2010 Thanksgiving Dinner #3

Saturday and Sunday found us with Jon's family. Granny and Donnie had already had the big dinner on Thursday, she knew we were stuffed from two days of big meals, so everyone agreed to snack on the leftovers. After all that is the best part, Jon loves his ham sandwich with queso.

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It was so great to have time with B.J. and Jess, aka the old cousins! These may technically by my nephews, but they are 'my boys!' While living in Oklahoma the boys stayed with us during school breaks, went to church with us, and the kids always seemed to be together! I love listening to their stories and just seeing them as young men. It doesn't matter how long the kids have been apart, when they are in they same room together it is like no time has passed!

2010 Thanksgiving Dinner #2

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Friday brought more time with family and another great dinner, complete with a stuffed tenderloin and well several stuffed Pratts! Mimi takes the prize for the most effort put into Thanksgiving dinner, not only did she prepare a wonder meal, she also remodeled the house complete with demo work and everything!

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We did have an after dinner show, Uncle David was put on trial . . . something about a gnome. Abigail was the prosecuting attorney, Caleb was the defense attorney, Mimi the judge, Jon and Frankie were witnesses and Michael, Misty and I were the jury. Fortunately David was found innocent, something about trumped up charges. Lots of silliness!

Black Friday

I have traditionally participated to some extent in Black Friday. Generally Frankie has always been my shopping buddy, this year however, I took Jon. I learned a very valuable lesson . . . 'Never take the claustrophobic guy shopping on Black Friday'. . . .'nuf said! :)

2010 Thanksgiving Dinner #1

Thanksgiving day was spent at my mother and Bob's home with Bob's parents and my brother and sister-in-law. The girls and I helped my Mom get lunch together, complete with plenty of yummy finger foods! After dinner entertainment include Caleb and Abigail playing the piano, and yes, Jon and I joined in the sing-along as Abigail played Amazing Grace and Ode to Joy. My mom is a great cook! Everything looks like a photo out of Better Homes and Gardens and tastes like a dish out of Paula Deen's kitchen.

Midnight Premier of Harry Potter

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If you had asked me a couple of years ago if my kids 'did the Harry Pottter thing?', I would have said 'No.' Wow how things change. I didn't think we would ever move on from Star Wars! But Christmas last year Mimi got Caleb the books, and by the end of January he had read all of them! Abigail and Frankie soon followed reading the books and then watching the movies, that brings us to today!

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Abigail has heard stories of us waiting in line for Hanson tickets for Frankie and Alicia and has asked when she will get to camp out overnight for such silliness. So this week I secured tickets to the midnight showing of the latest Harry Potter movie. The kids and I arrived at 9:00pm to find that the line already was wrapping around the building!

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We sat outside bundled up, the kids had the latest movie premier books! There were plenty of teens in costumes. Even kids serving 'ButterBeer" aka Cream Soda! It was very fun and for one fleeting moment I had the 'Mother of the Year' trophy!

Visit to PetSmart

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Today was our sweet puppy's visit to the vet. The vet is located inside PetSmart, so we generally ease Padme' into the visit by checking out the other animals in the store. Padme' 'slurped' the glass where the kittens were, they seemed pretty fascinated by her. I guess it's not every day an English Mastiff stops by for a visit!

Look at that Smile!

I love this photo, after all this was the goal and about 18 months later we have a great smile! As an infant Caleb had one ear infection after another, the antibiotics played havoc on his teeth! As a youth we battled tonsils and adenoids! Now at 13 he can hear and breathe and has one beautiful smile! His braces are off, he will wear the invisalign retainers for six months or so, but I couldn't be happier with the results!

Trunk or Treat

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The end of October brings around Trunk or Treat at the church building. For those of you not familiar with Trunk or Treat it is a great outreach to the neighborhoods by the church building. It is a positive alternative to Halloween. Trunk or Treat offers family games, hot cider, hay rides and candy without any dark element.

Trunk or Treat signals yet another year that we have been in Texas, this year marks 9 years. Our first visit to McDermott Road was on a Wednesday night on Halloween. Instead of finding a typical Wednesday night service, everyone was trunk or treating in the parking lot. At that time the congregation was in it's infancy and still in a modular building. I remember jokingly leaning over to Ms. Pam and saying, 'Let me get this straight, you don't have any elders, no baptistry, and you're trick or treating instead of having Wednesday night service?' She laughed and said they had gone 'liberal' since they left Oklahoma!

Super Scientific Circus

Today's adventures took us to the Jewish Community Center for the Super Scientific Circus featuring Dr. Fish and Trent the Mime. The program travels all around with their circus skills, magic tricks, comedy and mime to illustrate fundamental scientific concepts such as gravity, the center of gravity, air pressure, the speed of sound and light, ultraviolet light, centripetal force, airfoils and more!
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The show really re-enforces that science is fun and you don't have to have alot of expensive equipment to see science at work.

7th & 8th Grade Retreat

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This weekend the 7th & 8th graders at church took off for a retreat at Mr. Lebanon Retreat Center just south of Dallas. They enjoyed a great weekend. Fortunately the weather was great, just a little rain and no tornadoes!