I could have Thanksgiving. She said yes. I've been joyfully planning ever since. Both SIL and BIL are coming this year with their families which means a guest list of 30.

Paper plates are OK for a picnic but not for Thanksgiving. Did I mention I have an obsession for things to match and look pretty. I have service for 22. So, this morning I went and ordered service for 8 more. I printed out the invitations and put them in the mail. I printed out the menu to review. I went over logistics with my mom. With that many a second turkey would be needed - could I come put one in her oven that morning. I even worked out what people could bring since they all insist on bringing something even though I ask them not too. Except for Aunt Debbie who is thrilled I want to cook and brings a nice hostess gift instead. Thanks for getting it. My family is pretty good to. They know how much I LOVE to cook. Mom always brings the rutabagas. Since I turned 18 I no longer have to eat them and I refuse to make them. Others however enjoy them so mom indulges them.

Then the call came while we were at youngest's soccer game. I was to call mother-in-love back about Thanksgiving. Have I mailed the invitations yet? Yes! I just bought dishes too. Well, BIL is coming and bringing his 3 dogs and ...... Well, it's OK we can just move the whole thing to my house. Your family is more than welcome to come. Will they? Well, my parents would (go any where) but, my brother probably won't. Well, I'll call BIL and see. We'll just move it here and it will be fine.

Fine? Fine???? I don't flipping think so. Nothing like putting me in a no win situation. I can't make people choose sides. If we stay home and host my family then my kids don't get to see their cousins. I don't get to see the family. If we go I don't get to cook or have the family here. The biggest joy I get for the whole holiday season is shot to h e double hockey sticks. I was so frustrated I could cry, no wait I did. Poor hubby, he doesn't know what to do. He was annoyed because he knew I asked weeks ago if I could host it. He knows how much I look forward to it. He knows how blasted pissed off I am. But, he doesn't want to start a family feud (and neither do I) and he has no idea what to do. Other than hug me and let me cry.

Am I a big baby, crazy, inflexible, wrong I ask? No says hubby. Are you sure? Yes, you asked weeks ago and Mom said you could host it. Uggh!