Gobble Gobble

This day was fast and furious!  The cooking frenzy had me going and forgetting to get those blog worthy pics!  I made the usual menu...turkey, stuffing, gravy, pies...just to name a few!  The family gathered here at the Pines. (Over the river and through the "creepy" woods!) Big and small, young and old.  We did the seating a bit different this year.  I had such good success with the tables in the livingroom at our Halloween party that we decided to try it for Thanksgiving.

We had 14 for dinner, and being able to all be together in the same room was great. Usually we can fit 8 around the regular diningroom table and then the split comes in...little ones at a separate table, or others gather in the kitchen area across from the diningroom. Not really fun for being together.  This new arrangement worked out great.  We ate, laughed, told stories and just enjoyed the time together.  Our son who lives in Oregon (Portland) skyped and we were able to say hi to the other grandkiddos and family out there..not as nice a being here in person, but we're thankful for technology.  I would have loved to share pics of the annual pumpkin shoot out...only the pumpkins were nonexistent. The very cold temps and then warmer ones made them into mush the other day. I actually had to get a snow shovel out and scoop the messiness into the creek.  I hope the deer and other critters had a little feast on the seeds and pumpkin meat!  Maybe we'll have better luck next year.  Soon the time had come for going home.  I did snap a few pics of the kiddos. I look at their faces and can't believe how old they are getting!  Summer was only 3 when we moved to the Pines..Anthony, Cameron, Addy and Lexi...not even born yet.  Time moves on and this year is flying. I'm glad we have this special day to think of our blessings...say our thanks to the Lord for all we've been given and for surviving those challenges we've also been given.   I feel blessed with family, friends, church, work, and technology that lets me connect with others all over this world who make blogging so much fun.   Here's a few of our blessings:

Addy and Lexi with their favorite dolls.

Anthony and Cameron...2 of my favorite dolls!

Jackie and Evelyn

Driana with her "arm knitted" scarf that she made in about 20min! I kid you not...or knot!

Sister Summer...I have to laugh at the girls change of hair color...Summer, usually a blond, is now a brownette..and Driana had red hair today....Ahhh youth!

We did have plenty of food.  This is just the last of the desserts! 

Hope your day was great...my sign says it all.

Little Turkey

1975....A cold, snowy, Tuesday evening...November 25th.  I had been having stomach pains all day.  I worked all day.  I kept thinking that there was no way I could be in labor.  Yes, I was pregnant with our first kiddo.  The baby..(back then we had no ultrasounds to determine sex)...wasn't due until the end of January.  I just had gotten into maternity clothes...(I was very thin back then!) and in fact, I could still wear regular clothes.  However, the pains never stopped and after a call to my OB doc,  Jack and I took off for the hospital.  Just to be checked out the doctor said.  It was the same hospital where I worked.  He didn't think I was in labor either. Oh well, it sure felt like labor by then! And lo and behold....45min. later our first son was born. We named him Jack after his Dad and Grandfather....Jack the 3rd.  Weighing in at 2lbs..10oz...he was our tiny turkey right before Thanksgiving!  But he was fighter and against all odds..he thrived...and grew up and turned into a wonderful adult.  He turned 39 today...(same age as me..ha!)

He was a quiet, sweet little boy.  Smart as all get out and athletic too.  He has amazing blue eyes..like his Dad! Blond hair...like his Dad! I thought for sure all my kids would have dark hair and eyes...like their Mom!  He always gets to share his birthday with Thanksgiving....some years it's on the same day.  He's a wonderful dad and we love those Grandkiddos!  Happy Birthday Jackie! (only I call him that!) We love you!

He's just one of the many things we have to be thankful for!

Pumpkins and Ed...Totally Unrelated Post

I have a Halloween decoration that's a spider...it's made out of wrought iron and you put a pumpkin on it and it looks like a spider...or a pumpkin with eight legs..whatever. Anyway, I always put a scary face on the pumpkin, but after Halloween is over I turn it around so you can't see the face and leave it until Thanksgiving.  Hey, I'm thrifty...so sue me.  This morning I was coming downstairs and looked out the window that's on the side of the front door.  I saw this number:

Ha! You can't see this from the front but it looks like this guy is really, really mad...first off he used to be a white pumpkin but has turned orange and also he's very frost bit because it was a zillion degrees below normal this past week.  You can also see the snow  that hadn't melted yet this morning.  All in all, I think this guy has a right to look mad.  I hate to tell him this, but in a few days...on Thanksgiving...we have a pumpkin shoot out with bows and arrows.  We use the pumpkins left over from our Fall decorating and shoot the snot out of them and then toss them in the creek for the deer or any other critters to munch on.  It's tough being a pumpkin at the Pines. On another note, Eddy came for a visit last week and Jack and I took him for a trot in the Creepy Woods.

Yes Eddy, we're coming right behind you.  Always on the look out for anything out of the ordinary he first looks right:

Then left:

Then he declares it OK:

So off we go for a walk to his favorite haunts...then he heads for home:

Come on folks....the sun is setting....my feet are cold...yes, we all lead exciting lives here at Whispering Pines. Glad you could join us!

S. N. O. W

S---SOME
N--NASTY
O--OLD
W--WOMAN (MOTHER NATURE)

Sent this snow storm our way.  It's the first real snow of our season.  Yes, it's pretty.  I'm not complaining (too much).  I thought I would blog this because then I can look back next year and know when the first real snow of our season attacked  fell.

This was the scene early this morning....dark o'clock.  It's our crab apple tree. I think I was more "crabby" than it was.

Poor, pathetic scarecrow crow.

The view from one of the few windows in the surgery department...right over the dumpsters. Oh well, you atleast can see the trees!

When I pulled into our driveway this afternoon,  I had to laugh at this scarecrow...the wind was blowing and it looks like he's crossing his legs because he has to pee! Ha! Somewhere in front of the sign there's a few more pumpkins....under the snow!

Same crab apple tree as this morning, only a little blue sky and sun makes me not so "crabby"! 

Winter Is Stepping On Fall's Toes

Saturday was filled with the usual doings.  Chores, errands, laundry...you get the picture.  But we heard a nasty rumor that snow might be heading our way. (Winter is always trying to butt in!) We still had outdoor things that needed done.  Furniture that needed stored...snowblower that needed fired up...wood burner that needed a jump start.  It was cold but sunny yesterday and we got the jobs done.  We also were watching Addy and Lexi for Phil, so Jack thought a trip to the Creepy Woods was in store....not that we were trying to wear them out or anything....not us!

I was lagging a bit behind but soon caught up.  Good thing I had a walking stick as I hobbled with  my bad knees!

The dynamic duo were a bit taken back when we told them they had to rake all the leaves in the woods into the creek.  I should have snapped a pic of those faces! I told them they were off the hook because I left the rake back at the house.  Hey, if you can't pick on your Grandkiddos, who can you pick on?

We headed back down to the house as the sun was setting. If you look close you might see the smoke from the chimney as our wood burner was humming along and keeping it nice and toasty in the house.

Tonight the snow was coming down and starting to cover the hidden deck furniture.  We'll see by the morning if we get those predicted 3-5in.

I made a cup of cocoa and headed up to post this....ahhh... On a completely different note, my Sister sent some more pics of my Dad I didn't have.  They were from WWII...I know it's no longer Veteran's day but I'm going to share these anyway.

A rare shot of Dad without a smile.

That's more like it! I have more but I'm saving them for another day.  Time to finish off the cocoa and get ready for Monday and work...the weekend sure goes fast!

First Thanks of November

I always think of November as my quiet month.  A lull before the crazy busy month of December.  And I'm all for that!  However, it's also a month of thanks.....like today.  It's the first thanks of this month. A big "Thank You!" to our Veterans.  Thank you for serving our country. Thank you for putting your life on the line. Thank you for giving up time with your family to protect our freedoms.  We have the opportunity to think quite a bit about  being thankful this month.  We take a special day at the end of the month to celebrate it....although the media would have you believe it's just a pit stop to fuel up with turkey for some big shopping sprees!  So today I hope you took the time to say thanks to anybody you know who has served our country.  A few weeks ago I was sitting in a doctor's office filling out papers, not really paying any attention to those sitting around me.  That is until a young man approached the couple sitting across from me.  The teenager quietly apologized for "bothering" the gentleman sitting there with his wife.  He said "Sir, I just want to thank you for serving our country".  He then shook the man's hand and turned and left.  I hadn't noticed that the older man had a hat on that said he was a Vietnam Veteran.  I was so moved by this younger boy who took the time to do that.  Something I hadn't even thought of doing since I wasn't paying any attention....bad me!  But I was so happy I witnessed the sweet tribute given.  I hope we can be as attentive and not shy about approaching those who have, or are, serving our country.   Thank you from my family....Thanks to my own family members who served.  My sweet Dad and my wonderful brothers.

I don't have any service pics of my brothers, but I have a few of Dad.  So proud of you guys!  I think my friend "Maxine" says it all:

You can say that again! I salute you all!

Luna-tic!

Full moon last night as seen through our trees out back....Jack is so right...I should have used my tripod! (sorry for the blur!)  It was an amazing sky and moon. My camera doesn't do too great at moon shots but the clouds in the next pics were sort of interesting:

Hello moon!

Want to know the craziest thing? The thing that brought out the "luna-tic" in me? These were all taken around 6pm!  Hello darkness my old friend...the time has changed once again.

Fall Back

This past weekend we had the fun opportunity to "fall back".   Not every state in our great country does this irritating ritual.  Yes, I said irritating.  I know, I know...but YaYa, we get an extra hour of sleep.  Huh? Really? I woke up at the same time on Sunday which turned out to be too early but I can't go back to sleep so I stay up and then take an hour (or 2) nap in the afternoon....which makes it hard to get to sleep in the evening so I stay up and now it's 11:00pm and my brain says it's midnight but I still can't sleep so I'm up forever until it's time to get up on Monday and now I'm tired because I'm missing that stinkin' extra hour of sleep...and that has to be the longest sentence in history!  See what I mean about irritating?  What else is irritating about this time change shananagans? Well, all the clocks have to be turned back so we can have that lovely extra hour.  I shouldn't complain because Jack actually does all the clock changing.  Except for one...my car.  Now I've had that car for 13yrs.  Yes, it's old but it runs and of course it's paid for! Anyway, I've changed the clock twice a year for 13yrs. You would think I could manage that without looking in the owner's manual wouldn't you? Well, guess what...I can't.  I also forget to do it for a few days and every time I look at the clock I get panicked because I think I'm late.  But then I remember I haven't changed the stupid clock so I have an extra hour. Ha! Today I thought I was smart enough to do the change without digging the manual out of the glove compartment.  Of course it didn't work right and I finally had to admit I'm car clock challenged and looked it up.  Now I'm on time.  Great.  Now let me tell you about work.  Some of the clocks changed on their own. I called them "anatomical" clocks.  Yeah I know,  that's not the right term.  On Monday my work buddy Kim comes in to give me a morning 15min. break.  Or so I thought.  Here's our conversation: "Hey Kimmy, you giving me a break?"  Kim: "No I'm giving you lunch". Me: "But it's only 10:30".  Kim: "No, it's 11:30".  Me: "No, it's 10:30....(I'm now pointing at the clock)" Kim: "Huh?...The clock at the scrub sink says 11:30. Remember, we have a time change" Me: "Yeah, but we go back in time...oh never mind, I'm going on break".  We were leaving work today and waiting for elevator when I noticed a bunch of clocks on the window sill.  I asked why they were all sitting there.  The answer: "Oh, we have to put them in the sun to get them to change back an hour."  Blink, blink.   I'm thinking I might need to sit in the sun for a bit so my body clock will jump back an hour.  Maybe if I sit in the sun long enough I can go back about 20yrs.....great, I'll have to change my car clock again...forget it.