I'm Such a Failure!

Tonight was the big event. We've been waiting and planning and working and tonight was the night! I had my camera fully charged - ready, in my hand. I'd tested it out, figured out how to use the video. And...da da da da for some reason I got a video of everyone but Taylore. How that happened I can't even begin to figure out. I'm going back to the drawing board and to the play - tomorrow at 2:00.

Then, I offered to make some pumpkin bread for a friend who is in over her head, totally stressed, etc. The first batch that I started was at 11:00 p.m. and I just took it out of the oven, tried to take it out of the bundt pan and voila! half of it stuck to the pan. I have NO more time. I'm making one more batch right now - it is 12:00 midnight, and then I'm going to call it a night.

I've rented a car to take Tay to school and make one more trip to Costco tomorrow while I'm there. I'm trying this time with just me and 'Tom Tom.'

Andrea's B-day is on Sunday and we are having people over for dinner. What was I thinking - I think I am in over my head, stressed, etc. Who can make this D##$ pumpkin bread?

BTW I did get a picture of the scenery of the play - will that do for now???

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM, CAROLE, AND GRANDMA!

Happy Birthday Mom! Thanks for being such a great mom, friend, listener (Meg's blog), example, and great person. We are thinking of you today. I loved what Meghan said and it really hit home. I remember all the times I've called you from wherever I was and you would listen to me. I can and do talk to you about everything (except politics!) Have a wonderful day - do something you may not usually do. Why not! That restaurant is just waiting for you up in Midway and you could try EVERYTHING! We love and miss you.

Stay Home!

Today I'm going to stay home - NO. MATTER. WHAT. I have to pull out all the Christmas paraphernalia and put it up TODAY. Some of my favorite things that I've collected both here and in Germany are residing in this house so I get to use it this year. I love the advent calendars - but they need to be up by Saturday. So today I'll stay home. I was going to do it yesterday but then a friend called... We went to ASDA (which is WalMart in US speak) and I picked up several poinsettia plants for 1.87 (pounds) which is a bargain! I was so excited. So I have the decorations, I have the plants, I have all the stuff to bake - I just need to STAY HOME and do it. Today is the day... Posting pictures later.

One More Time and I'm DONE!

I had to make a turkey - my own turkey with that incredible gravy that only comes with a REAL turkey. So I did! The gravy was marvelous and now I'm DONE. I'm full of turkey and everything that goes with it and I don't want to see another one for at least 3 months. We'll have to have something else for Christmas.

Our guests left this morning at 9:00 am and we are going to miss them. Although 2 of them will be back in 2 weeks on their way home from Syria. Until then...

We put up our puny little tree and it looks great considering it is a puny little thing. But it does have to fit it a puny little space so it all works out. Andrea put on most of the decor and tomorrow I will try to find time to get out the rest of the December fancifoo!

Tay's play is on Friday. She's going to be a riot. Check out her blog - I sent you the address. I'll get some pictures. Maybe I need a video camera???

Andrea's b-ball career starts up again this week. She is excited and ready to go. That's us in a nutshell this week.

Thanksgiving at the BBQ Joint

This was the group - a reunion of Floridians at the BBQ joint in the middle of London for a down home Thanksgiving Dinner. This was a site unseen endeavor. Having only heard of this place from my Seminary students and the fact that it was the cheapest (19 pounds = 45 dollars) place around so we decided to take a chance.



Taylore is perfecting her drawing at the end of the table.



Mother and son enjoying the day.



Meghan - check out this haircut on Scott. I did it! Actually it was probably a combined effort by Deon and I.




The L o o o o o n g View.



This was ALMOST the funniest thing of the day. I'm trying to help you understand the size of our Thanksgiving plates by putting it next to a regular sized piece of paper. Now that was just shocking. We usually get out our BIGGEST plates for this day.



Here's Curtis in his awesome cowboy hat picking the turkey out of his teeth.



We are on our way to the theatre - the boys are taking a little snooze so they can stay awake!



After the theatre Jack got a chance to save a comotose drunk on the bus. That meant that we didn't get home until 12;30 or so. It's a long story. But when he was talking to the hospital he said, "he is arousable and responds to stimuli," a man yelled from the bus, "I hope arousable means something different in your language..." Well it was funny at the time.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

If there is righteousness in the heart, there will be beauty in the character. If there is beauty in the character, there will be harmony in the home. If there is harmony in the home, there will be order in the nation. If there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world. So let it be. -Scottish Blessing

Wishing you all the very best this Thanksgiving Day and wherever you are and whatever you are doing, stop for a moment and be Thankful. We love you!

Jeff and His Meetings

Jeff and his meetings. They are often and productive. He makes a difference. We LOVE him!

Thanksgiving Week

We have a family of 7 coming to stay with us this week to help us celebrate our American roots! I will post pictures this week as time permits. We are going to a play or two, Canterbury, and are making a trip to Birmingham which boasts the best "German Christmas Market" outside of Germany. Because there are so many of us this year for Thanksgiving (there is another family here from Florida also) we are going to a restaurant for dinner on Thursday afternoon. Jeff kind of bawked at this idea but I promised him is own little turkey for leftovers. I really miss having room for big get togethers. But we'll make do! I better go change those sheets!

How'd you do that...?

I just came across these photos on my computer. I think it is safe to say that Photo Booth is the favorite program on my computer for the 'kids.'

Can you pick out who is who?

It's Here

It's been working its way in for about a week now. I've been feeling a little niggle in my throat, stuffy nose, kind of punked out - you know what I'm talking about - well its full blown and here for the holidays. I HAVE A COLD. No big deal, I know. Everyone gets them every now and then (although it has been a few years for me) but have you ever noticed that it's right at the most inconvenient time. Now I realize there is never a convenient time to be sick. But if it would have happened 2 or 3 weeks ago, I could have just curled up in a blanket by the fire with a hot honey lemon juice and relaxed until I was feeling better. But OH NO, I have to get sick the day before 7 guests are arriving on my doorstep and Thanksgiving is just around the corner. In all honesty, this is my normal M.O. I remember in my college days I would go through the whole semester including those hideous all-nighters at the end there and be just fine. But, once I was done and on my way for a little R & R, inevitably, without fail, and quite frustratingly, I would get sick. Getting better just in time for the next semester to start and repeating the whole process over again. I know there is a medical rationale just looming around the corner for this phenomenon but that doesn't mean it's not going to happen. If you want to see a picture of how I feel just check out the hideous picture on Julia's blog - that will give you some idea. Having said all that as the Thanksgiving Season is upon us I would like to let you all know how grateful I am to have a fantastic family and wonderful friends. It is really what makes a good life good. Wishing you all the best this Thanksgiving Season and hope that wherever you are and whatever you are doing you will be safe and happy and full of gratefulness for the blessings in your lives.

Christmas Music

I'm going to officially start listening to Christmas music today. I love Christmas music and it's the one thing that I don't feel like we hurry about the Christmas season. Decorations - too early, Christmas trees up in November - too early, Santa in November - too early (he's at Harrods now - and you can make an appointment to see him. Don't even think you can just show up and see him, it'll never happen.) But is it ever too early for Christmas music? When do the holiday sounds start appearing around your home?

Soccer Jamboreela and the Halloween Hauntress

Promised pictures of last weekend:




Tay was a little scary looking. She went to the party in a taxi but came home on the tube. She didn't hardly even cause a stir on the tube which gives you a good idea of what's lurking underground around here on Saturday nights. Hahahaha!




Andrea is getting ready to rock!




She played 4 games and the scores were: 0/0; 1/0; 0/0; 0/0; I think. They were not high scoring games that day. Andrea's team won one and tied the rest.




An ACTION shot?







THE TEAM in all their glory. Congratulations guys for a great year!

ANOTHER BIG BIRTHDAY MONTH

Happy, happy 50th birthday to Lynnie and Frank! And to the rest of us birthday kids: Mom, Roselyn, Eliza, Trish, Krista and me - Happy Birthday to us too!

Ahhhh, it's Monday

It has been a crazy weekend. I will post pictures soon of some of the following events - as soon as I can find my camera and cord. Yes, the house is that messy.

Friday, was relatively calm - downright boring in fact. Jeff worked late and G & G went to see Fiddler on the Roof. I just hung out at the house reading blogs all night.

Saturday was another story. Up early! We rented a car to go to Andrea's Soccer Jamboree. The last big hurrah for the year. They played about 4 games in 5 hours. But - the big issue was, of course, getting there. I was driving, Jeff was guiding, we had two grandparents in the backseat and one soccer player. It was a SMALL car. We started out fairly well - but it was stressful. This isn't the worse city that I've ever driven in - but neither is it the easiest. There are those little details like driving on the left side of the road, roundabouts and manual shift that can put me in 'sweat city' without much warning.

I'd threatened Jeff earlier in the week when he mentioned he just might 'meet us up there' with the possibility of buying a little Tom Tom to help me get there. Spending money is usually a good threat! He decided to come with us and be the guide along the way. Interestingly enough, he was sweating a little himself by the time we finally found our way to the park. On the way home we stopped in at Costco - we were close anyway and guess what JEFF bought! That's right, his own little Tom Tom! Funny thing was, it took us 15 minutes to get to Costco with Jeff guiding us and about 45 minutes to get back to the park with Tom Tom! BUT, we weren't sweating!

We got the car back just in time and we raced home to get Taylore off to her costume party. She looked GOOD! I think I have a picture -

Seminary kids came over for a little extra credit activity - watching Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Picked Tay up and finally got into bed very late that night. We were all bushed.

Sunday, go to church. Come home and everyone is starving. Hadn't really thought about what to have for dinner so we really had to dig around the house for something to eat. At 6:00 the girls had a YW in Excellence program that we were supposed to go to and we had another 'Why I Believe' fireside scheduled right after that at 7:30. Craig Jessop, the director of the Mormon Tab Choir was the speaker for the evening. We knew they were going to be out of town but we had kind of expected to see them at church that morning. They weren't there. Then we tried to get hold of them later on in the day. Still couldn't track them down. Now we're getting just a little nervous. At 7:30 we have 300 people coming to see Craig Jessop - and we still haven't talked to him. Jeff starts working on a little presentation but is hopefully optimistic that Craig will show up. In the nick of time we hear from them - they're HERE! He did a great job and told some wondeful stories about the Tab Choir.

Got home around 9:30 and still had my lesson to prepare for Seminary in the morning. Finished putting on the final touches of that around 12:30 and hopped into bed. Up again, 5:00 am. Today should be a calmer day - I HOPE!