5 and Counting

We got 5 inches of snow last night and it is still coming down. It took 25 minutes to get the kids to school this morning by car and I can normally walk it in 20. This is looking off our porch this morning. I need to go and get a new snow shovel, kids lost ours last year when they where building a snow fort.

Winter is Here

Finally some snow. The kids are praying for a snow day from school, but that would take a couple of feet for that to happen. We only have a couple of inches right now, and that just happened in the last couple of hours.

First Snow

What a great day!!
I have spent the day scrapbooking and watching the snow out my window. I am enjoying the calm, quite house. However, it is not going to last. I have a basketball game, wrestling practice and AAU basketball tryouts. I start running at 3:30 and don't stop until after 9pm. But I'am enjoying the quite while I can.

Too Much Fun

I talked the kids into letting me take pictures of them. We went to a log house that was the first house built here. They where not happy about going, but once we where there and snapping pictures, I couldn't get them to leave. We had a great time and I can't believe how good the pictures are. Anthony even got a good one of me and Megan.
Here are a couple of the ones I took and I took little over a 100.

Happy Black Friday

Yes, we did get up and go shopping this morning. Steve got his call to go to work and he needed to be there by 4:30am, so we where at Penny's and 4:02am. Didn't buy a lot but it didn't look like that great of a sale. Got the boys some t-shirts and Meg a sweat jacket that she really likes. Hers was taken off the playground earlier this year. Now maybe I can get her out of the blue wrestling sweat shirt she wears everywhere, and I mean EVERYWHERE.

Our Turkey turned out wonderful, and Steve was very pleased. We used the Safeway 2 hour cooking way. Instead of slow roasting the turkey all day, you cook it at 475 and it is moist and really good. I am also happy to report that I didn't set the oven on fire, a good thing. I did, however, accidental turn off the oven while doing the stuffing and potatoes. It takes a lot longer to cook when the oven is off.

So, today is going to be a kick back day. Tonight is the annual lighted Christmas parade. We watch the parade, then follow it to the town square and sing Christmas carols until they light the tree. It is one of those small town things we love.

This time of year always reminds us how much we miss our family and friends. We really do hope that some day they will make the trip up year for the holidays. Trust me, its not really that cold. HEHEHE

Now some pics of our turkey while cooking. This is for you Dad:

a couple of minutes in the oven

about an hour in the oven:

about 2 1/2 hours later:

the dog trying to get his share

Trail Blazer Pictures

The turkey is in the oven and almost done. I will post some pictures of it cooking, well maybe, it depends on if it turns out ok. This is the second year of cooking it the Safeway 2 hour way. Steve will be here for dinner and for black Friday shopping. Yeahhhh for us, it will be the first time in 3 years we have had Thanksgiving dinner on Thanksgiving.

Here are the pics. First off, Thank you to the G family for inviting Steve and Anthony to go. Anthony had a blast. He and Hayden got to be on the floor and rebound the balls for the players. Anthony could not believe how tall the guys where or how big their shoes are. Steve and Tony had great seats. Best of all, Steve didn't lose my camera. He has a bad habit of leaving lunch boxes on trains. LOL

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Everything's Ready

All the cooking that can be done ahead has been done. I do need to work on the turkey. It hasn't thawed out yet. The boys are at the basketball game and we just got back from a movie. I think it is time for a nap, then on to the turkey.
We won't know if Steve will be here tomorrow or not. Won't know that until tomorrow. That's ok, we will just have our wonderful dinner when he is home to enjoy it. Steve took my new camera to the game so I hope to have some good pics when he gets back. I am also going to tape the game in hopes of catching Anthony, Hayden or Steve.
Have a stressless day before Thanksgiving.

It is over

Yes the bazaar is over, Thank God. We made some money and Steve got some orders for bird houses. Megan put herself up for sale.

Basketball

They won!!! Anthony is playing like he used to. Not sure what happened last year, but he is off to a really good start this season. He was out there playing hard and looking like he was having fun. Last year he took ever mistake, bad call and loss so personally. Tonight he made a killer rebound which resulted in a basketball by a team mate and he scored a couple of baskets. A Good night. One of the pictures is off the ball he threw right before it went in.
Anthony is #28

Done

Yes, we are done and ready for the bazaar....

Here are the bird houses.

Get to work

Ok, so I have sooooo much to do for the weekend and I am working on projects that have nothing to do with the weekend. I am uploading a bunch of pictures for a project that needs to be ordered by the 25th. It is yet another fund raiser for another kid. I am so tired of trying to raise money. I am beginning to think it would be better to just write the check. lol

Back to work, or at least start to work.

Ready for Bed

Ready for bed and I think I could sleep for a week. We are finishing up all the last minute projects for the craft bazaar this weekend. I can't wait till it is over, because I have a whole bunch of crafts I need to do for both presents and just for myself. I still can't believe that Thanksgiving is next week. Me and the kids are gearing up for black Friday. I really hope Steve will be here because he really enjoys battling the crowds. Being in a small town doesn't give us much options, but there are a couple of stores I am defiantly going to.

Tonight I got to drive 5 teenage boys on the annual youth group Thanksgiving scavenger hunt. A lot of fun, especially when the boys are yelling at me to drive faster. They divide into teams and race off to houses and collect food for the needy. They try to get food for the Thanksgiving baskets but will take anything people are willing to donate. Evidently people are willing to donate lots of Pork and Beans this year. The teams earn points and we even have a little bit of cheating going on. Us drivers had food stashed in our cars. We didn't win, but came really close. Haydens Mom went to Safeway. All in all it is fun and for a good cause.

THANK YOU!!!

THANK YOU to all the Veterans for my freedom!!!

One of the things I love about this town - is going downtown for the Veterans Parade and looking down the street to all the American flags that line our streets. Not only downtown but so many people are flying their flags outside their homes, it makes me proud to be an American.

We celebrated today by going to watch the parade and cheer Megan as she marched with her girl scout troop. Here are some pictures from today. I have also included a picture of my favorite float.

Martha Stewart???

Nope, just me, but the house is clean (well sorta) and there are all kinds of yummy smells coming from the kitchen. And it has nothing to do with the candle that is burning. It started with a very good breakfast home cooked at that. I am not normally a breakfast maker, I do toast or cereal. I have planned some very yummy breakfasts for the next couple of days. Tomorrow will be strawberry and banana french toast. I baked a pumpkin pie cake, very good, and thanks Charlene for the recipe. Not sure what is for dinner but I am sure it will be wonderful. lol I have been so focused on this upcoming bazaar that cooking has not been at the top of my list. I am totally making up for it today. Poor Stevie, he is working and missing all of this. Who knows, by tomorrow my Martha Stewart mood might be over.

Wheres the Snow

Not only is there no snow in the forecast but the weather isn't even that cold. We even had a fire on the mountain last night, because everything is so dry. I haven't had to make my wonderful homemade hot coco yet because it hasn't been very cold. We are either going to get hit fast and big, or we are going to have another mild winter.

Anthony's first basketball game was tonight. He made some great plays and even a basket. At least that is what I was told. I was covering for him at church tonight. I am beginning to feel like I live up there. lol

Well, gotta go, I have a hungry teenager to feed.

What a Week

It has been just crazy around here, and you know it will only get worse with the holidays approaching. 46 more days until Christmas in case you are keeping track. Sorry to those people I just pushed over the edge. HEHEHE

We had parent teacher conferences with Anthony this week. He is doing really well and we are very proud of him. His first basketball game is tonight and he is ready. I have been working at both the church and school all week. We are still getting ready for the big bazaar next weekend.
Steve gave me a couple of quilting classes for my birthday. I took one of them last Wednesday. I already know most of what she taught, but she gave me some useful need tips that I didn't know. I have another class the first week in December. I can't wait, it is a whole new technique I have never done.

Safeway is calling my name, have a good weekend.

Trail Blazers

And a very happy kid. Anthony and Steve are going to the Trail Blazers game with some friends. Yes, pretty exciting but not the best part of the trip. Anthony and Hayden are going to be water boys for the team. Hayden has a very mellow monotone voice, so we can never tell if he is excited or not. Anthony, on the other hand, is so excited that his head is ready to pop off his body. Speaking of heads popping off bodies. The dads get to sit in the press box, so there is one other person who is just a little bit excited.