I stopped in to Blog Fodder this morning thinking I missed another week and I was going to have to do two entry’s.  I was so happy that we actually skipped Christmas week. 

This weeks topic was suggested by practigal and this is my #5 Entry.

So all morning I was debating on what to write about.  The focus was handed to me in a rather different way.  

About an hour ago my daughter was picked up to spend the weekend with her Dad.  He arrived with his new girlfriend (we are social able most of the time) and she was looking at a picture I have framed on my windowsill of Samantha as a baby.  I decided to pull out Sami’s baby picture book.   

Maybe I shouldn’t have, it might have bothered her a little, but I wanted her to see Sami and what she was like as a child vs. a 13 year old!  Do you think I should have showed her the book or was I out of line with her being the new gal and all?   

Regardless and onto my In-law entry….  Looking through the book was great.  I hadn’t been there in so long and there were lots of pictures bringing back memories of my in-laws.  Eric and I never married so they really were just “common law in-laws”, but it’s all the same.  Eric and have been apart for 7 years but I still have a good relationship with them.  I had a great relationship the in-laws, not the norm I know, from the get-go and they credit me with pulling Eric’s life together.  Looking back, I think they were right.  Once we split he went right back down the tubes.  Donna (Mother In-law) still considers me her daughter, and tells me that often.   

Oh but these In-laws were guilty of sugar crimes!  You see, I was very into having a healthy baby.  I had natural child birth and was pretty particular about what I fed Samantha.  I don’t agree with those feeder bottles.  I am of the opinion that they are one of the major causes for overweight children because they are eating foods way too soon, but that’s another topic.  Once Samantha was ready to start eating solids, my Mom handed me down a baby food grinder.  Our dinner would go in the grinder and she would eat the same foods as we did.  (I didn’t go too far, she did have baby food for lunch)   The In-laws all time favorite thing to do was sneak sweets into my baby girl.  As I looked through the album I found two specific pictures to share and prove my point.  Not to mention that I caught them many a time. 

I wasn’t really upset, but pretended to be, just so they could feel sneaky and all. 

The two pictures below are my evidence!     

My first incling of this sugar obsession in order to spoil my child occured when they were visiting our home from VA to MA.   I came around the corner into the kitchen and the grandparents were wiping donut cream off my daughters’ mouth and Mommaw was saying “quick, hide the evidence”.  Busted were they!  They have yet to live it down!  

And I thought the exciting airline trip to Boston was bad…  if you read below you’ll see we missed our connection flight and had to wait an hour to get on the next flight….  I was sadly mistaken. 

The trip home was double bad, if not triple. 

It started out well.  I went right up to the e-ticket booth, no lines and got our luggage stowed right away.  Sam and I did a little wandering before our flight was due to board.  I was there ½ hour early, as I had learned my lesson during that first flight.   The flight itself was fine too.  Very smooth sailing.  Sami and I had different seats – window seats – one in front of the other, which wasn’t bad  either because we could still talk to each other, but a sweet man offered to change with us so we ended up sitting together.  This was nice, everything was turning out very nice indeed. 

Our change over was in Dulles (DC) where we would get off the big jet liner and transfer into a smaller plane.   

The problems began when the jet pulled into Dulles and there were no gates available for unloading of us patient passengers.  Patient passengers of over an hour no less! 

While waiting, my connection flight left without us. 

After standing in a customer service line for over an hour (because many people missed the connectors) we were advised that we could take the midnight flight, only 6 hours to wait!  Ummm – No.       

On top of all this, security is just ridiculous, to add insult to injury.  Those security folks make you feel like a criminal if they find something in your carry-on bags.  I had the cutest little small souvenir bottles of ketchup, mustard and mayo (they were so cute, like the size of a salt shaker) and they wouldn’t let me have them – they went straight in the trash.  Yet…  I carried on three different pairs of scissors in my stitching bag. 

Go figure. 

The airline agent at least compromised a little.  I didn’t have anyone to pick us up at midnight in Roanoke so they split the cost of a Holiday Inn.  I was exhausted by then so this was perfectly fine with me.  The hotel was Excellent.  Very nice!  A Fancy Holiday Inn! 

More issues though.  By about 10 pm Sami was crying due to a toothache.  Leading us, the next morning, to pick a dentist from the phone book, before getting on our 5 pm flight.  $50.00 more on cab fair to and from the dentist to have her cavity tooth pulled.  (It was a baby tooth, Thank God)  This dentist was excellent and did a great job.  But I've got a question?  What is this my month for dentists?  I have spent 769.00 in dentist fee’s over the past two weeks!   

(Tomorrow I shall catch up on two more weeks of Blog Fodder Subjects.  I have too much to do today getting un-Christmas organized).

Well that's not all I got, but this Christmas story makes for the perfect entry, as you will read on.

How went everyone's holidays?  I have trouble thinking it's 2007 already!

I am still at Mom’s in Mass.  We leave tomorrow and overall it was a great vacation.  

On the way flight in Sami and I had a layover and we managed to miss our connecting flight.  I was there 7 minutes early but the airline studess claimed she had already locked up the plane, which I didn’t think was very kosher, considering I was early.  Luckily she got us on the next flight, one hour later, with no extra cost.  After much bitching on my behalf.  I still find myself wondering if that was truly procedure or complete laziness on her.

Regardless, when I get on the plane tomorrow I will be at the gate 1/2 hour before boarding.

We had two suitcases full of gifts, not to mention our clothes suitcase and I was more than concerned that because my luggage which would now beat me to my destination that they might disappear.  As I walked up to the gated luggage and there they stood.  Three bright red bags and a huge black one.  Good bags, I was very proud of them for not waundering off.   Now....  how much can I fit in the empty bags to get all the presents home.  what can I fit in these now empty bags to get gifts home?  I will have to fed-ex some more, I believe.  

We arrived Wednesday the 20th and between then and Christmas I basically spent some cherished moments with my sisters.  We watched some movies, did more shopping, and went out for a beer or two.  Both sisters are going through some relationship changes and I was a sound board for one sis with her frustrations of the relationship and I met the other boyfriend for the first time.  I think it's good for them to be able to talk to someone that is kind of on the outside and is not around the situation 24/7.  It’s funny to see either of them with different people.   

As usual each vacation has a Clearly Chrissie Moment and I just must explain.  Christmas is just a few days away and shit happened.  I've never mentioned it befoe but when I had my seizure I knocked out my two front teeth.  I got a really nice flipper, which is slightly less than a bridge.  About 2 months into using my flipper it broke.  I debated 500.00 more dollars?? or make the broken teeth work??  The latter was the choice and I started gluing them in between the two other teeth.  (no I am not kidding)  It worked fine except when the glue got loose they would occasionally slip out. and I couldn’t sleep or eat with them in.  At least I wasn’t toothless which I consider very nasty. It was kind of thin in certain areas and I knew it was a matter of time.

So now I was going to have to attend Christmas missing my two front teeth.  How pretty is that?  

So here's my Clearly Chrissie Moment,  day two, of our vacation!   I got into Mom's car and out the teeth flew....  I looked everywhere.  I Literally tore the car apart to no avail.  (My Mom has a nice clean car now).   I went to bed that night succeeding to the fact & knowing I’d have to make some decisions in the morning, some pretty expensive ones, but I was too tired to worry anymore and what else could I do?  The next morning Beth, Mom, Sam and Oz also looked everwhere.  There was no sign of my two front teeth.  Vanished in thin air - I swear....

I know this is really sounding funny, and I am laughing as I
type, so don't feel bad if you are laughing too.  It’s all after the fact now and quite comical looking back.  

My special Christmas story for this year is that my aunt Tricia saved the day!  She called after she read my post to tell me that her
dentist is excellent and that she would call over to him to
see if he could do anything. She called him and called me back to
say I had an appt. at 4:30! It was the Friday night before Christmas
and she got me an appt.!!    Floored I was, let me tell you! I went over and he
took impressions and said he would stay late (Friday night
before Christmas) to get them made for me and they will be
ready tomorrow at 4:30!!!  I had them by 4:30 the next day and Christmas was a joy!

Can you guys believe this? I still am amazed, shocked, thrilled.  

Sending love and special thanks to my aunt Tricia!

My teeth look gorgeous - better than before.  When getting them installed I was informed by the caring dentist that he worked on the until 9:30 pm on the night before Christmas.

Miracle?  Or Angel?  Which do you think?

More on vacation tidbits to follow.

HAPPY 2007!


 

      

From Blog Fodder Headquarters - entry #4:

Moving right along, our next topic of the week was submitted by Shane, over at Reflekshins .

What is the best practical joke you have ever participated in, or one that was done on you?

Wow - this is a hard one.  I've thought about it throughout most of today and I can't come up with anything brilliant.  I love practical jokes but I don't think I've ever been the butt of one, nor have I played any on anyone, that I can remember anyway.

One April Fools Day when I was living away from my family in Massachusetts I called my sisters & my Mom.  Three separate conversations and told them all I was pregnant again.  Samantha was about 3 or 4 and I was a struggling Mom and I'm not too sure if this was a joyful surprize to everyone or not, but I got the usual "congratulations".  Later that night I called them all back to "april fools" them - I think there were a few sighs of relief.  Teehee   ; -)

Thats all I've got for now folks.....  If I can think of something better I'll pop back in.  Maybe I can play a joke before next week so that I have something to write about!  I'll think about that. 

All my bags are (in process) packed and we're ready to go.....

Sami and I are leaving for Mass. tomorrow, bright and early, and I do mean early - we have to leave the house at 4 a.m.  It's pretty much tradition that I go home for the holidays.  I think there has been a few Christmas' seasons where I wasn't able to go home, due to finances, but most years I make it happen somehow.  Having Christmas anywhere else isn't really Christmas to me, I've tried it and it just isn't the same.  My large family makes it a must to attend each year. 

I'll be gone until the New Year - but do promise to blog whenever possible.  My mother is having computer issues right now, so I might not be posting as often, but I do intend to try.  I do have sister's and a library I can frequent. 

The other thing I wanted to share were a few pic's from last month's birthday / horseback riding adventure.  Kevin transferred the pictures from the camera over the weekend.  So enjoy.....  until we meet again.

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:  AMBER, SAMANTHA & I

               SAMANTHA, THE FIRST TIME ON A HORSE, ON HER 13TH BIRTHDAY

SAMI, AMBER AND KEVIN

                                                                         AND ME

Thirteen Thursday #18 

• We cut down our tree at a tree farm this year and had a great time doing it.   Samantha thought the tree's were too little.  They did look pretty small in the field but once we got our pick home it looked to be the perfect size.  Not that I was complaining because the Spruce we got was only 10.00 vs. 30.00 or 40.00 elsewhere.

• Sami & I decorated the tree Sunday night.  It looks really pretty.  Below is my best picture of it.  A little snow falling in the window would make this "picture perfect"

• Speaking of snow will we have a white Christmas?  Or how about any snow at all, for that matter!

• Samantha's stocking is hung on an Apple hook in our dining room this year.  We have no mantle.

• Next year I intend to invest in some new holiday decorations and ornaments.  Most of what I have is getting very old looking.  I will never get rid of my ornaments, as most are sentimental, but I wouldn't mind adding to my collection.

• I am going home to Massachusetts for Christmas again this year.

• One of the last times I made a trip home to Massachusetts, I flushed my keys down a rest area toilet.  True story.... read it here & here. 

• Thursday night was Samantha's Christmas Chorus Concert.  The first Christmas Carol's I have heard this season! 

• One of my favorite parts of the Concert, with the exception of my daughter being on stage, was the Swing Chior.  They sang Jingle Bell Rock and Santa Baby.  Everyone left the school singing these two catchy tunes! 

• I almost have my shopping complete.  I am sending two boxes of gifts, in advance to Massachusetts, so I don't have to lug them with me this year.

• I really would like to start my Christmas shopping earlier next year, like maybe in October, before the shops get too busy and run out of the "good stuff".  I should join a Christmas Club too.

• I am still trying to do my Christmas cards, hopefully I'll get them completed and mailed before next Christmas.  I tend to procrastinate with such things... usualy I get my photo's developed a year later too.

• My daughter told me the other day that she is glad she has young cousins, because she gets to "believe".  I remember feeling this way about having younger sisters too.  

It's raining today.  I love rain!  I love storms!  I love any kind of weather that is different from the norm.  My roof is tin and I awoke to the sound of the pouring rain hitting my roof.  There is nothing like the sound of a tin roof in the rain!

This week's Blog Fodder topic,  Blog Fodder #3,  has been posted.  Judy @ Welcome to my World of Dreams submitted the question:   "Do you have any memories of a childhood illness?"  

I like this one.  I have a few stories about illnesses and a few are even funny.  I'll start with the not too funny one though.

The worse sickness that I can remember was my 8th birthday.  I know it was my 8th because my mother made me an 8 shaped cake and I have a photograph of me laying on my bed, too weak to even sit up, with the 8 shaped cake laying on my tummy so I could try to blow out the candles.  I had a birthday party most years and this 8th year was going to be a pool party and I was so excited for it!  What a cool party, a pool party!  Mom had arranged to take us all to the MDC rink & pool in Weymouth, MA and I had waited with anticipation for over a month.  Of course, the whole thing had to be cancelled.   

I was a slight hypochondriac child.  I was constantly spraining an ankle, limping, going to the nurse at school, wanting to use crutches etc.  During one occasion I went up the stairs to my bedroom limping on my right leg, but when I came back down, according to my stepfather, I was limping on the wrong foot.  I can't remember if he pointed it out to me then or if he told me this story later in life.  My 13 year old daughter is very much like this as well, and it is a struggle to deal with because I've been there, done that.  

We had a boat when I was a girl.  We would go on day excursions from Hingham Harbor and explore the Massachusetts South Shore waterfront.  On this particular weekend we got to the boat and I was suddenly inflicted with the worst stomach pain of my life.  It wasn't sea sickness, I felt like my appendix was ready to burst.  Still, to this day, I can't remember feeling anything quite this bad, with the exception of labor.  I was not running a fever or nauseous or anything - just severe pain in my belly.  I spent the entire time on the boat (and off for that matter) bent at the waist so my upper half was horizontal.  I couldn't get any relief at all unless I was in this position.  I laugh now just thinking about it because I literally walked that way the whole day.  My mother laughs too, at the memory of it.  Can't you just picture it?  Can't you just picture what others must have thought?  I could not walk straight up.  I never did figure out what that illness was all about but I was fine the next day and walking up-right again.  

Lastly this story must get the Honorable mention....  Nana raised 9 children, but she never had one quite like me and she will tell you that to this day!  Nana took me to Florida for a week to visit her parents, my great-grandparents.  It was a wonderful trip and special because it was just the two of us.  Somehow I managed to catch the chicken pox towards the end of our vacation.  The first thing I did when we got on the plane to go home was to announce to the passengers that I had the chicken pox.  I was young and didn't know why my announcing such a thing was a problem, but Nana got upset that I told everyone.  Yes.... thinking back I don't think I would have wanted to be on that plane!  

Last week I wrote a wonderful Blog Fodder #2 - TWICE.  I lost it - TWICE.  I guess now it's time for me to re-write and pray that I don't lose it again....     

Blog Fodder #2 was submitted by Nikki-Ann who wants to know: "Tell us about somebody who has changed your life, even if just a little bit."

The year was 1987, I think.  I got on a Greyhound bus with a suitcase of belongings, as much as I could squeeze in.  I was going to a place foreign to me, Virginia.  Christiansburg, Virginia was my Greyhound destination and I was greeted by my aunt Colleen with open arms.  I barely knew my aunt anymore, but this was a new adventure and I was eager to get it started.  I watched the small City of Christiansburg disappear as we drove home, gorgeous rolling hills, fresh air & farmland began to surround us.  What beauty!  I could appreciate it... but I was also a little unsure of what Floyd, Virginia might offer me.  I had lived south of Boston all of my life and Floyd was literally a one-stoplight town, similar to Mayberry. 

So this was my new life.  New surroundings, new friends, a new way of life, new hopes & even new very strong attractions to southern gentlemen (my how they melted my heart)!  I have such vivid memories of the good stuff and forget the bad - for not everything was as perfect as I'd like to remember - but the memories are a part of me and began with Colleen.  I have such vivid memories of those carefree days....  laying in the hammock reading to pass the day; picking puff balls out of the cow field & frying them for dinner;  visiting commune like neighborhoods to watch dancing & drumming & sweats; eating vegetarian food and of going to dances & parties.  Many memories of log cabins, more cow fields, mountains, pickup trucks, El-Camino's & a even mustang here and there.  Memories of fun times with new friends & old, hours spent with Becky, who grew up down the street from me in Massachusetts and also grew attached to Floyd, right along with me.  Memories of just getting to know my aunt and her two small boys.   

My aunt Colleen was one of nine, my mother being the oldest girl.  I grew up attached to the hip to my aunts and uncles, as my Mom was a single working gal and I practically lived at my Nanas house.  I remember Colleen when I was little, mostly through photographs and as I grew I remembered a few sporadic things...  visiting a cottage that she rented near a lake, her wedding & the time she took me to the daycare center she taught at so I could help her teach.  In my teen years Colleen lived in Texas, for she had married someone who wanted to settle elsewhere and from Texas she then migrated to Floyd.  I never got to visit Colleen and I didn't see her often anymore but mother and she were very close and corresponded constantly.  More memories come back from this time period of reading Colleen's Mothering articles & Poetry and when my mother home-schooled me for a year I remember Colleen being her inspiration.  

When life brought a few bumps and bruises my way, Mom was the one to suggest I try "Colleen's Virginia" - which did change my life - most definately.  I stayed only a short time initially, but somehow I was attached to this place.  There is a magnet in these mountains that pulls you in and keeps you here or keeps you coming back.  My daughter was raised here and this is home now, equally as much as Massachusetts has been.    I guess my life was changed by Colleen.... I love her for it and for the wonderful person she is! 

I had just closed an email from my aunt stating that my boyfriend Kevin should get into computer work.  I had been on our Love-Link (our family email discussion forum) bragging that Kevin, my boyfriend, could fix any computer under the sun.  My mother's computer has been down for a few weeks now - actually since Thanksgiving - and we were discussing these new developments.  

The next time I came to my computer it was null and void, no longer working, caput....  I guess I should have knocked on wood.

No big deal, I thought, Kevin will be up this weekend and he'll have it up and running in no time.  Still null & void, still no longer working, still caput...  He spent a good while trying to get it up and running but apparently the motherboard is fried!  (Yesterday I recalled that before this happened I did get a virus warning but I don't know if these two are connected)  

I lasted 6 days without my computer before hiking to my local Best Buy for a new one.  I can't go without, I have determined, so I bought me a brand spanking new computer and am back in the lap of luxury!  And....  computers are fairly inexpensive now, I was thrilled & surprized to learn!  I guess I just bought myself an early Christmas gift!

I've got some blogging to catch up on and emailing too....   

To follow:

Blog Fodder #2, which I missed last weekend and coincidentally wrote and lost twice when my computer was acting up.

Blog Fodder #3, this weeks topic.

While surfing the web I ran across www.myheritage.com.  They have this face recognition software that takes your picture and matches it up with your look alikes.  I was so excited to post my results, but I couldn't figure out how to add it to my entry.  It is in html code and for the life of me I couldn't figure out how to add it into my post.  So I'm posting my top two results my own way.  It is really fun - you should check it out!  Much, much Fun!

I used this picture of me (which isn't great but it was a good closeup of my face and I don't have many of those)

And my top two results:  Michelle Pfeiffer & Goldie Hawn

             So there you have it!

     Let me know who your look alikes are! 

Thanks to Two Sirius - this looks like fun!

Opening credits: Starry Starry Night, Don McLean

Waking up:   Tuesday's Gone - Lynard Skynard

First day of High School: Centerfold, J Giels

Falling in love:  Can't You See, Marshall Tucker Band

Fight song:  Bette Davis Eyes, Kim Carnes

Breaking up: Do That To Me One More Time - Carly Simon

Prom: I just Died in your Arms Tonight - REO Speedwagon

Life:  Blinded by the Light, Mannfred Mann

Mental breakdown:  Problem Child, ACDC

Driving:  Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald, Harry Chapin

Flashback:  I'll Wait - Van Halen

Getting back together: Heartbreaker, Pat Benetar

Wedding:  Karma, Alicia Keyes
Birth of child:  Watch Over You, Holly McNarland
Final battle: I Want you to Want Me, Cheap Trick
End credits:  I am Immortal, Quenn

I swear I didn't manipulate the Media Player - but alot do fit rather nicely....  :-)

We have a new wireless mouse & keypad.  It's really cool - except for one thing.  The mouse has to be charged and everyone, including myself, gets up from the computer and forgets to put the mouse in its charger.  What I need are big post-it notes all over this room to remind people I guess.  It's frustrating because you come to the computer and the mouse won't work! 

The first time this happened was a sight.  Of course Kevin wasn't here (as he only is on the weekends) and I thought the mouse was just freezing up.  I keep rebooting the dang computer until about 1/2 hour later, and probably about 10 reboots, I noticed this charger sitting next to the scanner.  Then it dawned on me...  its wireless, it needs to charge!  Bingo - problem fixed.

Kevin claims he told me and Sami that we needed to charge the mouse.  Kevin claims he tells us things all the time, that he doesn't.  I don't know if he thinks about telling us, therefore his mind thinks he did, but I swear - he did not tell us.  Kevin claiming to tell us things happens in  other cases too, trust me.  Oh and another thing - he loses his stuff all over the house and then thinks I moved them (because I do have a habit of straightening up and putting his stuff away where it's supposed to go (according to me)) but...  I know if I've done so and if he asks me and I say I didn't touch it - he never believes me.  

My other question?  Why do we need a wireless mouse and keyboard?  Where are we going to take the mouse and keyboard to, besides right in front of the computer?  I do know why though....  because Kevin has got to have every last new gadget out there!  I admit, it's kind of nice because we are definitely on the top when it comes to electronics, but come on...  He is constantly buying hard drives and upgrading stuff....  I don't really understand why?  If the computer works perfectly, why can't it just be left alone?  Why do we need so much memory or storage?  I guess that's just one of the things that makes Kevin, Kevin - and I do love him!  

As I type the mouse is charging.  I came in to do my daily and it was dead, of course!  I am the type that has a thousand windows open and go back between blogging, email and any other project I'm working on.  I don't like to wait for stuff to load (not that it takes that long with high speed, but still) and therefore I do something and go to the next window, do something else and then back to it.  I guess that would be "Multi-tasking"?  My style is cramped now.  The mouse charges, so while I'm waiting, I might as well type up my blog....  I don't need the mouse to type, thank god!

     My 17th TT

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Visit the 13 Hub  

My THIRTEEN Visits Today:

13 Thursday: Red and Ready to be Read

"kick back - little thought" movies

Thirteen Random Pictures Inside My Home!

Thirteen Things I Would Buy If I Won The Lottery

13 things I need to do before Christmas

13 Scribbles from my Chaotic Mind

Thirteen Things I do when I'm revising.

Thirteen of my Favorite Books (in no particular order)

Thirteen Things about BLONDE CHICK

I love when Jay Leno does his segment where he holds the silly ads up for us all to see.  They crack me up and I was in the mood to laugh so I went hunting for some of them.  I came across some signs to share. 

This first one is hillarious.  Are they serious?

And this?.....  What is wrong with their Marketing Department?

 Does this give you the shivers?  Slightly...

 Whats on your plate for dinner?

 I don't think I even need to comment on this reminder, do I?

Confusion sets in....

Did the town put that sign up?  Well so far so good because it's still hanging and must be working!  All bridges should have one of these!

This has to be one of my favorites.... Be there or be square!

Why didn't I think of this idea?  I've seen this many of times, holy rollers with signs, this guy speaks the truth! 

And the people making the signs didn't bother to question any of these?

What's your favorite?  They all are good for a chuckle or even a good belly laugh!  Just perfect for the mid-week blues.   

Pretend the Post Below Isn't Even There... It's Just A Figment Of Your Imagination!

Wow - I screwed that one up below....  I can't get to my "edit this post" because the pics that were there threw the link for editing right off the page.  The next thing I tried was to go in and delete the pics from the File Manager - this worked but only to block the pics from being seen. I still can't get to my "edit this post" link - now I can see it, but I can't click it because it's behind one of those white boxes with a red X. 

I'm going to Tripod Help to get assistance and will post my pic's I had planned a little later today - so hang on... and come back...

Once upon a time there was a post here that was supposed to be pictures of funny signs.  Because I didn't Preview my entry first when I posted it it ran across way out, further than even my sidebars.  It looked screwy.  I wanted to edit it but I was unable to edit it, as you will read above. 

Along came a magic person who gave me the instructions to manually repair this post.  As you can see, the photo's are gone now!  Thank you so much to "cw"!  I can't thank you enough.  You saved my Mom with her deleted Blog and now you've cleaned up one of my messes too.  Your wonderful!

Blog Fodder #1  (Go here if you want to join)

This subject was posted by Jean-Luc Picard

Hmmm - Memorable Memories in School.....

I had the coolest 1st grade teacher.  His name was Mr. Oliver and he taught at Foster School in Hingham MA (just in case anyone knows who he is...  I would love to let him know how much I liked him).  I had just moved to a new school and he was new to the school as well - so we were both in the same boat.  I was a little intimidated at having a male teacher but immediately grew to love him.  Show and Tell time was the best!  He would sit us in a circle, with him in the middle sitting down and spin his legs around and where ever his feet landed, who ever they were pointing at, got to take their turn at Show and Tell.  I think he was our teacher for about a month and then one day we walked into class and was told that we had a new teacher.  No explanation or anything....  The new teacher was a woman and I wasn't impressed, to say the least.  Even in 1st grade I had very strong opinions....  If anyone out there knows of a Mr. Oliver who teaches, let me know. 

I wasn't a very studious child.  I was way more into having fun.  My most memorable experiences in High School probably took place out in the smoking area.  Yes we actually had a smoking area.  You could go grab a smoke between classes and it was always packed with friends!  Lunch was spent eating for the first 10 minutes and the rest of the time horsing around out in the smoking area.  I learned alot in that spot!     

just kidding..... 

but Sami owns an IPOD - so she got what she wanted for her birthday.  Can you believe this thing will hold about 7,500 songs! 

We had a terrific...  TERRIFIC... time this weekend.  We drove the 2 hour trip at about 6 pm and arrived at about 8 pm.  Wendy's for dinner on the way in and simple relaxation Friday night at the hotel.  The girls, of course, did lots of hall walking and giggling all over the hotel.  

Saturday morning we got up at 10:00 and went down for the "continental" breakfast.  They had a hot breakfast bar which you could upgrade to for 3.99 and because I can't resist gravy biscuits, we upgraded immediately.  After a nice breakfast Kevin and I relaxed in the room while the girls did some more exploring, and swimming, playing pool etc. 

Our horseback ride was scheduled for 2pm and we arrived right on time.  I can't even begin to tell you how cool this horseback riding trip was.  We went through the woods, fields, streams - all over this horse farm and the surrounding land.  Kevin rode Willy - a large black horse, Sami rode Midnight - a small black horse, Amber rode Nugget - a Palomino and I rode Walks-a-lot - a white horse.  Each horse had a personality of its own.  It's not easy to ride.  I thought we'd get right up there and ride away but there is learning involved in how to sit, hold the reins, turn the horse etc.  It was the most gorgeous day out too!  We couldn't have asked for better weather.

I did manage to hurt my hand somehow.  It is sprained.  I'm not quite sure how I did it but it really started hurting about 1/2 way through the trail ride.  I think I might have sprained or pulled a muscle when I pulled myself up on the horse - but it didn't stop me from enjoying.  I grinned and bared it.   

Saturday night we were pretty tired so we decided to order Pizza in.  Kevin and I made a quick trip to Walmart because he had last minute shopping to do for Samantha and I wanted to get a small cake.  When we got back presents galore were opened (and thank you to all you Massachusetts folks who sent gifts - Sami was thrilled with every last thing she got).  I hadn't mentioned it because I was unsure if Sami looked at my blog - but I got her a Video IPOD.  It hasn't left her hands since she opened it.

Sunday morning us three girls felt like we wanted to go riding again - so what the heck - I called over there and we got an appointment for 10am.  Don, the proprietor, gave the girls an hour riding lesson for free and then we had another hour trail ride.  This ride was even better than the first because we all did rode a little better and were more comfortable.  We did alot of trotting which we hadn't done much of on Saturday and went down a river about waist deep on the horses.  I didn't do as well myself, because of my hand, but the girls looked like pro's by this point.  Don trains moviestars to ride in moves and they filmed Cold Mountain, Sweet Home Alabama & a few other movies right there were we rode.  Sami's horse, Midnight, was one of the stars of Sweet Home Alabama! 

So now that Sam has her IPOD - guess what she wants now?  You guessed it.....  A Horse!

House.......

Isn't this absolutely gorgeous?  Samantha made it for me for Thanksgiving in her cooking class at school!  She wants to nibble on it already but I made her promise we would wait until New Years because it's just so pretty for the holidays! 

I hope your Thanksgiving was filled with delicious food and wonderful memories.  Thanksgiving was pretty good for us this year, although it is bitter sweet because most of my family are home in Massachusetts.  We have stayed in Virginia in the past and normally eat at Kevin's parents, but this year they went off to South Carolina to visit some friends.  I'm sure they had fun and needed a nice change.  This left me cooking my own traditional Thanksgiving dinner, which I don't think I've ever done by myself and I was looking forward to it.  Oh I've cooked a Thanksgiving type dinner, sure, but not on the actual day of Thanksgiving.  Samantha chipped in and helped me cook and we had a lot of fun cooking together.  It was just Kevin, Sam and I, sharing a 10 lb turkey, which turned out to be the perfect amount.  Next to the Turkey we also had Redskin Mashed Potatoes, Summer Squash Casserole, Stuffing & Kevin made his famous Crabmeat Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms.  Samantha decided she wanted to make a Cherry Pie.  I agreed that would be yummy and picked her up a Pie shell when I was shopping but because she is in cooking class now and is learning all sorts of cooking tidbits, she decided to do the Pie from scratch.  It really came out good, much better than I could have done.  If there is one thing I'm not, I'm not a baker!  I can cook my ass off when it comes to dinners, casseroles etc. but I can't bake.  

After we ate Samantha went to her father's house so they could celebrate her birthday over there.  She should be home by about 1:30 this afternoon. 

Sunday is Sami's 13th birthday!  I didn't see her age sneak up on me - but it sure has!  Hard to believe it was thirteen years ago when my Thanksgiving equaled hard labor and a dinner of ice chips.  I went into labor the day before Thanksgiving, on the 24th and had her the day after, on the 26th.    

I've only been on a horse a few times.  I took a few days of riding lessons back in 87 or so.  My Dad took me horseback riding once too, when I was about 10.  I remember loving it and I know Sami will, just as much as I did back then.  She says she is a little worried about going uphill and that the horse might trip but we have assured her that horses don't fall much and they have very steady legs.  I'm hoping she'll take right to it, like she did when we skied for the first time last winter.

I'll talk with you again on Sunday evening, when I get home.  Until then, tell me... Do you have any interesting Thanksgiving traditions or food that makes Thanksgiving what it is?