Thanksgiving weekend activities

The long Thanksgiving weekend from Thursday on has been filled with "to dos" and "to don'ts." Thursday was rather a lazy moring, as I didn't have to cook. We gathered the kids for blueberry pancakes and fresh clementines and sat at the computer with a cup of Peace Coffee. I am still enjoying the one pound that I purchased at the MN State Fair in late August. I'm the only coffee drinker in the household, and I get good coffee at work during the week, so I only brew coffee on stay-at-home days. We got bundled up with computer and game gear for a day at my mom's place and got there around 1pm. My brother deep fried a turkey for the first time this year, and it was a little dry. But, tasty dark meat and crispy edges were fun for a change. Mom also baked a ham "just in case." Unfortunately, no left over turkey or carcass to make soup stock. Mom actually baked a turkey on Saturday to do just that - make soup. Yum. Usually, we head over to my husband's side of the family for dessert, but the night got late, and we decided to hang out and watch Charlie Brown at home.

Friday was another lovely sleep-in kind of day. We got up and had eggs benedict with the left-over ham and some yummy holandaise sauce. I love late morning breakfast with my family. We don't get the paper, so I usually am scouring the internet blogospere for something interesting from my friends, or checking out the news on Google or Yahoo. We had a plan for the day. Relax and enjoy each other, play with the neighbors, and make a quick trip to Home Depot for some Christmas lights for the house. No Black Friday madness for me. It wasn't too crazy by 2pm when we got there. Got a few lights, cords, and a timer and went home.

Then we gathered around to go downtown Minneapolis for the Holidazzle parade and a MN Timberwolves game. We got some free tickets to the game when we signed up to walk for the Minnesotans' Military Appreciation Fund 2-mile walk and 5K race on Father's Day. We walked, raised money for a good cause, and got to go to the Twins game at the Metrodome that day. Part of the package was tickets for the Timberwolves game sometime in November. We will totally do this again! Make a plan to join us.

So...my husband went down to Target Center earlier in the month, and we decided to take the kids to a game. Should be fun, we thought. Great weather that night for the parade...photos and video at http://www.wcco.com/. The game was long, and although some fun highlights happened, I wasn't terribly thrilled with the level of game play by the home team. After all, they get paid to play a game and have fun, but didn't seem to be having fun at all. The dance team and cheerleaders did a great job of entertaining all - without too much skin - and a great enthusiasm. They should be proud of the job they do.

Saturday found me up and at 'em early. Our normal garbage collection is Friday, but pushed back with the holiday I awoke to the sound of garbage trucks out my window and a terrible feeling in my stomach that reminded me we'd be stuck with a whole week's worth of garbage if I didn't get my butt out of bed right then and there. Thank goodness it wasn't my pick up yet. Mom was supposed to call, but overslept. After several unanswered calls to her, I got some jeans on, got in the car and drove 15 minutes to her home. Just a low blood sugar morning, but nothing to worry about. Once I got her up and some breakfast in her, I was able to get home and get some cinnamon rolls started.  Yes, the canned Pilsbury ones. They're so great, and so convenient...but the fragrance is enough to wake even the loudest snoring husband. One of these days I get ambitious and start creating one of those million dollar recipies they offer every year.
He headed off to get an oil change on the car, and I started on putting the lights up on the outside of the house. I was about half way through, and he returned. We finished the second section together, but not without a fight. I stormed off - realizing I obviously was not listening to him, as he was feeling very unheard. I felt the same, so a little "time out" was a good thing. I headed over to the Home Depot to pick up a couple more boxes of clear icicle lights to complete the front of the house. Then, stopped over at Target to get some shorter extension cords and something for dinner. Thank goodness for cell phones, because just as my daughter was wondering where I was, she called and I was able to ask her to start water on the boil for pasta. My husband finished making spaghetti, and we actually had a very nice meal.

Sunday morning I awoke with a killer headache. The kind that throbs and pounds so painfully that you can't move. I forced myself to get up, mostly because my bladder insisted I get up. Cereal and milk this morning, and no energy to make coffee. I went back to bed and we skipped going to church. When my husband came in to check on me, it was already 2:30pm and I felt like a Mack Truck ran me over. He needed some help with the rest of the lights on the house, and wanted me to hold the ladder. I reluctantly got up and cried so hard because it hurt. He felt so bad...but got me some water and ibuprofen and I figured a little fresh air might make me feel better. Getting outside didn't really make me feel better, but the ibuprofen helped to take away the throbbing.

We finished the front of the house, and put some colored lights on one of the large evergreen trees in the front corner garden by the street. Not ready to deck out the entire yard this year. We'll pace ourselves and our pocketbook. Even after some food, lots of water and a Diet Coke for the caffeine, by 8pm the pain is still in my head. Hope it's not some virus. Or, if it is, that it goes away quickly.

Tomorrow is Monday, the start of another work week. I love my job, but somehow am really not looking forward to it. I have really enjoyed this time with my kids, my husband, and doing stuff around the house. Much more Christmas decorating to do this season. Having a house is a lovely thing, and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to own it, work on it, make it our own, and enjoy our family in it.