Achievements and Turkeys

Oh what a week we are having. Mom called me yesterday to make sure I was feeling fine because "you haven't blogged in a while" and I guess she got bored at work not being able to read about her girls. Sorry, Mom. I had a bee in my bonnet and had to start making all those pretty crafts I've seen and been talkin' 'bout to you all. So off to Michael's and Joann to get all the goodies so I can copy everyone's ideas! So far so good, I've made about ten or so sweet paper crafts with my friend and neighbor Jessica. We are having fun with it. All of those great blogs also has given me yet another bee in my bonnet about re-decorating our family room, which will be happening soon. I'll let you know.

So, on Friday we got some fun news that Bug got elected to her school's student council! She is the only fourth grader on the council. She is the public relations officer! Way to go Bug!! When her daddy was in 6th grade he was elected as president of his school so she's taking after him! Daddy took her out for ice cream after school to celebrate. Buglette had her own little achievement herself... she climbed up six ladder rungs into their playhouse all by herself a few days ago. I was outside with her while she was playing in the sandbox, looked over and she was half-way up the ladder. I calmly went over (praying the whole time) and asked her what she thought she was doing. She looked down at me, smiled, pointed to the top platform while mumbling something and climbed the rest of the way. Now, mind you, she's sixteen months old! She's definitely my little independent, determined girl. Hubby said she is just like me. I wasn't like that as a child, just as an adult. Used appropriately I think those are good qualities...

Hubby wanted me to blog about 'the turkey'. Why he thinks you want to hear about this I don't know but here you go...

On Saturday I decided to make a turkey for us and neighbors that I told you about in the last posting. So, on Friday night I took it out of the freezer to thaw and put it in the laundry room sink in cold water. I asked Hubby to stick him in the fridge when he came up to bed after watching his movie. He forgot and I slept the whole night while said turkey slowly grew botulism or some other "bird flu" buggie that could kill us all. In the morning I knew I could not cook the bird and serve it (at least to people I love...) so out into the outside trash (in a bag) he went. As you know, I did cook another birdie who didn't kill anyone (that I'm aware of) and my family and neighbors still love me. Meanwhile, in the outside trash...

My next door neighbor asked the other neighbors if they had found their lost cat because "somethin' died out in the yards between our houses". Oops, my dyin' turkey is now officially dead and beyond. Me to my neighbor inquiring about the stench: "smell? no, I don't smell anything..." "oh that smell, yes I must confess, I killed our neighbor's cat"...

But seriously, our family has a long history of turkey catastrophes! The first bird my mother cooked (by the way my neighbor thinks it's absolutely hilarious and adorable (her words) that mom and I call it 'the bird') was for the entire family in the house we lived in in Lake Arrowhead, Ca. I mention the house because it had a ton of steps leading to the front door and I can just see my mother lugging the frozen turkey, a four-year-old (me) and a one-year-old (my brother) up all those stairs to just have the following happen to the bird. So, she gets up nice and early to prep birdie and get him in the oven. Hours later after he's roasted and ready and the family sits down to eat someone cuts into him and realizes all the 'parts' are still in him...cooked. Mom had never taken out the gizzards and neck etc... She's never lived it down. And now me of course with my dead cat, err, turkey story. The bad thing for me, though is that I've cooked several turkeys before! Hmm, all this turkey talk makes me hungry for fish...

All Manner of Things Black and White

Good morning! It's Sunday morning and the Hubby and I are up with the girls... he made pancakes, the girls played outside and I am drinking my coffee sittin' on this here computer. Last night (make that yesterday too) I cooked a turkey, green beans with onions and bacon, mashed potatoes and an angel food cake trifle. We had friends and neighbors from two doors up over. We enjoy their company, their girls are around Bug's age so they're always running back and forth between houses playing (oh how I love that they can do that in this day and age). My friend's mom and sister just got back from a missions trip to El Salvador and we had them over for dinner too and got to hear all about the trip. There is such need all over the world. I was going to take some outgrown shoes and clothes from my girls to Goodwill but friend's mom then told me about little children who have never even owned one pair of shoes before and they wear the same clothes day after day. I think I will try to get a box together to go to the church for those children. When I think about all the things, clothes, shoes in my girls' closets and then the need that's just everywhere it breaks my heart. This recession may just be a good thing for this country's kids.

I found a new charity shop (sort of like a thrift store I guess) that I want to visit. I saw on a blog that this mom found an old white, small cupboard and turned it into a play kitchen for her daughter. Wouldn't that be fun! I have thought about getting Buglette a kitchen for Christmas and would want a wooden one but boy, are they pricey! I found one online at Target but even that's at least $200! No thanks. So I'm accepting ideas and suggestions! I would love to find and restore to girlie-kitchen- quality a little cupboard!

Hubby had an interesting week at work. He called me Monday night to let me know he would be a little late for dinner because he had, um, locked his keys in his work car (an obvious police vehicle) um, while it was running. That's right, a cop had to call AAA and ask for help gettin' his keys out and turning off the car. The AAA lady had to get the vehicle description... hubby: "um, it's a Ford Crown Victoria" AAA lady: "and the color?" hubby: "uh, it's black with white trim..." about this point in hubby telling me I was on the floor holding my sides dying of laughter. If you at all know hubby you know this is the kind of stuff that happens to him ALL the time. He's a bit like Barney Fife. He's also incredible endearing and lovable so everyone forgives him for his little 'mishaps'.

Side note... he works at the police academy teaching for overtime detail sometimes at night. He told me there's a skunk that lives there stinkin' up the place, gettin' into trash and makin' a mess of the place. I could just see all the cops watching this thing and no one wanting to get near it. Murderers, drug dealers, all manner of bad guys they'll face but one skunk and forget it, they'll deal with his antics! I told hubby they should name him Black and White...