T on T is Me!

I submitted this week's 10 questions to Mrs. Roots and Rings...
And now I'm famous.

Well. In my own mind.

So here are the questions....
(Can you tell what's on my mind?)

1. What are your plans for the holidays? Do you travel at Thanksgiving? If you celebrate Christmas, do you travel then, too?
We travel entirely too much. For Thanksgiving, we'll head to AL for 2 days; then we'll drive to SC for 2 days. Then before Christmas, we'll drive to FL for a few days. We will be at our house on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and then we'll hit the road again after Christmas... back to SC.
Makes me tired just thinking about it.

2. How do you make the plans for the holiday? If you have a significant other, how do you decide which family to visit?
We split up the time, and see both families every year. We actually split the time pretty much down to the hour. And ever since the boy was born, we've made a point to be home on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

3. Do you have your Thanksgiving meal at lunch or later in the day?
Lunch.

4. Do you have a favorite Thanksgiving tradition?
Eating.

5. After a big meal do you lounge around or get up and take a walk?
I like to lounge around, but I am usually surrounded by non-loungers, so I feel fat and guilty.

6. Do you shop on “Black Friday” or do you avoid it?
If I can. I love it! This year, Dan/Daddy has promised me we'll be at my family's house in time for me to hit the stores with my mom and sis-in-law.

7. When do you usually finish your Christmas shopping?
Moments before the stroke of midnight on Christmas Eve.

8. Do you and your significant other exchange gifts? Is there a budget?
We usually do, and the budget usually changes. I am the only one who ever abides by the budget, though. You can ask him, it's true.

9. When do you decorate for the holidays?
Right after Thanksgiving. But for the last few years, we put up the tree earlier. Because we're only home for part of the holiday, we want to enjoy it as long as we can. (And I always leave my tree up past everyone else.)

10. Do you go “all out” with the decor or do you keep it simple?
I'm no Martha Stewart, but I do love to decorate for the holidays. Trees inside and out, lights, Nutcrackers, Santas... I guess we go "all out."

Happy Thanksgiving!!

In the Grand Scheme of Things

This has been the week from heck.
If you can name an event, a commitment, a duty, or an obligation...
We have done it this week.
Every day had something going on, and some days had lots of somethings going on.
And in the midst of it all, my camera broke.

(You may pause for a moment of silence.)

I cried. Well, actually I said a bad word. Sorry.
It's the truth. You see, I love taking pictures. I LOVE taking pictures.
I love framing pictures, editing pictures, looking at pictures, sometimes scrapbooking pictures, and having pictures.

I pretend that one day I will grow up and become a photographer. (No laughing.)

I only have a small digital camera, but it was doing the job.
(My dream camera is a big honkin' digital SLR with a zoom lens that lets me count people's nose hairs.)
But now, I am resorting to using our old camera. It works fine; Granny just needs her spectacles to see the itty bitty screen. It will have to work fine while my camera is at Nikon Hospital.

When I realized it was broken, after I said the bad word (sorry), I began to grumble and gripe. "No camera! A week before the holidays start! AGH!"

But then little by little this week, I've realized if a broken camera is the worst thing that happens to me... then I am doing just fine.

I have a lot to be grateful for. (And it's not even Thanksgiving yet!)

10 on A Gray Tuesday

Ho do you spell grey? Is it gray? Just curious. (By the way, "spell checker" didn't tag either one!)

Gray/grey is how it looks outside today. A perfect look for November. You know how some weather gives you the blues? Well not today. It feels like Fall. Yippee!

Here we go...
Ten on Tuesday hosted by Roots and Rings...



1. What is your favorite breakfast pastry?
Does a PopTart count? I like the un-frosted blueberry ones, toasted, with butter.

2. Were you ever in a Thanksgiving or Christmas play?
Oodles of them... at church.

3. What is your favorite clothing accessory?
Jewelry. Is that a "person" accessory? I like scarves, too.

4. What is your favorite item of clothing?
Jeans.

5. What is your favorite color and why?
Blue. It makes me think of the water... the beach. Although the beach I grew up with had brown water. Hmmmm....

6. What is your favorite type of Christmas cookie?
Anything with icing.

7. What is your favorite scent (food, perfume/lotion)
It changes all the time, and it changes based on what the smelly thing is. I like candles to smell warm and cozy. I like perfume to remind me of summer. I like food that smells cinnamon-y or spicy. I guess I don't have one favorite scent.

8. What is your favorite household cleaner?
I'm not picky. Whatever gets the job done. I am a fan of the Magic Eraser. It's magic.

9. When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up? And what did you actually grow up to be?
I wanted to be Wonder Woman. Or a marine biologist. Or a vet.
I'm actually a mommy and a wife... But you can call me Wonder Woman if you want to.

10. What is the last song or album you bought?
I bought the boy a song for his IPod... something from Camp Rock. I'm cool like that.

The "Man Trip" Post

The week before Thanksgiving signals an important time in my life.
That special time of year when I run around like a chicken with my head cut off... trying to play "catch up" with all that needs to be done. Good times.

That also includes my blog. So many things to post about and so little time. Before you know it, you'll be looking at our Christmas pictures and reading about our marathon holiday travels... all on the first day of March.

So.
Back in the middle of October (told ya), Dan/Daddy went on a "Man Trip" with 2 of his besties. (Hee hee. I like saying they are "besties" because I know it would equally irritate all of them.)

Matt and Dan/Daddy have been friends for 16 years. (Did I get that right, Shan?)



Tim and Dan/Daddy have been friends since around 2001, I think. Since Dan/Daddy's "preacher" days.



Naturally, Dan/Daddy introduced his two friends, and then they became friends.



Tim and Matt stayed in touch even when Dan/Daddy moved away and joined the Army.
(Now it sounds like a Lifetime movie.)

Tim has spent the last 2+ years as a missionary, and Dan/Daddy has been hopping in and out of the Middle East.
They rarely get to spend time all together anymore.
But they all 3 think the world of each other and they all 3 share a love of the outdoors. (Or a love of escaping their wives and kids.)
So a plan was hatched for when Dan/Daddy came home from deployment and Tim came home for a rest from the mission field. A plan to all go on a "Man Trip" to the mountains.



The packing list included 3 changes of clothes, enough fishing gear to start their own store, and exactly 47 pounds of meat. Per person.

From what I've been told, they fished, talked, and ate meat. Like modern-day cave men.



Roughin' it.
A much-needed getaway for all of them.
I am so glad Dan/Daddy calls these guys his friends. Because they are great guys, whose wives I adore. And for that, we are grateful.

Rotten Sugah

Another conversation with the boy...

While driving to school this morning. (The car temperature thingy says 47 degrees. Blessed are we.)


The boy: "Can I roll my window down?"

Me: "I guess so. Why? It's chilly."

The boy: "OH NO IT'S NOT!! It's hot over here on my side of the car with you blaring the heater and that ding dang sun coming in!! It's not shining on you like it's shining on me!"

Me: "Wow. Do you kiss your momma with those lips?"

The boy: "Yep. I do..."

(pause)

"... and she likes it."



O. My. Word.

Yes.

She does.

Ten on Tuesday and It's Almost Wednesday and Happy Birthday Mom!

It's my mom's birthday today!! Happy Birthday Momma!!
She and my dad were here this past weekend to watch the boy play soccer, so we celebrated then. We took her to lunch and had the wait staff sing to her... she loved it and hated it.
She's the best.

This weeks' 10 on Tuesday snuck up on me. I have so many bloggity ideas running around in my head and so many things to tell you all about, but I can't seem to find the time to get them posted. (Darn you, Facebook.)


1. Who makes your Thanksgiving dinner?
It's usually Dan/Daddy's Aunt Marcita. We gather with his side of the family on Thanksgiving Day. Then, on the weekend... we eat with my family. The tradition of my family NOT eating our Thanksgiving meal on Thanksgiving Day started a gazillion years ago, but it's worked out nicely for us. Having our families living in different states makes the holidays a pain in the rump sometimes. But on Turkey Day/Turkey Weekend... it's easy.
Well... Not the traveling part. I am looking forward to the day when my house is the gatherin' spot.

2. What is your favorite recipe that includes pumpkin? (bonus points for including the recipe)
Pumpkin Pie. No bonus points for me.

3. What are 5 things you want for Christmas?
free Starbucks for life
world peace
a trillion dollars
an end to world hunger
to be a size 8
and for my little boy to stop getting so grown up so fast.
(I am both shallow and deep... all at the same time.)

4. Does your family draw names or do you buy for everyone?
Both. My side is small... there's just 9 of us. Dan/Daddy's side of the family is 17 people strong. (And he's an only child. Figure that out.) That's where the name drawing comes in.

5. How do you feel about motorcycles?
I feel they are very cool looking, but they scare me. I know - personally - people that have been hurt or killed on them. Not cool.

6. What’s your favorite thing to do on a rainy Saturday?
Sleep and/or read.

7. What is the coolest thing to do in your city?
How sad is this? I have lived here almost 3 years, and I have no idea. I know there's a good museum. The Botanical Gardens are very nice. But I don't know if we have a "must see" stop. Sorry, town.

8. Do you paint your fingernails?
Not usually. It never lasts. Toenails, yes. Except right now they are naked.

9. Who is your favorite actor over the age of 50?
Denzel Washington. No question. He's a great actor, and he is fun to look at.

10. Do you have a high school letter jacket?
Get ready to make fun of me. No letter jacket... in sports. I have an Academic one. Yep. Book Geek. Laugh on.

The Laundry Room and T on T

Not too much happening here in our little family. Just a very calm week compared to the last one. And don't get me started about the weekend.
On the way to school yesterday, the boy said (in a concerned voice),
"Momma. Have you seen the laundry room lately?"

Me: "Why yes, I have. I live in there."

The boy: "No, really. It's bad. It's real piled up."

I don't know if he was warning me or if he was afraid for my safety.

So I've been washing the world's clothes. For 3 people.

Here's this week's 10 from Roots and Rings.

1. Do you color? If you do, is it with markers, crayons, colored pencils, etc.?
Not as much as I used to. I used to teach (Pre-K and K), so I would sit down and join right in on the coloring. I like sharp crayons and markers.

2. What’s the most organized part (or system) in your house?
Probably my closet. Maybe my pantry, 'cause I just cleaned that out.

3. What’s the most unorganized part (or system) in your house?
The boy's Legos. They used to be VERY organized. Now, they're just taking over our house. With the promise of more to come at Christmas. Yippee.
Anybody got any Lego sorting/organizing tips?

4. If you had unlimited amounts of time and money, what museum would you want to see and why?
The Louvre in Paris. Fly me there, put me in a swanky hotel, and let me go look at that beautiful famous artwork.

5. What is your favorite part of the fall season?
Every. Single. Thing.
The cooler weather, the holidays, the clothes, the college football, the coffee flavors, the comfort food, the leaves, and the nifty jokes people try to make about my name.

6. Did you dress up for Halloween?
Yep. Dan/Daddy and I had on some rockin' pirate duds for a Costume Party Friday night. On the night the boy Trick-or-Treated, I wore my witch hat. Because I have one.

7. Have you started Christmas shopping?
In my mind.

8. Do you crack your knuckles?
Yes, sometimes. I just cracked my neck a few seconds ago.

9. If you had to live in another city for a year (all expenses paid), which city would you choose?
Charleston, SC.

10. Do you have any reoccurring dreams?
Sometimes. Does that mean it's recurring?
I had one when I was preggo with the boy a gazillion years ago. It was a vivid one... I dreamed (before I birthed him) that he was falling out of a bed, and I was scrambling to catch him.
I also have a terrible dream in which I am being chased and I need to scream, but no sound comes out of my mouth. I am trying so hard to scream... but nothing.
Now... because I've put all this thought to them, I'll dream them both.

Happy November, friends.