Thanksgiving 2012

I roasted a 22 lb turkey

Roger loves Thanksgiving - Turkey and Football

Jaime put up her Christmas tree with a peacock theme for Thanksgiving visitors

Part of the table, Jill, Stephanie, Cory, Aaron, Irma, and Jonah

At the other end of the table were Jaime and Mia with Jill and Stephanie again. I didn't get pictures of me, Karin, Alan, Jay, Papa Jerry or Tyler. Mark and Elliot were in N. Carolina. We had a very happy day.

Cory was teaching Jill at the piano

There is something about a second generation in my little house. I have lived here since Jaime was 5 and Cory was 14. Now the celebrations are moving a few blocks away to Jaime's house. It is taking a while to adjust, but yesterday was wonderful. Everyone brought something so nobody had to do all the work. We were all relaxed and happy. It was truly a happy day.

Thursday and Friday

Yesterday, I worked for 3 hours at my part time job at my friend's house. After work, I picked up my granddaughters at their schools and kept them till my daughter got home from work. I made hamburgers for supper.

About 6:30, I took the two older grandkids to an after-school skating party. The school has these parties several times a year to raise funds for the PTA. The kids missed the last two parties so I wanted them to go to this one. I played with the idea of dropping them off, but in the end I stayed. I'm glad.

Even in the crowded rink, they kept finding me. They would take a bite of pizza or a get a drink and take off again. Jill found a friend and skated around and around. At first she stayed near the edge, but gradually worked her way to the center of the rink. We paid extra to get Jonah in-line skates, but he mostly stayed on the carpeted area and played different games with his friends.

They both got mountains of tickets from the games that would have meant a windfall at a casino. Jonah got a plastic hockey stick and ball with his tickets. Jill got oversized pink sunglasses. I saw many people I knew from school and enjoyed the upbeat music and flashing lights. There were families with very small children who had devices made of PVC pipes to help them balance. Some kids could do tricks with the devices - even the very little ones. I found myself with a permanent grin on my face.

I never learned to skate when I was young. It looks like so much fun. For my family to get together after a long day's work and go out to take the kids skating was unheard of. Once in a while, we could get my father to drive to the Sonic for a cheeseburger, but that wasn't very often.

About 7:30 all the lights went out and the kids had fun skating around in the dark with glow sticks and flashing colored lights. By 8:00 the party was over and we started home. Jonah went to his house and Jill stayed at mine. She tumbled into bed and went to sleep very quickly. I confess I did the same.

This morning it was "Field Day" at school and they wore shorts and brought drinks for a full day of athletic events. As Jonah shlumped out to the car with his book bag, I yelled, "Step it up! It's Field Day! Hooray!" For once, he rewarded me with a grin instead of pretending to be bored with my jokes.

After school, I gathered up the girls and we got our Friday night pizzas. One for Jaime's house and one for mine. It has been a happy day.

Happy Christmas Faces

Aaron and Jaime

Jill

Jonah and Mia

Mia and Jaime

Jaime with long blonde curls

Steph and Cory

Cory and Jill

Jaime and Jill are running the light show

Bruce and Mary

 Me

 Roger and Nibbles

Preview to Thanksgiving Day

One of my favorite places in the world, Riverhills Park in Temple Terrace, Florida



Mia had a Thanksgiving show at her new church preschool. She is dressed as an Indian. There was a feather in her headress, but it flopped over. The drawing on the front of her "vest" depicts what she is grateful for. Grandma!

Jaime's dining room dressed for Thanksgiving. We traded tables. The long table I have had for 25 years went to her house and a small round table moved to mine. She added a smaller table to make it longer and covered it with the Thanksgiving table cloth handed down to her from Aunt Darlene. 

  The chairs don't match, but I think Jaime's dining room is beautiful.

Happy Thanksgiving. I woke up extremely early and put a turkey in the oven. I am cooking here and Jaime is cooking at her house. Roger will stay home and watch football in his own chair with his own dinner, but I will also be going around the corner to help Jaime with her dinner which is scheduled at 2:00. Jill will help us with preparations. We will watch the parade, the football game (Roger is a die hard Lions fan), and have a good meal with friends and family. I wish peace and happiness to all.

Mia's Birthday 5

Princess Bouncy House and Slide

Mia's 5th Birthday. Princess Bouncy House, hordes of people, sugar free cupcakes, a sparkler shaped like a "5", and loads of presents. A little girl who has had some bad luck had a great birthday party. It is easy to see why she is convinced that everyone loves her. Since she was born she has had an extended family who adores her. Later that night there was hula hooping, and a campfire. and bouncing in the dark, but Mia stayed in the house and covered the dining room floor with drawings made by her and her dad. As I was leaving, she started a new drawing and said, "And the little girl enjoyed the kite festival . . ." Happy Birthday, Mia!

Family History - Thanksgiving 2001

Thanksgiving 2001 - Me, Jaime, Jonah, Jeremy and Cory

In anticipation of Thanksgiving, here is a picture from 2001. I thought Jonah would like to see his second Thanksgiving and a picture of him and his dad, Jeremy McGee.

Halloween 2011 - A story told in pictures

This is what came barging in my door on Halloween night.

 Along with this

I was screaming with fear but I knew ...

 I had to help save the innocent princess they had as a hostage.

They finally left, but they still had the child.

Maybe it had to do with Mayhem visiting the other day. You may have seen him on the Allstate commercials wreaking havoc wherever he goes. (See Cory's favorite commercial on the link or at the right of this blog.)

The pictures below show happier times.

Below is a picture of the transformation of Jaime and her friend, Amanda.

I only hope that somehow everything will return to normal tomorrow.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Birthday Party for Cory and Stephanie

We had a birthday party at Jaime and Aaron's house last Saturday night to celebrate Steph's 30th and Cory's 40th birthdays. We had meatloaf, mashed potatoes, carrots, pineapple upside down cake and a cinnamon haunted house cake.

I made two cakes and baked a pumpkin pie. I also made a big meatloaf. Everyone was too nice to say it was dry except my husband. Oh, Aaron did comment that ketchup made it a lot better. (??) We drank iced tea and soda.

The karaoke machine was a big hit, especially with Cory and Jill. There was a pretty campfire out back. Jonah was riding his bicycle around and around the big back yard with Brody racing around him and barking and nipping at the tires now and then. It was so cute. Good exercise for both boy and dog. Jill and Jaime did some hooping with the lighted hoop. Jill is getting good at that.

We went inside to continue the party with lots of dancing and karaoke. It has been a long time since I have had my son and daughter just hanging out together, singing, dancing and laughing. Aaron and Stephanie were having a great time, too.

Jaime got Stephanie a very funny talking card with a hunky guy on the front. It said, "I'm going to make all your dreams come true." When you opened it up, a deep, sexy voice said, "Happy Birthday, Baby ... I'm going to ... Mow Your Lawn. And then I'm going to ...Change your oil and ... Rotate your tires... " All the women thought it was very funny.

The pineapple upside down cake was good. Brody liked it, too. He put his front paws on the table when no one was looking and polished it off. Jonah complained that he didn't even get to taste it.

Mia was getting fussy and the party was still going strong, so I popped her in the car and drove around the corner to my house. I tucked her into bed in the kid room and she was asleep in two minutes. What a happy night and happy birthday party.

I heard that Amanda and Daniel stopped by later with Amanda's little pot bellied pig, Harley. Harley is a very smart little pig. He opened Mia's snack cabinet and ate a whole bag of whole wheat, baked Cheetos.