Thanksgiving Day

Alfonso was forced to work Thanksgiving day. When he called with the news I had two options: Option one (my favorite): pout...loudly. Option two: be thankful my husband has a job. You might be surprised but I did indeed choose option two, though option one sounded far more thrilling. I'm not a saint and my habitual tendency to choose option one is proof of that.

I met my parents, sister, and Grandma at my Grandpa's house. My Grandpa has always been a fan of Christmas so when we mentioned leaving his tree up year round a few years ago, he was sure happy. We spent part of the day removing the Easter decorations and replacing them with ornaments. I'm not sure if Grandpa noticed, but I know the bright lights will surely catch his eye soon enough.

Cabin getaway

This past weekend was spent with friends in a beautiful cabin.  The weather was gorgeous.  While we had no fresh snow while we were there, we found just enough snow to do some sledding and make a few snowballs.  With no itinerary, we spent quality time with good friends.  

Mia took out the powerwheel for a ride during one of our walks.  The poor kid was later pummeled with more than a few snowballs.  It wasn't the snow on her that seemed to bother her, instead she was upset about what landed on her "bikt" (you'd probably call it a "bike").  As she brushed off the snow, she looked at me and said, "Mama, my bikt".

I call this "Going,..."

"...going,..."

"...GONE!"

Maybe severing of the tongue was a possibility, but at least the noggin was protected

Park Day

Yes, yes, here's post two for the night.  If I'm lucky I might even get a third in too.  We've been gone ten out of the last fourteen days, so life has been a little busy.  I know...poor me.

I meet up with my friend Heather because it had just been too long.  The kids had a blast and no money leaving the ol' pocketbook is always a good thing.  And because its still early, I'll offer a little photo narration of a part of our day.

The kids are on safer "ground" in this picture. We had tried to tour the pond, but found ourselves instead running from geese. Despite the reveal of empty pockets, the geese were certain bread was hidden somewhere. All eyes on the geese.

Initially we believed the chase was over, but the geese were relentless. Maybe it was the look of fear in Mia's eyes. Here's Mia observing the return of our stalkers.

And in case you missed it, or you find a little one clearly in distress hysterical, here's a closeup.

Before you judge me harshly, the geese were really, really far away and the picnic bench was plenty tall. 

Spencer allowed me to snap a few pictures of him.  What a handsome little guy.

St. Louis/Illinois Trip

 Spencer digging for "gold"

Our trip to St. Louis/Illinois was just what we needed.  We got out a bit, but didn't overdo it.  I'm beginning to realize the best times are often spent doing nothing.  Without a ringing phone, email to keep up with, and a slew of household chores, even I kicked up my feet.

We went to the St. Louis Zoo again.  Really, who can possibly pass up the free admission?! 

Another attempt at domesticity

Here's what was for dinner, and most importantly, dessert tonight.

Despite the story the picture may tell, this is the best meatball recipe I've come across. I found it in our MOPS cookbook.

Neely Family Secret Meatballs
(and you're in on the secret)

1 lb. ground beef (90% or better...I used 96%)
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 T ground black pepper
1 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded (I used freshly grated Parmegiano Reggiano)
1 egg
1 cup Italian style bread crumbs (I just used overly toasted bread and dried basil and put it in our mini food processor)
2 T olive oil

Mix all ingredients (except olive oil) together with your hands. Form into small balls (about the size of a golf ball). Heat a large skillet over medium heat; add olive oil and heat until hot, but not smoking. Place meatballs in pan; cook for about 10 minutes total, turning every 2-3 minutes, until all sides are browned. Serve with pasta and sauce.

Blueberry Pie

Pie crust
Two bags of frozen blueberries
Add sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon to taste

I baked the pie for 15 minutes at 450. After that I (sloppily) added foil to the edges of the crust to prevent overcooking. Continue baking at 350 for approximately 60 minutes. Watch hubby drool (I love that...it doesn't happen much here!)

Popeye and Olive Oyl

I'm completely partial, but I don't think I've ever seen a cuter Popeye and Olive Oyl.