Thanksgiving

I'm doing a little catch up since my camera issues.  

Going way back.... THREE WEEKS!  :O

Not like it has felt like three weeks. 

It was a Pennsylvania Thanksgiving this year.  There were ONLY 15 of us, plus a baby.  From what my"puts-Martha-Stewart-to-shame" Mother in Law is used to for holiday festivities, this was a walk in the park.  Or like a walk in the Stouffer Bed and Breakfast, as we so fondly refer to our stays there. 

She makes it all look so easy.

Every once in a while she will let someone else help.

No idea what little Ginnie is doing here.

Maybe she is wondering how many pounds she is packing on from the holidays.

As if she could ever stay still long enough for calories to stick!

For the grandkids who love to veg out and watch movies (hint- Not a certain 2 year old), 

they get prime seating with Nana.

Ginnie would rather love on torment poor Gidget.

Poor Gidge!

It never fails.

They are worn out after each day.

Except for one little night owl.

She takes after her Nana.

Hidden Cam

Oh this is funny.  I was facing away at my desk, sat the camera on the corner and pressed record.  The empty toilet paper tube is helping to create the voice of God I think.  Please forgive Liv's bossiness leadership skills.  George does.  :/

Come on now!

If you were 2, 4, or 6 years old, wouldn't you find this lunch fun????  

My brats must be spoiled.  I supplied them with a plate full of imaginative, prehistoric, please-play-with-your-food, awesomeness.  See those beans?  They are perfect rocks! 

Do you think they cared?  I ended up throwing away half of it from all 3 plates.  

THEY DIDN'T EVEN PLAY WITH IT!

Ingrates.

I'm never feeding them again.

Ever.

For real.

At least until dinner.

I'm embarassed

I was not posting for a little while because of that broken camera I've been complaining about.  Dad subscribes and sweetly gave me his camera (he said he was already looking to replace it, but I never know if he was just looking for a reason to help me out.  AW, I know right.). 

So, now there is something funky with macs and Kodak?  I need to do more research (more like- ask Troy to fix it) to get the pics to upload.  I need to get on that asap because I'm about out of space on the camera and Christmas is coming! 

That said- the pressure is on.  I'll get those pics up, posts written, and shake off this slacker feeling.  (I also want to say how much I appreciate the messages about where I've been.  You are too kind!)

BTW- Where I've been is in the kitchen.  Making meals for people, cookies, dishes for random parties.... Tis the Season!

Cowboy Room

Troy was painting George's room.  It is slowly becoming more and more like the cowboy room I'm envisioning.  After Troy taped off and covered everything in the middle of the room, he gave the kids paintbrushes and let them go at it while he cut the trim. 

I kind of want them to paint this on the finished wall.

Kind of.

For one who paints murals, I really have a hard time committing to a room design.

I don't know if Liv really knew we were going to paint over her masterpiece, 

as she went with the cowboy theme also.

We knew enough to strip Ginnie down first.

Cowboys, Indians, Cowgirls, horses....

The wild west in action.

Those kids worked so fast, they got 2 walls done before Troy finished his half.  The stories they were telling about their art was amazing.  It was an interactive story as they kept on illustrating it.  

I really wished I used the video mode.

The cost of a little quiet around here.

Remember, busted camera.

The house got quiet.
I about lost it.  I was scared to death.
It is never that quiet around here!
I did a quick head count.
Baby, nursing- check.
Liv and George, reading on the couch- check.
Uh oh......
Where is Ginnie???

I heard a squeaky voice coming from the porch...

Here is where I saw Virginia playing.

 How sweet, right?

 Did you notice the big rip in the screen, made by you-know-who? 
She placed her animals between the screen and the outside glass. 

Oh well, it was worth the few minutes of quiet, right?
Sigh.

Weaving, oh yeah.

Troy and I were talking (Ok, so it was probably more like, I was talking and Troy was my audience) and I was thinking out loud things the kids could do that would be fun, educational, and keep their hands busy.  Can you tell I'm gearing up for winter when we are holed up inside all day?

I mentioned those simple kid weaving looms.  He looked at me like I was nuts.  He had never paid attention to any kind of toy like that.  He was purely a "play ball" kind of kid, apparently.  

I'm sure he wasn't outside 24/7 but he has conveniently forgotten the rest of his childhood.  

He needs therapy.  

Shock therapy.

I grabbed my weekly 40% off coupon for A.C. Moore and bought a simple loom and hook for $4.  

Of course I couldn't just throw the project at the kids.  

I had to make it a lesson.  

Of course.

Not pictured is the "paper spring" skill.  Unless you are Troy, you know what I'm talking about.  A simple practice of folding back and forth.  Want to know why it is not pictured?  I totally missed the spring when I blindly zoomed in.  Stupid broken camera.

Then we did some simple paper weaving.

Finally, we broke out the loom, hook, and loops.

And two, yes, TWO days later it was finished.  

Apparently my memory is a little fickle also.  I guess it wasn't the rip roaring, exciting project I remembered.  George encouraged Liv to finish it by offering to help.  

Mind you, George wasn't into it for the coordination experience, nor the pattern practice.  He wanted to give the finished project (not pictured also) to his girlfriend, Allyson (aka babysitter).  

And he did too.  She loved it.  

She has no idea that by taking that gift, it was like signing a betrothal.  

Sucker.  

See you at the chapel in about 20 years, Allyson!