TIATF

A little fun on face Book throughout the month of November.  TIATF= Today I Am Thankful For:

My list today is this:

who's that right behind her?

1. All my family together
2. 2 November birthday dinners (and they both want the same thing)
3. Bailee's wonderful first 2nd grade report card ♥
4. Bailee's 2nd grade photo
5. Hunting Season....kind of.....the +s...... it brings my family home and together, the men all sport beards which I love, the excitement when a big one is "bagged!"  -s....running deer everywhere (fields, roads and yards), killing such beautiful animals that we marvel in watching the other 11 months of the year, quietly holding my breath until all are accounted for at sundown....hunters not deer:-(
6. Snacks.... with a houseful, it's also best to have plenty of munchies available (especially when I'm here all by myself most of the day;-)
7. Holiday Anticipation
8. Hot Tub in the snow
9. Kids who love to cook
10. Wet towels, Dishes in the sink and "I'm Starved!"
    
    
    

    

    the last 6 year old picture...

Deja Vu

Have you ever had a moment of Deja Vu?  It's a bit creepy and a bit consoling all at the same time.  It occurs more now that I'm older. Maybe it's just a case of forgetting my age and thinking about the past.  I often wave to people...........dead people.  Well it's really not them I'm waving to but their vehicle.  If I meet a Cadillac that's white with a blue vinyl roof, I wave to dad.  If I meet a red/white jeep, I wave to Uncle Barney.  I've done each several times.  This morning I was driving out of Moravia and I slowed down for the railroad tracks by the milk plant. ...True Story.  Mentally I think I'm still good...but my opinions have often been wrong. I do have a head cold which may be affecting my thought process but I remembered where I lived and made it home safely.

Certain smells, songs and even spoken words put me in a certain time and remembering a certain event or person that mirrors that exact moment.  I guess that's exactly what deja vu means....the experience of thinking that a new situation had occurred before.  Now, I'm hoping that Bailee and my kids will experience it in the future and think of me....like moaning while I eat...........if it's that good and I love eating it, why shouldn't I moan a little?  Like the smell of bacon filtering through the house....it must be Christmas as I only cook breakfast once a year and they should think of me.  They should have moments of deja vu when they hear the Beach Boys and drive by the broccoli tree, when they see someone chewing their tongue or wearing plaid on Christmas, when they go to leave the house and remember they haven't made their bed and even when they see thank you notes in a store and say, "Oh shit!!"  Those are the kinds of deja vu moments I hope my kids will have....and if they wave to some gray haired woman in an expedition, I hope she waves back!

Mucus

My brain is surrounded by mucus today.  The only thing coming out of my head is snot and mucus of various fall colors.  I'm pretty sure I hacked up a bag of turkey giblets during the night. That's probably way more than anybody needs or wants to know on this bright, sunny, winter morning but frankly...that's all I've got today!  Nothing prophetic, entertaining, educational or opinionated is even remotely close to hitting the page.  I have TiVo'd a few Hallmark movies and that's what is on the agenda for today..with the exception of Y & R, B & B and Ellen.......then tonight will be Criminal Minds and Nashville.  I am so thankful today for my recliner, my heating pad and my cable ♥

Paris Party was Eiffelly good!

Another birthday party is in the books....no really... I make each birthday into a book:-)  I need to wait 5 more days for this year's edition as the real day of celebration isn't until Sunday...and then we celebrate again with Uncle Jeff.

Sunday in Paris was a lot of fun. We were surrounded by friends and family, ate some down home French cuisine and donned berets and mustaches.....some needed fake ones...................some didn't.... and they weren't all men ;-0.  We mange'd on French Onion Soup with French bread and provolone cheese, French Dip avec au jus, French style verde' beans, la potemme au gratin and chased it all with creme brulee', cake and French Vanilla ice cream and some even slurped a little vino.

Bailee got some great gifts and enjoyed every single one. The is no shortage of appreciation in her book...that's a very good thing!  Having a holiday proceeding the party let the guest of honor have a little extra time before bed to play with all her new goodies.

Here are just a few of the snapshots of our Party in Paris:

A beautiful cake by Mom, decorated by Courtney

My favorite of the day

Joyeaux Anniversaire Bailee'

Even found the perfect card a la internet

Marvy the ELf (on the shelf) even got permission from Santa to visit for the day with her new cupcake outfit:-)

THE gift.. new 3DSL

My creation of the Empire State Building

Inside was a new coat, and their itinerary for a NYC trip....along with a gift card for the American Girl Store..............

Voila

Freedom

Today I have been perusing the posts of Face Book and admiring all the good looking veterans and enjoying all the tributes.  Most everyone is thanking the veterans for their service, for making our country free and keeping it that way.  I can't stop asking myself how free freedom really is.  I understand we are mostly free to believe in who and what we choose (unless we pray in school or begin a meeting with prayer). We are able to walk openly down our streets without the fear of bombs or weapons.  We are free to eat and drink what and where we choose and free enough to wear what we like , drive what we enjoy and love who we choose to love.....(oh wait a minute, we can love them but we can't marry them!)

But....................maybe it's time we ALL decided to remind our government that we are, indeed FREE.  Free to make our life partner choices, free to choose our own form of health care (or not), free to carry guns and protect ourselves and our loved ones, free to allow our teachers to teach and free to believe in anything we choose......even if it's not what others believe in. Freedom is so much more than just lip service and we know that politicians love lip service (Sorry Bill!)  Hopefully when 2016 rolls around, we will all remember that we need to protect what these brave men and women are still fighting for and bring the government back to We, the People!

Here is a photo of my Grandpa Tice.  He fought for my freedom and he loved his country. His hard fought battles and his strength and courage in WWI  gave him the freedom to come to Moravia and open the first liquor store.. Hey, that's something worth fighting for :-)

Oo La La

Let the cooking begin.  A little shaved rib eye and some soupe' a l'oignon!  Les ingre'dients sont coupe'es pour Eiffel Tower salade.   Other than that we know oui, non, merci beau coup, bon soir, bon jour, bon voyage and vous le vous couche avec moi ce soir.......I'll skip the last as I prefer to sleep solo...or at least not touching..I know, that's not very French but c'est  la vie!!

It's snowing up a storm right now and the smell of the soup and the beef is almost more than I can stand.  Tomorrow,

a few more dishes to prepare, off to the "Bakery a la Copley," a necessary stop at the liquor store (I know it's a 7 year old's party but varying ages celebrate varying ways:-) and a stop for French Vanilla ice cream and French bread and we will be ready to light up the tower and partee'!

Dear Mike,

Dear Mike,

You looked so peaceful today.  I'm sure you were up there watching us all sniffle and snuff and wondering what the fuss was all about.  It was about you!  I know you're standing taller, walking faster, breathing easier and worrying just as much as always about who was going to take care of Margaret, mow the lawn and winterize the boat.  We all are.....OK, I'm not winterizing the boat but Lee will.  Dave told Lee that he was going to have to find a new "foreman!"  No way... who could possibly replace you. Your chair is empty and your coffee cup too. That makes us all sad. 
You'd be so proud ( or you are as I think you're watching) of your kids and your grandkids.  The boys are very sad knowing that their trips to Grandma and Grandpa's won't be fishing trips any more but they're standing tall and shedding a few tears for their favorite Grandpa! Everyone is hoping that Margaret will decide to head south and be with Raymond and Bonnie's families.  The holidays are coming and that will be a start.  I'll bet Andy heads there too. 
I'm not sure who's going to figure out all our quirky little repairs.  There sure wasn't much you couldn't "make a plan" to fix. Lee's lonesome already.  It's hard to lose a best buddy:-(  Maybe this will help him decide to quit the smoking and even step back and smell the roses.  Everything we drove by today reminded him of a "Mike Story."  The new barn doors, the Baltimore oriole nest, Friday lunches and even getting home by 3:00 for dinner.....Who the hell eats dinner at 3:00??  I told him he'd need to call Margaret every once in a while and just say "Yes Dear!"  How she'll miss those wonderful 2 little words and how we'll miss you!!

               Enjoy the fresh air, breathe deeply and say hello to all those who got there first♥

                                                                                                                Love,
                                                                                                                     Sandy