DUM DUM DUM DUM...DUM!!!!

It's almost Thanksgiving! It's almost time!

I've spent my money & down to a dime.

Family is coming, there must be no mess,

I am full of excitement, plus some stress.

I'll cook the turkey, it better not burn,

we'll share our thanks, each offering a turn.

It's only Monday, but I better get busy,

'Lest I get myself in a tizzy.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, my friends!

Enjoy the rest of November, as it comes to an end.

Alright, I'm no poet and I certainly know it, but Aidan and I were doing rhyming words, so I couldn't resist. Sorry you had to suffer through my juvenile attempt at a rhyme. ;0

Busy! 

That is the word to describe my week.

 I am really looking forward to it, though.

Tomorrow my parents should arrive (evening), so today is more cleaning and checking the grocery list. I skipped MPM because there is too much, and our dinners will be last minute meals. 

Tomorrow will be mopping, cleaning the bathroom, washing rugs, vacuuming, and cleaning the fridge. Of all those tasks, I dread cleaning the fridge the most. Just ick.

Wednesday will be cooking and doing some shopping for the fresh ingredients. 

Aidan and I will make the Teepees, Pilgrim Hats, Football Rice Krispie Treats, and my mom & I will make the potatoes, both mashed and sweet. We'll hard boil the eggs for deviled eggs, too. 

Thursday! Thanksgiving is only 3 days away! Isn't that crazy? November has just flown by. This year is truly almost over, especially with Advent starting this coming Sunday. 

I am ready to start the madness. I am hopeful my first Thanksgiving hosting will only turn out good memories. 

I can't wait to see my family. 

My blogging will probably be light this week, so I want to wish you a HAPPY THANKSGIVING now. Have a wonderful week! How will you be spending your Thanksgiving?

Cleaned

Yesterday was a day of cleaning, in all forms.

House:
Our boys were with their grandparents all day, so we did heavy duty cleaning you can only do without little ones running around. Our big area rug in the living room? Yeah, completely moved that, moved the couch out of the room, train table, too, and vacuumed, swept, and mopped that room. It looks so much better.

Same with the playroom. My parents will be sleeping in there, so we rearranged toys, did the winter window-covering to the windows in that room, and organized the bookcase.

That alone took a good 2 hours or so.

Marriage:
We had time alone! For the first time since MAY! It's so nice to be able to finish sentences, eat without sharing food, and just have an opportunity to be with each other if only for a few. Grant it, most of our alone time was spent cleaning, but we did take a lunch break and enjoy eating out at Subway. Without ordering a kids' meal, without needing excessive amount of extra napkins, without a highchair...
Not that we don't adore and love our kids. We do. We even missed them. But in making time for each other, you do serve as better parents.

Soul:
We made it to Confession yesterday, then Mass, and got in some quality prayer time. Without kids! I tell ya, you can really absorb a lot more of the Readings when you can hear what's being said. HA!
Ironically enough, this was the first time in months we wore jeans to church, and of course we were asked to carry up the gifts. Figures.

We also did the last of non-perishable shopping for Thanksgiving, buying our trail mix to put out, nuts, and today Aidan & I are considering making these cute Footballs to have for turkey day.

Productive weekend.
We cleaned up.
I feel refreshed.

TGIF! Feather Party Time

We made it through another week!

We're officially at the end of November already. How did that happen?!

I'm ready for this weekend. Not just because it's the weekend, but because last weekend was so rough. Aidan and Brennan were waking incredibly early, and we barely saw Pat all weekend. He had a test he was studying for for his Tuesday night class, and he had to work on a presentation for his Monday night class. Understandably so, his attention needed to go to those things and not us, but we missed him and it was hard. Thank God we're one step closer to the end of this semester!

I'm also welcoming this weekend because it's finally time to do the hard-core cleaning to prepare for my parents coming to stay with us for Thanksgiving! I am so excited to see them. I saw them last in August, which is better than most years, but I am excited to have them to my home for Thanksgiving for a change.

My in-laws are being so kind, too, and meeting us to take the boys for the day while we do much needed work around the house, finish some shopping, and maybe even catch an hour-long date with each other.

The week, over all, wasn't so bad.

Patrick's presentation went very well, Aidan stayed on green all week in school, Brennan finally started sleeping to a normal time again, and we bought almost everything needed for turkey-day. Plus I started the shred again, and that always feel good. Well, sore, but good. ;)

We also gained some positive news about our finances. Nothing major, but every penny counts. I look forward to the day when we can call up Dave Ramsey and yell "WE'RE DEBT FREE!!!" It will happen. And it will happen probably within 5 years, God willing. I can not wait.

So we're ending this week in a fun way: we're going to our parish/school Feather Party! (ha! yeah right they're exclusive to Detroit)
It should be quite fun. I know Aidan will have a blast, with the raffles and kids' games. I heard there will even be adult beverages and raffles for a free turkey, maybe even other adult-aimed things.
The adult beverages I'll be passing on, since I'm working the 2nd shift.

Feather Party tonight, a free (meaning study-free day for hubby) tomorrow, and just a few days away from my parents arriving...
TGIF!

From ICK to Best (Christmas songs)

My absolute favorite Christmas song is O Holy Night. I like all versions I have heard, but I love Martina McBride's. So incredibly beautiful.

Goosebumps every time.

The non-religious one I love is Eartha Kitt's Santa Baby. Don't care for Madonna's too much. I love the old-time sound to Eartha Kitt's. I don't dig this video too much, but you can hear the 
song, at least.





There you have it. I posted on my least favorite song, and now you have my favorites.
What are yours?

Ick. Worst Christmas Song?

And I do like country music, but I can't stomach this song:






It's just too whiney sounding, and mopey, and unpleasant!
And our station that is playing nonstop Chrismas music plays it all.the.time!
Too often!
I love nearly all Christmas songs, but in my book, this one goes down as possibly the worst.
Right there next to the annoying Feliz Navidad.

Perfect Timing

This post: To the Grad School Widows

I had never been to her blog before, but I found that post just now, and it is perfect timing.
I really needed to read that, and I wish the comments weren't closed. I'd add a big thank you to the author.

I so often feel like such a big wimp.
I feel disappointed in myself that I'm getting impatient, frustrated, and wondering how the heck I'm going to endure another year of this.

It's not like I'm a military wife.
My husband is not overseas. He is not deployed.

It's not as though I really am a single parent.
He comes home every night.

Sometimes, though, it's harder because of that. He's here, yet not really. He might be home, but he should be studying, he should be preparing for his next case study.

I know he is doing it for our family. I know he loves us all.
I love him for doing this.

But I'll tell ya, it's not easy. The world knows it's hard for him-balancing his full time job, plus family, while being in grad school.
I just wish at times that the world could see, it's not so easy on my end, either.

Not that I want a pity party, but at this point in the semester, over a year into grad school now, I am feeling burned out.
I am getting tired of him having to devote nearly every weekend for school.
I am getting tired of doing dinner with the boys solo.
I'm tired of these strangers consuming his world.

I'm just tired.

I feel like this is a taste of playing single parent, and no thank you.
It's not easy. I give much credit to those who do this singlehandedly.

He will continue, he will finish.
I will continue, and I need to try and be less of a wimp about it.
But I needed to vent.
It's hard. Especially considering I have no family in town, and we only have one car.
Our choices, yes, but I also choose to vent about it now.
Just for this post.

Tomorrow I will be stronger and more brave.
I better be. My grad student -my husband- has a big test tomorrow. I need to be strong for him.
One more year...we'll make it.

Menu Plan Monday--November 16, 2009

Monday: Crockpot Pork & Potatoes
Tuesday: Chipped Beef Gravy
Wednesday: Crockpot Chicken Tacos
Thursday: Vegetable Quesadillas
Friday: Pasta Night

I love Laura's new banner! Isn't it beautiful & festive? she's the great host of MPM.

This week will be a busy one, with finalizing the Thanksgiving menu, cleaning, making room for guests, shopping, plus some activities at Aidan's school. Busy! I hope it will be a good week, for both myself and you.

Thanks for stopping by!

Giving Thanks: Round 3

Today I am Thankful for avocados.

Avocados on sale for $0.69/each!
That is a GREAT price, and we're going to the store.

MMMMMM. Mushy, green avocado....

I'm also grateful for Brennan sleeping until 6:15 this morning. Still early, yes, but it beats 5:00 (the time he's been waking up lately)

I'm grateful for buying most of our Thanksgiving things last night, including the pies, turkey, stuffing, some of the veggies, and DRUMROLL....saving $10 in coupons!

The coupon total may be higher, depending on today.

I bought those oven bags for $2.29, then this morning I saw a $1 off coupon for them. The store doubles up to a $1, so if they'll honor it, I'll get $2 back and score those oven bags for $0.29. The store is close enough to our house that we're willing to make the trip and see if they'll honor it. I hope so! I love good deals.
**they honored it, and less than 5 minutes later Patrick walked out of there with $4. Sweet!*

Of course I'm thankful for my family & friends. I just happen to be food-focused today. ;)

What are you thankful for? There has to be at least one thing!