From our table to yours...

Happy Thanksgiving

"Reflect upon your present blessings,

of which every man has plenty,

not on your past misfortunes,

of which every man has some."

~Charles Dickens

Field trip

The first graders of Wanda Gray had an excursion to the Discovery Center yesterday morning, and I was honored that Macauley asked me to come along as a chaperone. The place is mostly a science museum and we've been there before, so being the English teacher/verbal person I am, I wasn't all that into going through it all again. But I know the day will come that Macauley doesn't want me to go anywhere with him...


He was most excited about riding the bus, which he never has to/gets to do since we only live a two-minute walk from his school. I had to take him to the dentist later that afternoon and offered to let him just leave the field trip with me and go out to lunch, but he didn't want to miss the ride back across town.

I was assigned to watch my own child and Macauley's buddy Brandon. Brandon has such an impish little face and is always smiling. He cracks me up and is very sweet. The boys got along great and managed to get their paws on most of the interactive displays despite us only having an hour to do the whole museum.

"The world's mine oyster."

~Wm. Shakespeare

Little Turkey

Macauley has come home with all manner of Thanksgiving-related crafts these last couple of weeks. Most recently was the headband (with graphics that tell a story of a man getting into a canoe, going fishing, seeing some flowers, going home to his wife, then it rains) and the adorable little potato turkey.

He also came home with what he called "wearable art," a fringed satchel he made from a paper bag. He showed it to Ryan, who said, "Really cool...looks like it's for an Indian." Macauley just shook his head and let out a big breath and said, "Uh, Dad? NATIVE AMERICAN!"

Feast at the lake

We got to go to the Wises' lake house on Table Rock yesterday to celebrate an early Thanksgiving with our Drury friends. We all met around 1:00 (without kids), loaded the fridge and oven with all the goodies we brought, then headed out on the pontoon for a cruise.


We hadn't gotten to see our BFFs, Adrian and Stephanie Rhoads, in a month or so. Steph is training for a marathon and had on the jacket she earned a few weeks ago doing a 13.1 mile trail race near Branson.

Gina Wise, the hostess with the mostest, and our California transplant, Ray Turner.

Ray's wife, Yvonne, and Jen Swan, my suitemate my freshman year, from one of my all-time favorite places, Eureka Springs.

Wes Wise, our host and pontoon pilot, fills 'er up.

Jen and Chris Swan

Back at the house, Wes made a fire and we sat outside and laughed and listened to the lake while we waited for dinner to cook. Their house is really big, with plenty of room for lots of overnight guests, and we've had a great time each time we've gotten to stay there.

Everyone brought great food, but I'd have to give the MVP award to Yvonne, who made the turkey, infused with rosemary and thyme, as well as a cranberry dressing that has converted Ryan forever, and the very best stuffing I've ever tasted.

We played Apples to Apples and several hours of Band Hero, laughing and talking about the old days and what everyone's families are up to now. We're lucky to have old friends who knew us both pre-parenthood and now. I'm thankful for that.

Date night

I don't know if it makes me a Twi-hard or not, but Ryan was sweet enough to take me to the premier of New Moon Friday night. The place was a madhouse, and there was an audible buzz of excitement in the theatre as the show started. I read all four of the books last spring and got pulled into the story, so I was interested to see what came next in the film series. This movie was quieter, slower, but so was the book, so I enjoyed the way the movie really captured the writing. Some of the dialogue was cheesy, but that's (teen) romance for you sometimes, I guess. The ending segued right into the next installment, so now I guess we wait for Eclipse.

What I bought

For all the distance out of the way we drove to antique on the way home from our KC weekend, the finds were kind of slim. But I got a few things, including this old black suitcase for $5, which already found a great place on the shelf above my mudroom bench with another little train case I have.

I have quite a collection of small old animals, and this bunny will live with them and maybe venture out to another part of the house during Easter decorating.

I can think of other people in my life who like squirrels, so this little S & P set might move on to one of them. Or I might keep them. I love the soap dish. Very chunky.

I got the LOV to go with an E I already have stashed somewhere. Where that is I can't figure out right now, but it's somewhere.

This soap box and all the Christmas ornaments below are not vintage. This was my haul (in addition to a cute pair of casual Steve Madden moccasins) from the giant Home Goods and Marshall's superstore in Overland Park (I think--119th Avenue maybe?). I could have looked around there much longer, but dinner plans (and my two boys) kept me in hurry mode. That's probably a good thing...

What I saw

We made a detour (towards Columbia) on the way home from KC on Sunday to hit a huge antique mall called The Brass Armadillo. It's actually in a little town called Grain Valley, and we stopped at a couple of other small shops in town. I don't know that I will ever request this detour again. I always have fun antiquing, and I did find a few things. But much of what I saw wasn't really what I'm into these days. Fun to look at, though.

We did make it to the gigantic Brass Armadillo and the boys were real troopers and let me walk the whole place. Macauley wanted this huge pumpkin, and it was a pretty good deal I think. I had been to this antique mall once before and remembered it a little differently. There was really only one booth that as a whole caught my eye this time.

I did really like these shutters, which would go well flanking my display hutch in the dining room during the holidays, but I couldn't see us cramming them into the car this trip. The deer makes me sad. Overpopulation, I know...but I still don't like the thought of killing something so beautiful. I just don't see how people are driven to do so, have that thirst to end a life.

These bottles were in the one booth I liked...very shabby.

We did go home with a few things. Not this cute little puppy. Tempting though. A lady and her son had a pickup pulled up to the entrance of the antique mall and were trying to find homes for five farm dog puppies napping in the truckbed. They were all cute in their very mixed breed way and very calm. This one especially was so still and so cuddly to hold. I did briefly have the thought of bringing the copper-colored cutie home and calling her Penny. But I wouldn't want my Booker Bear to be jealous and we certainly don't need another responsibility. You know how it is when you look in a puppy's eyes, though. The little antiquing jaunt added several hours to our journey home, so I appreciate my boys being willing to work it in for me.