Giving Thanks

Turkey Day!

Well, Thanksgiving came to us a little sad this year because our lovie is serving in Iraq. We miss him a whole bunch! This year for Turkey Day, we were here, there and everywhere!

Our day started at 8:45am with a call from our buddies, the Pontius family. They were wondering what our plans were that day ... they were watching movies and eating popcorn and wondered if we would care to join them. OF COURSE WE WOULD!

Off to the Pontius' we went. We ended up having a "potato peeling party" - I think we must have peeled 40 pounds of potatoes (at least!). It was good fun! Annamarie found a potato almost the size of her head! Now that's a potato!

After the Pontius home, we traveled to our good friends, the Segura's, home. There we had the most wonderful Thanksgiving meal! YUMMY! The turkey was superb and everything turned out wonderful! We had a rousing game of Phase 10 (I won 'cuz I had the most points, right?! WRONG - Mr. Freddy won) and then rolled ourselves out the door to go to the chapel for another Thanksgiving meal.

We arrived a tad bit late (no surprise there) and dined on a little of the fare - our tummies were pretty much full still) but we HAD to have some of Jane's fabulous bread! :)

It was a busy day filled with good friends and good food!

Remember, Remember the 5th of November

Guy Fawkes Day

"Remember, remember the fifth of November,
The gunpowder, treason and plot,
I know of no reason
Why gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot."

HISTORY: Guy Fawkes, as you may or may not know, was a member of a Roman Catholic revolutionary group who planned to carryout the "gunpowder plot"- in 1605. They attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament which would displace the Protestant King James 1. Of course, they did not succeed.

Guy stood trial in Westminster Hall and him and his colleagues were found guilty and were to be hung, drawn and quartered (ouch!). Guy managed to avoid the worst of his execution by jumping from the scaffold where he was to be hanged, breaking his neck before he could be drawn and quartered. It is said his head was put on a spike as a warning for others who would dare plot against the King.

Every year on "Bonfire Night", the English have fireworks and bonfires to remember (or celebrate, depending on how you look at it) that fateful night over 400 years ago. Guy Fawkes was ranked 30th in the 2002 "100 Greatest Britons".

FESTIVITIES: We went to a local bonfire in Beck Row, right across the street from our friends, the Smith's, house - parking was free there! (muah ha ha) The festivities only lasted an hour, which was good because the kids were either too cold or too hot. We did have a choice spot right near the bonfire and a perfect view of the fireworks. There was a ton of people there and hot chocolate and goodies were sold - the queue was SO LONG that we said "so long" to that and I made Austin some hot chocolate when we arrived home - I had to soothe the wild hot chocolate beast inside him! A fun time and the last time we will be celebrating Bonfire Night in England!

How Frightening!

Halloween 2007


Halloween came and went and I'm out of chronological order on my "spot", do forgive!

Anyhoo, this year for Halloween, Austin had a "Harvet Party" (I know, no Halloween stuff in his class this year).

His party was on Friday the 26th and being so close to the "big day" (Austin has been counting down for 2 weeks), I made some 'creepy crawlers' (meatballs in a biscuit). I wanted to have some kind of spooky theme going. Oh, well! He had a fun time!

Then on Monday the 29th, there was a bowling party for the spouses and families of those military members who are deployed. We strapped on those wonderful bowling shoes and bowled a game. Austin loved it! Melissa pitched in with a few frames - she wasn't too much in the bowling mood, but had a good time eating her favorite 'cheese sticks'.

Halloween came and I spent a good part of the day over at Jane's house making over 190 donuts! I was the "glazer" and she was the "cooker" ... don't you love my verbiage?

For the "big day", Melissa went as a "teenager", Austin was the grim reaper (he has this really cool scythe) and I was a Mormon gangster! I believe my "friend" Jane said the CTR stood for Corrupt the Righteous ... rude! (but not really)

We went Trunk-or-Treating up at the chapel and by the time we came home, it was shower and beddie bye time!

Guess who's 79?

November 2, 2007

Well, today is Peter's 79th birthday! WOO HOO! I made him a special batch of brownies (and the pan with "bite me" on it) and some other culinary goodies to celebrate his special day! Oh, check out his new wheels! He can go up to 8mph on it! He's such a Mr. Speedy!

Seeing as he lives in Diss and it was a Friday, Jane and I went on over to the auction house, just in case there was anything noteworthy ... which there was! :) We actually had Samuel along and he is the proud owner of "his inheritance", which ended up being a table Jane bought for him for 3 pounds!

Good 'ole Peter let us store it at his house (seeing as I drove my car and not Jane's Volvo station wagon) so guess what!? We'll have to go back to the auction, I MEAN back to Peter's to pick up said "inheritance"!

I know, it's tough being me, isn't it?