Happy Thanksgiving!

Tomorrow is Turkey Day... the great American holiday of Thanksgiving.
*
Our little family will be heading over the river and thru the woods (or, 2 blocks east and 1 block south) to my folks' house. Mom & Dad usually host Thanksgiving... which, in and of itself, is something I am thankful for.
*

Mom will fuss and go "all out", setting a beautiful table with her gorgeous china. The stemware will sparkle. The smells from the kitchen will be incredible. And when the call comes to be seated, there will be a Norman Rockwell moment with The Presentation Of The Turkey.
*
I think one of the reasons that Mom insists on hosting Thanksgiving is because I am lazy. When I've held the holiday at my house, the main course comes out of the crock pot. Seriously. I buy the little boneless turkeys and plunk them (along with their gravy packet contents) into ye ole crock pot. Several hours later, the taste is the same... we just don't have "The Look." You know... like the picture above. I am the Queen of the Crock Pot, and can make almost anything in said appliance.
*
Mom assures me that it's not my use of a crock pot that is behind the invite to their house. This year, I am told, it is because Mom's friend in the UK wants to see some pictures of An American Thanksgiving. So Mom wants to go "all out" with the meal, in order to send photos across the pond to her friend. I'm even in charge of the green bean casserole (something we generally do NOT have at our family holidays, but we are having it this year).
*
I almost.... ALMOST... fell for her story. Then I said, "Why can't your friend Goggle it? It's not like the British have never seen a cooked turkey."
*
Yeah......... I think it is the crock pot thing.
*
Oh well. I am thankful for family and holidays that allow us to gather and celebrate. My crock pot is thankful for the day off.
*
What are you thankful for?

A Little Inspiration and a Lotta Excitement

*
*
Look what fun things came in the mail! These are my prizes for winning the latest Friendly Plastic Design Challenge back in October!
*
The package came from Jana Ewy. It included several strips of beautiful Friendly Plastic, just wiating to be turned into something fabulous. And it also contained one of her Lucky Nickel necklaces! Soooooooooo pretty!
*
And just the mental boost I needed after what has been two weeks of battling sick bugs of one sort or another. I was informed by Hubby yesterday that I'm probably no longer "spewing germs", so would I be interested in going out for dinner... the first in weeks, due to feeling sick? Yes, please! And when we checked the mail after dinner, the package had arrived.
*
Thank you so much, Jana! You are sweet to send these thing, especially something handmade by you. Not to mention, it was just the shot of inspiration I need to get back on my feet and get going with life again. It will be much enjoyed!
*
Thank you!
*
Now on to read the Friendly Plastic Blog and get all sorts of great ideas to try!

Oink

I know. I really do. And I apologize.
*
Last week I was dealing with this:

*
*
*
This week I'm dealing with this:

*
In case you are scratching your head and wondering "what the heck is that?" ... It's a funny pic I got when I googled "swine flu". The caption said something about "how swine flu started".
*
My cold turned into H1N1. And if I thot I was under the weather before, I didn't know what I was talking about.
*
One of these days, I will get back on track. Until then, I've got drugs and "a license to laze abed"... which would be fabulous if it was what I wanted to do vs. all I can handle at the moment.
*
Sympathy chocolate always accepted!

I'm Snot In A Panic

*
I know. I apologize. I've been gone from cyberspace for a few days. Most of my time has been spent blowing my nose, or coughing until my sides hurt, or otherwise laying in bed, moaning. Seems I have a doozey of a head cold.

*
Lest you think, tho, that the moaning is because I am a wimp and cannot handle snot, the answer is no. I am moaning because I have a 1 day craft show this Saturday, and a "to-do" list longer than I am tall for this week before the show... yet I'm spending a lotta time NOT working on that list, but working on clearing my head instead. Kind'uv panicked here.....
*
In reality, I'm not holding my breath abut the outcome of the show. Not because the good folks at the high school are ill-prepared. No. They DO seem to be quite on top of everything. I've been quite impressed with their organizational skills.
*
But rather because we might be in for an Indian Summer type of weekend, after having 4 measurable snows thus far this year (one being quite significant). Further complicated by a college football game in town this weekend against a major rivalry, that usually sells out because it's that popular. ........ There's some writing on the wall here that I'm pretending I cannot read.
*
Well, I can only do my best. I'll try to remember to take some pics of the set-up and show you that.
*
In the meantime, pass me a tissue, please...

Our Personal Pumpkin Patch

Oh the craziness at our house yesterday....
*
(All pics should go bigger if clicked)
*
*
*

*
It's kind'uv a long story.
*
Hubby is a computer geek. Hubby, several years ago, decided we needed to buy the technology ($$$$$$$) that allows a homeowner to control their outdoor Christmas lights, so that they can be set to blink to music. It's actually a very complicated and EXTREMELY tedious process to make it happen, but we have the ability to do so. Therefore, the outdoor lights at our house each year become a really big deal to Hubby. They say everyone needs a hobby...
*
So, anyway, a few years ago, Hubby got the brilliant idea to use that same technology to control lights blinking inside fake pumpkins for Halloween. (They're actually fairly easy to carve with a heat tool, and they can be kept from year to year.) What started as a plan to have 8 blinking pumpkins is now up to about 70 blinking pumpkins, with the ability to have hundreds more .... except that we don't have space to store hundreds more pumpkins. Which is a blessing, in my eyes.
*
Last year, when we had approximately 50 pumpkins out on our yard, blinking to such songs a "Monster Mash" and "Flying Purple People Eater", everyone (and I do mean EVERYONE) who came to our house made comments. Hubby was eating it up. Everyone from the littlest angels, to the jr high boys (which, as we all know, are hard to impress), to the high schoolers with pillowcases, to the parents who were accompanying the younger kids. They ALL made comments about the pumpkins out on the yard.
*
This past Christmas, my dad gave Hubby the additional 20-ish pumpkins that we have this year. (Dad, being the savvy shopper, went out and bought pumpkins on clearance and saved them for a Christmas gift. Indeed they were well received and were all carved for this year.) So now we're near 70 pumpkins.
*
(This is getting long, isn't it? Sorry........)
*
Yesterday (Tuesday), someone who shall remain nameless (coughdadcough) decided to call the local newspaper and tell them about this fantastic pumpkin display he knew about. The newspaper decided it would be a fun story to run. The newspaper called Hubby to see if they could do an interview and take some pics on Friday, to run in the Saturday paper.
*
But............. here's the thing. The weatherman says we're due for a doozey of a snowstorm. Starting today. Ending Thursday night. Suddenly the newspaper reporter wants to know if they can do the story yesterday instead. The first thot in my head? "MY HOUSE IS NOT CLEAN!"
*
Oh, and the photographer who will come cannot come until after 7pm. It's dark out by then. Therefore, it doesn't make sense to take pics outside. So, the pumpkins were all stacked up in the family room instead. AFTER dusting, vacuuming, rug shaking, and so forth was done. Hubby came home early from work to help. We even got Dad to leave work early to come help. (Yes, Dad, you DID get us into this...)
*
And in the middle of everything, I also had to run to the store. We were OUT of cat food. I can live thru a snowstorm without bread or milk, but there might be feline mutiny if we don't have cat food. So I battled a mobbed grocery store to get a few things, then rushed home to keep going.
*
Below: Here's the pumpkins, all piled up. In the very neat & clean family room. Oooh Aaah Oooh Aaah....

*
By the time the reporter came for the interview, the 1st floor of my house was clean, the pumpkins were out and ready, the Hubby was changed into presentable clothes, and I was stretched out on the bed thinking, "This is crazy..." (Pumpkins are Hubby's thing. Not mine. I don't need to be around for the reporter. Besides, I was desperately trying to calm down from a case of "Pumpkin Patch Mood".)
*
The reporter stayed a bit, then left. A bit later, the photographer showed up and did his thing, then left.
*
Dear Googly Moogly. When I got up yesterday morning, I never guessed that was how our day would go. The first clue was when I looked outside and saw this:

*
"...red in the morning, Sailors take warning..."
*
It had a funny glow to sunrise. Which then had me looking at the weather online. Which surprised me to see we were in for this snowstorm.
*
And then it went from there.
*
ANYWHO........... I thot you might like to see the pic of the pumpkins. That is creativity, too, you know. Hubby is pretty proud of them. I am pretty proud of the clean house.
*
:-)

*
10/30 Update:
http://www.gazette.com/entertainment/pumpkin-64610-jack-alight.html