Thanksgiving Weekend 2011

This will be a packed post. We've done a lot this weekend. I'll start with Thursday (Thanksgiving Day).

We weren't celebrating it, all of our family was coming on Saturday to eat the BIG TURKEY meal. So the kids, Jake, Jen and myself went to the movies. We saw the BEST movie!!!

However, when we left the movie at 5ish we realized why people eat the big meals on this day. We were hungry and there wasn't any place OPEN!!!! So we settled for a frozen Totino's pizza and some mac n cheese. :)

Then on Friday, Jake and Owen went out to buy our first "fake" Christmas tree. Allie and I stayed home and started pulling the decorations out. When the boys brought home the tree, the kids and I began to assemble it. The funny thing was our tree came in 5 pieces, but the directions showed 4 pieces!!! It still looks amazing!!!

Tah-dah!

Helper #1

Helper #2

"Directions"

Allie then assembled the Nativity Scene.

A few hours later, I went to clean up the mess and found this.

The box the tree came in, or...

the new hangout!

The kids decorated their own tree downstairs.

What tree isn't complete with out action figures?

Saturday we had all of our family over to eat. I made a 23 pound turkey. YEAH! I said 23!!!! It came out perfectly.

The 3 generations of Arnetts, cutting the turkey.

Desserts!!!!

Just a few of the sides.

Valorie, Jen and myself

Dad, Jen and Mom

The "kid" bench.

After eating coma pose.

Victim #2.

Owen explaining "Angry Birds" to G.G.

It was a WONDERFUL weekend!

Chapel Hill Thanksgiving Feast

There's our big girl.

Nick and Allie were sitting at the same table.

Her place mat she made.

On Monday, Allie's preschool had a Thanksgiving Feast. The kids were so excited to be able to have, what I would call a "Charlie Brown Thanksgiving". Each kid's plate had a few grapes, some apple slices, carrots, one piece of deli turkey meat, one cube of colby cheese, a slice of pumpkin pie and a cup of strawberry Jello. They sang us a few songs before the meal. The whole thing was VERY CUTE!

Tina Fey's Prayer for her daughter

I'm not one for just cutting and pasting an entire post and then just reposting it as one of mine, but I read this the other day and it SO RINGS TRUE!!!!

This is from Tina Fey's book "Bossy Pants".

First, Lord: No tattoos. May neither Chinese symbol for truth nor Winnie-the-Pooh holding the FSU logo stain her tender haunches.

May she be Beautiful but not Damaged, for it’s the Damage that draws the creepy soccer coach’s eye, not the Beauty.

When the Crystal Meth is offered, May she remember the parents who cut her grapes in half And stick with Beer.

Guide her, protect her
When crossing the street, stepping onto boats, swimming in the ocean, swimming in pools, walking near pools, standing on the subway platform, crossing 86th Street, stepping off of boats, using mall restrooms, getting on and off escalators, driving on country roads while arguing, leaning on large windows, walking in parking lots, riding Ferris wheels, roller-coasters, log flumes, or anything called “Hell Drop,” “Tower of Torture,” or “The Death Spiral Rock ‘N Zero G Roll featuring Aerosmith,” and standing on any kind of balcony ever, anywhere, at any age.

Lead her away from Acting but not all the way to Finance. Something where she can make her own hours but still feel intellectually fulfilled and get outside sometimes And not have to wear high heels.

What would that be, Lord? Architecture? Midwifery? Golf course design? I’m asking You, because if I knew, I’d be doing it, Youdammit.

May she play the Drums to the fiery rhythm of her Own Heart with the sinewy strength of her Own Arms, so she need Not Lie With Drummers.

Grant her a Rough Patch from twelve to seventeen. Let her draw horses and be interested in Barbies for much too long, For childhood is short – a Tiger Flower blooming Magenta for one day – And adulthood is long and dry-humping in cars will wait.

O Lord, break the Internet forever, That she may be spared the misspelled invective of her peers And the online marketing campaign for Rape Hostel V: Girls Just Wanna Get Stabbed.

And when she one day turns on me and calls me a Bitch in front of Hollister, Give me the strength, Lord, to yank her directly into a cab in front of her friends, For I will not have that Shit. I will not have it.

And should she choose to be a Mother one day, be my eyes, Lord, that I may see her, lying on a blanket on the floor at 4:50 A.M., all-at-once exhausted, bored, and in love with the little creature whose poop is leaking up its back.

“My mother did this for me once,” she will realize as she cleans feces off her baby’s neck. “My mother did this for me.” And the delayed gratitude will wash over her as it does each generation and she will make a Mental Note to call me. And she will forget. But I’ll know, because I peeped it with Your God eyes.

Amen.

Laughter IS the BEST medicine

Tim Hawkins. That's really all I need to say. This man made me laugh so hard, my cheeks were hurting. The best part was the evening started with good food (Bonefish) and great friends (Brothertons and Jittawaits), then finished with me laughing so much that I would sigh after each fit. Like Tim says, "If you can't laugh at yourself... laugh at others." :)

Family Photos

I have been so busy with life, that posting has taken a backseat. Nothing has been crazy or stressful. Just busy. But even though I've been busy, I have been thankful. I have several friends posting daily the things they are thankful for. I love reading these.

Last night I was busy (surprise) making our Christmas cards on line. YES! I already have my Christmas cards made and my mailing list done. (I know, it's not even Thanksgiving!) It was so much fun looking at all the photos we had taken this past fall (2 different sessions). I won't ruin the surprise of which ones I selected, but these were some of the ones that made me smile and THANKFUL! Enjoy.

My Rock

My Baby

My Boy

My Family

(I love the looks on the kids' faces!)

WOW! Where did the time go?

Boy, I am behind on the blog thing! I'll try my best to finish up October this post and then maybe start some REAL November posts tomorrow.

We got back from our trip to Kauai on October 30th. Owen didn't have school on October 31st, so we spent that morning carving pumpkins and decorating the house for our party.

The kids

Helping Daddy

The finished project

One of the carved pumpkins

A pumpkin that Papa George bought Owen.

(Angry Bird Pig)

The other carved pumpkin.

I was so busy having fun at our party, I didn't take too many pictures. I know other guests took pictures, but this is my blog so my pics will have to do.

My MAD Dragon Ninja and Kauai Boy

Angry Bird flying towards me.

My "out of character" costume

Sue Sylvester

Jen was the Bride of Frankenstein

Our friends the Bakers were our first guests to arrive.

The James are the family that moved across the street.

Natalie, Allie and Addie.

The Prechards from across the street.