what a weekend

Okay, it's Sunday and I'm exhausted.  We hosted Thanksgiving at our house and it was very nice.  Everyone chips in and brings a little something and that makes it so much easier and takes a lot of the pressure off the hostess.  Mom made the turkey and that was a huge help too!  I love a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, it's my favorite meal of the year!  So to the family members that read my blog:  You are all excellent cooks and it was a fantastic day with all of you!  And Jill you will have to get me the recipe for Brad's favorite sweet potato casserole that you make. 

My sister Rachele and her girls stayed with us on Wednesday night and Rachele was a huge help on Thursday.  So a big thanks to you!  Plus, those mustache tattoos went over very well!  And I am not sure what happened to the movie marathon, but maybe next time.

My sisters all packed up Thursday night to get their "shop" on, I can't do this (sorry ladies) the crowds are not worth the couple of bucks you save in my opinion.  I worked retail for a very long time and it's not my thing.  But from what I understand they scored some good deals.  I still need to finish my shopping, but I'll do it a little at a time...there's still 5 weeks to Christmas right?  Actually the hubby and I went to Target on Saturday and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

As I look back at my list of things to get done for the week, I realized that the drumline concert was not last Tuesday, but this coming Tuesday so we are still looking forward to that.  We have marked off Thanksgiving and the 4-0 birthday party.  It was fun to have everyone over and visit with people we haven't seen in a while...plans have been made for lunch and a vacation for next year, I'll keep you updated.  I am just not very good at taking the camera around and getting pictures of everyone, so I may have to steal a couple from Facebook.

Our family also went to see the Twilight Breaking Dawn part 2.  The kids and I saw it on Sunday because I didn't want anyone to ruin the "surprise twist ending" that I keep hearing about.  But the hubby was working so we went again to see it in Olathe on Friday and had dinner at the Texas Roadhouse (yummy rolls!!!)

Nutcracker is now 2 weekends away and this week is our last "normal" week before we get into the thick of it.  Starting Saturday we will have 9 straight days of crazy until the production is over.  Luckily I have a couple of days vacation to keep myself sane.  But we will have a lot of people in to watch our lovely dance so it will be a little hectic too.  Whew, I'm tired just writing about it...or it's recovering form the current weekend...but probably both!

So here's this week's to-do list and hopefully I can get a menu up too!
1. Drumline concert-yes, I promise that it is this Tuesday and that there will be pictures!  Promise!

2. Cleaning-probably something that should have been done before this last weekend, but there are only so many hours in a day! (Smiley face)

3. Christmas Crap (I mean decorations!)-Looks like it will be this coming weekend while the girl is at rehearsals, it's such a chore, but the hubby is a huge help (sometimes too much help!)  And I feel like the fall and Thanksgiving decor should stay up through Black Friday.  We would normally have put the Christmas up on Saturday, but there was a little something else going on!

4. Nutcracker-starting Saturday the 1st, we will let the crazy begin!

Well, I intend to get back on here and post more throughout the week, but you'll forgive me if it doesn't happen as often as it should.

In honor of...

I guess that I really should know my audience better!  Thanks to my little sis Jillie-Bean for the very first comment ever on my blog (Thank you and love you). 

Now this is a test:  What does Jill want or need for Christmas?  Your hubby was easy to purchase for this year, but I am stumped as to what to get for you.  What is the test you say?  It's not really a test, but I am really phishing for another comment on my blog.  (Aha!)

I will try to write more later, but for now I have a headache that I need to try and shake!  Yuck! 

In the thick of it...

So, we are deep in Nutcracker rehearsals and drumline practices, school and Thanksgiving is only 4 days away!  I feel like yesterday was Halloween (Oh wait, that's the last time I posted on the blog.)  Things have been extremely stressful lately-work, family, driving...I haven't been coping very well with it all.  But now it seems that has passed (at least I am hoping!) and on with a better attitude.  Yuck, I will stop with the whiny now.

Last night, Lauren and I went to a middle school production of Peter Panic.  The son of a very dear friend was in the play and the kids did a very good job.  Today, I went to Salina with my Mom and my (favorite and never forgotten) sister Jill (see I did mention you in the blog!).  We went to a craft fair and it was crazy hectic (I am not a crowd girl at all-I don't like people in my personal space) it was fun and we picked up a couple of really cute Christmas decorations.  Oh yeah, yesterday we went to the Junior League of Topeka's Merry Market.  I love this event and try to go every year, I didn't buy anything this year, but it was fun to look.

We have some very big events coming up as alluded to above...
1. Last drumline practice and the performance this Tuesday evening.  Caleb will be starting the Cruzline up again next semester.  He has been playing the snare drum since the 4th grade and his band teacher asked 3 8th grade drummers to help the 6th grade band and Caleb was one of the chosen (Yippee)  But Cruzline is an extracurricular activity and the drum coach is an awesome guy!  I will try for pictures, but will be taking video to post on facebook.

2. Thanksgiving-We are having family over to our house to eat early and then if anyone needs to leave and go on to the next, they can or they can hang with us and have leftovers and I am threatening an Avengers movie marathon.  Obviously pictures will be posted.

3. The hubby's birthday-We have a big birthday this month as my husband turns 40.  We are again having friends and family over for light snacks and cupcakes.  No surprise party-he has been warned!

4. Nutcracker-This is still 3 weekends away, but the weekend before is just as crazy as the week of and finally the weekend of the ballet.  So after December 9th, I will have free time and weekends available again. Whew. At least I have some vacation time to take right then.

5. Then there is always Christmas and all the shopping, baking and getting Christmas cards out...I have started getting a few gifts here and there but I am no where near being completed.  We are hosting Christmas as well.  I know what you are thinking but I really don't mind having everyone over---I actually love it.  I think the part that I love best is that I don't have to travel anywhere! (Yes, I'm lazy!)

So, there you have it, the crazy that is my life.  But I wouldn't change it, and I am very excited for the upcoming events!  I apologize for this crazy mixed up post, but it goes along with my week.