Thanksgiving

On Tuesday, Steph and Mindy informed us that Thanksgiving would be starting on Wednesday this year. They were planning on coming for dinner, watch a movie, stitch and spend the night so they'd be here bright and early for the parades---as if they live far away or something---15 minutes tops. Okay, we're game---pretty much whatever the girls want---we're pushovers and love that they want to be around so much. I made a "big" dinner---pork tenderloins, mashed white and sweet potatoes (together) and broccoli casserole. Nicky, Morgan and Carson were here too. Jordan was out with friends.

After kitchen clean-up, we were going to watch "Survivor" and then the movie. Turns out that watching something with the whole family requires a lot of pausing and re-winding. Everyone talks too much. Add to that the "mom, I've messed up my knitting, can you fix it?" (Mindy) and "mom, can you teach me this stitch?" (Steph)---it's less than the relaxing evenings that Butch and I have come to enjoy. Why aren't they here at 5 a.m. when I'm fresh and ready to tackle any problem? I'm tired at night and just want to "chill out." Then out comes the nail polish...

When we realized that "Survivor" wasn't even a new show---just a season "highlights" show, we turned it off. Mindy had brought her favorite Christmas movie---Love Actually---which isn't a Christmas movie at all---it just takes place during the holiday season. Butch was having none of that, so he went upstairs to watch football. The girls went to bed after the movie. I looked around at the mess and decided to just tackle it in the morning---when I'm fresh. As usual, I was the last to bed and the first one up.

I had decided that I wanted to get my new Christmas tree decorated before Friday. I don't just have a "to do" list---I put it all in a timeline and I live by it. I plan out everything and schedule it all. That's how I get everything done and stay on task. If I'm ahead for the day, I'll pull something off of the list for the next day and get that done too. Works for me.

I bought the tree half price last year after Christmas---it was still expensive. Right away, Butch wasn't happy that I'd settled on a flocked tree---but then, he didn't want to go with me to pick it out either, so "oh well, tough luck." We never had a flocked tree before. But my philosophy is---if you're spending that much, you want it to look different. Of course, they were all beautiful at the store, so it was hard to choose. All I can say is it's BIG and it's WHITE!!

I spent about an hour on Tuesday removing ALL of these tags. OMG, I thought I would go crazy. It's a pre-lit tree with about a 100 strands of lights---must be only 25 lights per strand. Ridiculous! Here's the proof: many of the tags were really tiny---but then my OCD kicks in and I have to get every single one of them. My arms got so tired trying to get the scissors inside the tree, hold the tags, snip them and then try to grab the tiniest pieces with my non-existent fingernails.

And now I have to admit---I MADE A MISTAKE! The tree is so WHITE that my ornaments don't even show up! I love my tree to be chock full of ornaments and it is---you just can't see them!!

Basically, all the ornaments did was tone down the white a little bit.

 Even up close you can barely see the ornaments. Not to worry, I have a plan.We'll see how it looks when I'm done---just what I need---more work.

Plus, I never counted on the mess of fake snow dropping all over the place and clinging to my clothes which then allowed me to "snow" all over the house. Did I mention that I made a mistake? But this is a mistake that I have to learn to live with. I'll do it.

By 7 a.m., I had finished decorating the tree. I did a couple of other decorating related things then Butch and I started watching the "pre-parade"coverage. The girls came down around 8:30 or so. Mindy was in time to see Adam Pascal perform one of the songs from Memphis, but Steph missed it. Seeing Times Square and all the excitement made me wish I was back there. I just love New York.

On the commercials, I suggested that everyone "pitch in" and get the house in order---overnight bags everywhere, purses, shoes, sweaters, jackets and fleeces draped everywhere, dishwasher to unload and a huge pile of recycle stuff to be dealt with. Nicky was coming at 9 a.m. to make the bloody mary's. He makes good ones and has become our official family BM maker (okay, you know what I mean).

In our family, we assign the easiest jobs to the youngest---things they can do and not mess up. With that in mind, I said to Mindy, "So, Elizabeth, what can I give you to do? How about straightening the kitchen chairs and getting out the bloody mary glasses?"

This is what she did---when they should be squared up like below. Does that make me the one with the problem? I guess so. Either which way, she did this one little thing and "forgot" about the glasses and had to be reminded. Truly, we don't know where she came from.

We had a relaxing morning watching the parade, everyone got ready---we've been going to the club for dinner for the past couple years. The food is so good, so easy and no work. I do make a turkey breast so we can have sandwiches later. I make the "whole nine yards" at Christmas. This way we all get to enjoy a laid back Thanksgiving.

Jordan was complaining that the sun was too bright. She is pretty much always uncooperative about my need for photos. I take them anyway---she'll be sorry one day!

 Stephanie and Nicky.

My face is so swollen and tight, it feels like it's going to "pop." I am tapering off the pred, so once that's done, the swelling will recede some. That's just how it is, but I still hate it.

Carson and Morgan. She had on these cute textured hose with seams---that she had going up the inside of her legs. I told her that the seams were supposed to go up the back. Kids today don't know that.

Standing next to Mindy always makes me feel shorter and fatter.

After lunch we came back here for football and naps. Stephanie, Mindy and I pulled out the "holy grail" (mom's Scrabble game) and played. Mindy was the big winner this time. The girls left about 5 or 6. I did a couple of things off of my list for today, got my jammies on and settled in for the evening. A perfect day---until---I notice this crazy, bright, alien-type glow coming from the entry. I figured I'd forgotten to turn off the lights. But instead, I discover this: 

 OMG! This tree is from outer space---it's so bright and white---nothing subtle about it.

Can you see a single ornament? I'm admitting it again. I made a mistake. It sure didn't look this bright in the store. I should have at least gotten the colored lights---then there would have been some color. When I figure out how to "fix it"---and I have a few ideas---I'll post an update.