What a start to my day .. I got out of bed thinking Madonna had told me we would be leaving around 10:30 for Illinois and Cris's house. After getting my pot of Hazelnut Decaf going I sat down in front of my computer and started pecking on the keyboard .. I had gotten up at 6:00 soooooo I had all the time in the world, right?? I hadn't even combed my hair yet .. just couldn't wait to sit down and check things out on the computer and wish everybody a Happy Thanksgiving!!
About an hour later I was still sitting there pecking away on my keyboard and sipping my Decaf and my phone rang .. it was Madonna! She said "we'll be there in about a half hour Mom .. I forgot we were supposed to pick you up and we're almost to Arnold"!! YIKES!!! I was shocked of course because it was only 7:00 .. and hurt because they had forgotten me .. how can you forget your Mother??? But then I heard a little chuckle just before she said "It's been so long since you've went any place with us it totally left my mind" so I kinda' thought she just might be pulling my leg!! My response was "Well that's good because I thought we weren't leaving until 10:30 and I'm not even dressed yet .. this will give me time to get dressed"!! She laughed and said "we're really sitting over here in the driveway Mom .. I was just kidding"!! I quickly told her I WASN'T kidding .. I had not gotten dressed yet so give me a few minutes!! Needless to say .. I made a mad dash for the bathroom and the bedroom .. combed my hair .. put on my face .. threw on my clothes (it's a good thing I had decided the night before what I was going to wear) .. and before I knew it .. tap tap tap on the front door .. there was my ride!! As I said earlier .. what a way to start the day .. LOL!!
This is the first time we've all gone some place together since Mike and Madonna got their new vehicle. I can't remember now what the name of it is but it's smaller than the Traverse .. and doesn't have that extra seat in back. It's got bucket seats in the front and ONE bench seat in the back .. and we had FIVE people. Ah Oh .. we let the guys have the two front seats and Madonna, Lindsay and I shared the back seat .. not a BIG problem .. except when you got three people back there and you're trying to get those seat belts buckled .. hmmmmmm .. pretty crowded. And poor Madonna she was good enough to sit in the middle and she had a hump under her feet and no backrest. I'm sure it was a verrrrrryyy long ride for her!! But we made it .. all in one piece .. we were even still laughing when we got there. We did a bit of squabbling over radio stations .. Derrick and Mike wanted the "stupid" stuff and Madonna and I wanted Country .. Lindsay was the smart one .. she brought her MP3 player along!! I must remember that next time!!
It sure was nice to pull into Cris and Jack's driveway .. and even nicer to walk in the front door .. Thanksgiving smells .. uuuummmmmmm!! Nothing like that smell!!
This is Cris's hat collection .. it's the first thing you see when you walk in the door .. and this isn't all of them!! She has a terrific collection and has them hanging throughout the house. She even wears hats .. and looks so neat in them!! I should have gotten a picture of her in one .. where was my brain?????
This was right inside the door too .. I love those two quotations .. and this is such a great way to display them!!
FUN IN THE KITCHEN ..
Madonna peeling Potatoes .. I'm not sure what Jack's doing!
I think I must be supervising .. LOL!!
Cris is going to shoot me for posting this pic but I thought she looked so cute with her glasses down on her nose!!!
Jack's working on the Dressing .. made from scratch Dressing!! I always just made Stove Top Stuffing .. LOL!!
Madonna was laughing because Cris had used at least one stick of real butter in almost everything she fixed .. but when she was getting ready to mix the Fluff topping to put on the Angel Food Cake she was stirring in a box of SUGARFREE Cheesecake Pudding .. LOL!! Cris will probably never hear the end of that one!!
And what were the others doing while WE were slaving over a hot stove in the kitchen?????
Mike and Lindsay were playing on the computer ..
Tyler and Derrick were in the TV room doing their own thing ..
Ethan was in his room .. SLEEPING!!!
And Obie was really really waiting and hoping SOMEBODY would drop a piece of something .. it all smelled soooooo good!! Poor Obie!!
Ready at last .. Derrick, Tyler and his girlfriend, Natalie, are first in line!! Watching the "youngsters" fill their plates was reminscent of the days when we let all the little kids go first in line to get their food .. they're not little any more but they still get to go first .. LOL!!
Let me see .. left to right .. Dark Turkey .. Oyster Dressing .. Sweet Potatoes Grandma Carpenter style behind that .. Cheesy Carrots .. Dressing without Oyesters behind the Carrots .. big plate of White Turkey behind that .. Sweet Potato Pecan casserole beside the Carrots .. Pan of Green Beans behind .. Ham .. pan of Mashed Potatoes behind that .. Noodles beside the Potatoes .. Hot Rolls way at the other end of the cabinet .. they didn't get in the picture!! Think that will be enough food?????
Anybody ready for dessert?????? Whoops .. where's the Pumpkin Roll????
Ahhhhh here it is!!
Hmmmm .. the desserts .. Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Peanut Butter Icing .. Rum Cake .. Pumpkin Roll .. Rocky Road Fudge Brownies .. Confetti Angelfood Cake .. Bowl of "Fluff" to put on top .. Pumpkin Pie .. Cool Whip .. Chocolate Pecan Pie .. Pineapple Pretzel Crunch .. Cranberry Quick Bread. Hmmm .. and she used Sugarfree Pudding in that "Fluff" .. LOL!! We chuckled about that fairly often throughout the day!!
On the way over Madonna and Derrick got in a debate about whether the puppets on Sesame Street were Muppets .. I think that was the jist of the debate anyway .. LOL!! The debate started again once we got to Cris's and Jack, Tyler and Ethan even got in on it .. the females all were in agreement with Madonna that they ARE Muppets because they are also created by Jim Henson .. the males all thought differently .. of course!! Lindsay is searching on Madonna's Netbook to PROVE that the females are RIGHT .. Derrick is sitting there watching because he just knows she is going to be proven WRONG!! If I remember correctly the females WERE proven to be RIGHT!!!
Whoops .. Bill and Joan are talking about heading home .. time for pictures ..
The girls and their Dad
I tried to get Joan to get in the picture with them but she thought it should just be Bill and the girls .. little did she know she would be in the picture after all .. in the mirror .. LOL!!
Bill and Joan .. the photographer (who shall remain nameless) had told them to "act like you like each other" .. and they found that funny .. Hmmmmm!!
Cris has a lot of neat things in her house .. this is one of my favorite things in her kitchen .. this teapot and sugar bowl belonged to Grandma Carpenter .. I'm not sure what you call it .. Hoboware / Clownware .. something like that. The story goes that Bill ( my kids' Dad) won it for her at the Martinsville Fair when he was just a kid. Seems like it has a longer story than that .. we need to find out the whole story!!
Just a few of my favorite things!!
The girls and Mom ..
Time to hit the road .. one last picture .. more moans and groans .. you'd think they'd be used to the picture taking thing by now .. LOL!!
This pretty well says it all ..
FAMILIES ARE LIKE QUILTS,
LIVES PIECED TOGETHER,
STITCHED WITH SMILES AND TEARS,
COLORED WITH MEMORIES,
AND BOUND BY LOVE!
