Devouring Sarah

As some of you may know we have a strange tradition of naming our thanksgiving turkey. Sometimes it's silly like Tom or Shaniqwa. Usually it is political. We've had a George (actually 2 I think), Dick, Condie and Colin. I think this years was a little too obvious but perfect. Sarah! And the funniest thing, pointed out by Hailey, is that the Turkey was the perfect golden color that you would see in a cookbook and everyone seemed to have the hots for Sarah Palin. It was just the 4 of us this year and it was nice. Don't get me wrong I always love to have guests for Thanksgiving but it was nice this year to just enjoy the kids and each other. I cook, they clean up and we just enjoyed each other all day. We finished off with a viewing of Lord of the Rings and I got to get back at Athena by saying all my favorite lines out loud (she is usually the one doing this) I got to hear some very nice things my family is thankful for, they all said me! And I got to let them all know how thankful I am to have them in my lives. Shawn and I headed out Friday morning for some crazy Black Friday shopping. We stood in one 40 minute line and then decided to go to breakfast instead. The shopping can wait we still have time. Then Athena had her Christmas performance at Glendale Glitters Friday night. She did a great job, had lots of fun and the crowd was huge! It was a fun few days, now I need to get back into my routine and get ready for Christmas...

Unconventional Thanks

So here it is almost Thanksgiving. I'm sure just about every blog out there will have a well written, meaningful post about all the wonderful things in life they are thankful for. Well yes I am thankful for the obvious things, the health and happiness of myself and family. Or the good old my husband is still employed. But you know what, those are the easy ones, of course I am thankful for those things, who wouldn't be!? So instead I am going to share a few of the little minor things in life that I am thankful for this year.

1-The perfect fabric on the clearance table
2-That our next president is capable of pronouncing the word NUCLEAR!
3-A really great book that makes me cry
4-My children and pets are already potty trained
5-E-6000 glue THIS STUFF IS AWESOME!
6-Fresh baked cookies

Okay your turn. Click the comments below and tell me what you are thankful for, don't be shy. And remember no easy ones! ;)

Philosophy discussions with a 7 year old

Athena is on about her 3rd viewing of Wall-E, there is a line where the captain yells "I don't want to survive, I want to live!" She turns to me and asks "Aren't surviving and living the same thing?" We went on to have a nice conversation about the differences in living life to the fullest and just merely surviving. She plans to live not just survive from now on. They grow up so fast......

Why 7 is different than 17

We finally got around to some much needed winter clothes shopping this weekend. As Athena and I were riding to school this morning, her wearing one of her new shirts she says to me "I think Bailey has this shirt but it's pink, I can't wait to show her. Maybe we can wear them on the same day" Now if Hailey even sees another person at school (or anywhere actually) with the same shirt as her it is tucked away deep into the closet never to be seen again. Weather she knows this person or not! So I'm wondering at what age this shift happens, where wearing the same shirt goes from cool to very, very uncool? But I have been wondering about a lot of things these days. Man I am getting old.

The Triangle Factory Fire Project

Hailey's final fall play of High School came to a close Friday night. She did a very good job and we all enjoyed it. She even pulled off a very difficult Yiddish accent throughout the whole play! Some of the kids seemed to lose their accents here and there. So here are a couple of pictures from a couple of nights. There are more on our flickr page if you want to see those too!

This first shot is during the fire and the girls realize the door is locked.


This is Hailey's character on the stand. The court scene was why she wanted to be Kate Alterman.


This is her final scene with the manager of the factory. She has to pretend to forgive him to try and get a job. Then when he tells her that he was fired and can't give her one he asks "do you still forgive me?" Kate: "NO" Very powerful scene, only made more so by the fact that she is in it with her ex-boyfriend!

Change Is Good

Change, hope, renewal, relief! What more can I say?