Weekend Wrap-up!

So the Christmas season is officially upon us?

Thursday mom took Jenna and they cooked Thanksgiving dinner. Mom warned us that it was going to be very non-traditional and something a soon-to-be-five-year-old could muster. How about a mostaccioli bake? And a pudding pie? Very non-traditional, but very good.

Wednesday night into Friday morning I was busy getting Christmas set up in the house. Here are some examples:

I found this lovely specimen of a reindeer at my favorite place for Christmas; Pier 1. Buying this prompted a return trip to Target across the street so I could buy a plain wreath and two boxes of multi-colored glass ornaments to make a centerpiece.In the corner of the dining room is Santa and Tammy Faye Reindeer. Though it's hard to see she has REALLY LONG eyelashes, hence her name. She's been in the family for about 20 years and the joke is still good.In the dining room looking towards the kitchen are two wreaths I made last year; same plain wreaths with 28 glass ornaments each from Target. Each cost me about $10 to make. I hot-glued the balls into the wreath and used door bell thingies that had the bow and bells already made.

You'll see in the next couple of photos that I have a real problem with glass ornaments....See? And this doesn't even show the ones on the tree or the ones on the table next to the tree, though if you look at the metal reindeer picture you'll see a little display tree with more balls on it. I'm very picky about my glass ornaments; they have to come from Eastern Bloc countries. Period. None of this "Made in China" crap. Part of my family comes from Bohemia. Some remind me of family and things I grew up with. One dates back to 1967; right before my parents were married and is part of their original set.I also have a problem with snowmen though I haven't added to either collection in a couple of years. The second grouping of snowmen is from Sandy Gore Evans, an artist out of Kansas and these are her Frosty Follies. She died of breast cancer, I believe, and therefore, there are no more Frosty Follies. I found a good chunk on eBay but they go quickly.And here's the tree all decked out. It's a 7' tree that Kmart had two years ago; the Retro. Pre-lit in C7 bulbs. Growing up I remember taking walks around the neighborhood looking at lights and remembering all the big bulbed trees in the windows. That, and the mini lights with the plastic star bursts around them. Remember those? The Village is up under the tree, complete with the joke from 1986 when mom started painting the village; one of the houses is lit with a red bulb and there is a Madame standing out front. Of course, this house of ill refute is in close proximetry of the church!

Saturday we drove down to Overland Park to hang with my sister and gorge on deep-fried turkey again. Prior to the turkey we experimented with other deep-fried delights like Twinkies, Snickers, marshmallows, and Oreos. It was non-stop eating from when we stepped thorugh the door.

Driving back I gassed up in St. Joe, MO for $1.39!!! I also had only a half-gallon left or roughly 10 miles before I was completely empty! However, I filled up for $18!!!

Welcome, Christmas!!