Just a quick post to share what we did this evening!

Yesterday was a good day. Our Thanksgiving was smooth, peaceful and joyful. We brined the turkey for the first time and it was the best I've ever cooked with the least work. And I even finally found the DCWV Christmas Glitter Stack of scrapbooking paper...on sale!...that I've been wanting but that has been sold out! No Black Friday shopping for me. As much as I love to shop and love the hunt for a good bargain (yesterday's blogthing was right on the money!) today is the one day I do not like to shop. It is just not fun. So we are having a relaxing day at home, waiting for Arnel to get home from work (yeah, I know, it stinks) so we can eat leftovers and decorate for Christmas!


The kids keeping busy waiting for dinner....





(Yeah, pretty much everything deteriorates into a wrestling match of some sort eventually at our house.)

And us all ready to eat!






Hope your day was blessed as well!


I will praise God's name in song
and glorify him with thanksgiving.
-Psalm 69:30

You Are a Discount Shopper

You love to get things as cheaply as possible. You live for sales. It's partially because you like to save money, but it's also because you like the thrill of finding a fabulous deal. Of all the types, you tend to shop frequently but rarely by. You keep an eye on prices. Brand names are not that important to you. You know how to have style without collecting designer tags.

What Kind of Shopper Are You?

Snow. Everywhere.

But on the other hand....

What Your Thanksgiving Meal Says About You

When it comes to the holidays, you follow and love the big traditions. You look forward to them every year. You see the holidays as a time to be close to loved ones. It's a good time to reconnect and make memories. You like the more adult aspects of the holidays - parties, cocktails, and having time off from work. During the holidays, you are likely to feel comforted. At your worst, you feel a bit over-indulgent. You consider yourself to be a bit of a purist, and you're proud of it. You tend to spend your holidays sharing and pitching in. You'll do whatever needs to be done.

What Does Your Thanksgiving Meal Say About You?

What Your Cupcake Says About You

At parties, you tend to be a lot of fun. You make everyone just a little bit happier. You have a fair amount of restraint in your life, but you don't go overboard. You let yourself enjoy life. The most important thing in your life is your family. You are dominant, vain, and a bit of a show off. To know you is to worship you.

The Cupcake Test

To know me is to worship me; don't forget that.

In other news, I am making an executive proclomation based on the power bestowed on me by myself, that henceforth all females can eat anything they like on the first day of their monthly visit from "Auntie Flo." This rule stands regardless of any dieting status that may otherwise be in effect.

And one final public service announcement:

You Are the Tree Pose

You are a well grounded, down to earth person. Not much shakes you. You can remain steady through a crisis - and other people lean on you. You have high standards and morals. You easily rise above pettiness. While people sometimes accuse you of being stubborn, you are able to shift focus when you need to.

What Yoga Pose Are You?

The Ultimate Color Test

When you are at peace, you are: Energized and innovative When you are moved to act, you are: Giving and warm When you are inspired, you are: Creative and productive When your life is perfectly balanced, you are: Totally in the moment Your life's purpose is: To find contentment

The Ultimate Color Test

Just sharing a quick Halloween page!

As you may know, I've been (very) slowly losing weight. It has been about a year but I've lost almost thirty pounds. I've come full circle, season-wise, and as you can imagine I'm pretty much OUT of things that fit to wear. So last night I finally had had enough and went shopping for a couple pair of jeans. I went in wearing a size 12 (was pushing 14 when I started losing weight) and left with two pairs of 8s! And, I must say, they are not a close fit at all. So, much better than expected. Now I am excited to finally go spend the Macy's gift card I got LAST Christmas but was waiting until I had lost weight to use.

I also got a pair of sweat pants, a purse on clearance for only $4-something (and I really like it!) AND this SWEET pair of slippers. I'm pretty sure I'm going to wear them as actual shoes.

One last fun thing. I came across this amazingly fun site called Yearbook Yourself, or something like that. Just have to share these photos of Arnel and I as we would have looked had we graduated in 1964 and as we might have looked in 1982, the year we actually did graduate. Enjoy but try not to laugh too hard!

Well, it had to happen sometime. We had snow yesterday evening. Nothing stuck and it is supposed to warm up again later this week, but still, it was there.

And so it begins.

Too cold to play outside much. Lots of active kids cooped up inside. Gives meaning to the phrase 'cabin fever.' But, this too shall pass. And someday it will be spring again!

Finally did Laura's birthday (#14) photo shoot so I thought I'd share a few photos!

I realized I hadn't shared very many pictures here recently and I know that is what some of you are looking for, so here you go!

Arnel and I went to vote about 4 PM today and didn't have to deal with any lines at all, which was a relief. I'd been expecting it to take forever! I was voter #369 in my precinct.

I'm not saying who voted for whom but I will say that Arnel and I cancelled one another out AND that it is not the first time we've done that. Even funnier, this time we both voted opposite of the way we did last time we cancelled one another out. We also cancelled out each other's votes on the issue of legalization of medicinal marijuana. And to further confuse the issue, neither of us voted the way we "should" have based on the presidential candidate we voted for. Obviously our marriage has other strengths such that we do not depend on always seeing 100% eye-to-eye on political matters.

Mostly I am so glad that it is finally over with due to the polital ads, mudslinging, etc. that I don't much care WHO wins at this point.

There Are 1 Gaps in Your Knowledge

Where you have gaps in your knowledge: Science Where you don't have gaps in your knowledge: Philosophy Religion Economics Literature History Art

Do You Have Gaps in Your Knowledge?

So, this afternoon I took Julia to the doctor. Turns out that the smaller bone in her left shin is broken.

From an injury she received playing soccer.

On Sunday.

Sunday, October 12th.

You know, the one three WEEKS ago.

Yes, I've been letting my precious daughter walk around on a broken leg for over three weeks.

In my defense, the girl has a freakishly-high pain tolerance. (As should be obvious at this point.) But still.

Yeah, I'm expecting my Mother of the Year Award any day.

You Should Live in a Blue State

Your preferences are 70% Blue, 30% Red You may not vote Democrat, but you feel comfortable around people who do. You tend to do best in bluer states - like California or New York. You fit in with an educated, urban, progressive crowd.

Should You Live in a Red State or a Blue State?

Minnie Mouse and a Clone Trooper
A baby and a gorilla/clown?

Lena and the rest of the girls from Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants