R.I.P. Gateway J., 2006-2010

Gateway J., the beloved laptop computer of Joanna J., died suddenly on January 30, 2010.  She was only 3 1/2 years old.  

Adopted from the local Best Buy store, Gateway J. grew up in a loving home.  She was not the fastest and most technically advanced of her peers, but she faithfully tackled every job given to her.  Her lifetime accomplishments include record-keeping for growing Avon and EBay businesses, family photo storage, and protection of an extensive recipe collection.  Even at the end of a hard workday, Gateway J. was always willing to play a friendly game of Spider Solitaire.  It is because of Gateway J. that this blog, Grace In The Home, came into existence.

Gateway J. was often seen as a companion for Joanna J.  She loved to travel in a stylish bag and she enjoyed being seen at local Starbucks and Barnes & Noble stores.  Her cheery desktop backgrounds always made people feel happy.  She loved to entertain her big sister, Grace J., with preschool websites and activities.

Although her last year was spent in poorer health, Gateway J. had no interest in retiring.  Her last official duty was publishing the blog article Kindergarten Contemplations.  

A brief memorial service was held today in the Geek Squad waiting room, presided over by Gary, Senior Geek Squad Technician.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Gateway Motherboard Research Center.

Kindergarten Contemplations

It’s hard to believe that I’m even writing this post because I am having difficulty with the fact that my baby will soon be old enough for school.  It really doesn’t seem like five years since Todd and I held her in our arms and thanked God for her miraculous birth!  And I’ve heard it only gets faster…

We have some big decisions coming up in the next couple of months about Grace’s education.  There are so many things to consider.  Of course, each option has both pros and cons, and we are prayerfully seeking the best choice for us.

Side note:  This post is not meant to criticize any school or program.  A parent’s right to determine the best education for their child(ren) is a highly personal and subjective matter.  There is no right answer for everyone!

Todd and I have not made a final decision yet, but here are the options that are available and my thoughts on the matter:

1.  LOCAL PUBLIC SCHOOL

PROS:  I am a former employee of the current district in which we reside.  I know a lot of people and I have a high level of confidence in the kindergarten program in our neighborhood school.  This is obviously the easiest option for us to choose because it is FREE and CONVENIENT (a short walking distance from our home).  It would be quite easy for me to become involved in the school.  A few of Grace’s friends from church will be beginning this school in the fall, so she will see some familiar faces.  It would also be nice to be a part of the local community in which we live.

CONS:  The class size is large (up to 21) and Grace has a tendency to get lost in the crowd.  She is rather quiet and reserved (until you get to know her), and she doesn’t bring a lot of attention to herself.  I’m afraid that she might not get as much academic attention as she would in another option.  Also, I’ve been in a lot of kindergarten classes and I’ve seen a lot of shocking things.  Regardless of how excellent the teacher is, in a public classroom, Grace will be exposed to things I would rather her not see.  I have no desire for her to grow up in a bubble, completely shut off from reality, but Todd and I have a responsibility to protect her as best we can.

2.  LOCAL CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

PROS:  Smaller class sizes and an emphasis on spiritual growth are the biggest advantages to this option.  The academic rigor is also well-known.  Many of our church friends attend and/or work in this school.  The location is convenient (about 2-3 miles), and the area is very safe.  Most of the families/employees in this school share similar values and I know it would be a great place for us to get involved and make new friends.

CONS:  The main problem is cost.  Private school is quite expensive, and in order for Grace to attend this school, I would need to go back to work.  This is something that we are considering, but it is not ideal.  When I resigned from public education three years ago to become a full-time homemaker, we realized that it was exactly what our family needed.  That topic warrants an entire post, but everyone is happier since I stepped out of the workforce.

3.  LOCAL FINE ARTS CHARTER SCHOOL

PROS:  This is a relatively new charter school with an excellent reputation.  The kindergarten class size is only 12, and there is an emphasis on fine arts:  ballet, music, and art.  This is right up Grace’s alley.  Instead of one ballet class per week, she would receive classical ballet four days per week.  The academic rigor is respectable as evidenced by high testing scores.  The convenience is good (about 5 miles away) in a safe area.  I have friends who have put their children in this school and are very happy.  I am looking forward to a tour with the principal next Tuesday where I can learn more about the curriculum and see the learning in action.  Another wonderful benefit is that this is a FREE option! 

CONS:  It is still a public school venue, and many of the challenges would be the same as in our local public school option.  And, since Todd and I were both former fine arts teachers in a public school setting, I can say with some level of experience that artsy people are different.  World views, philosophies, values, etc. are not always going to be consistent with what we are teaching her in our home.  That’s not necessarily all bad, because it will provide opportunities for us to talk and teach her things from a biblical perspective.  But we also feel a responsibility to surround Grace with like-minded friends and teachers to give her a solid foundation before she spreads her wings and flies off into the world!

4.  HOMESCHOOL

This is the option that both excites and scares me the most.  There are moments when I think, “I can do this!  It’ll be fun!”  And there are other moments when I tell myself, “No way.  What if I do a terrible job?  What if I forget to teach her something?  What if …?  What if…?”  Anyway, here goes:

PROS:  I honestly believe this is what Todd wants.  For whatever reason, he thinks I will do a good job. I also believe that Grace would love it.  She enjoys our times of reading and learning that we do together now, and I think that it could naturally progress into a more structured homeschool setting.  The most obvious advantage to homeschooling is that Todd and I make the decisions about what and how to teach her: spiritually, educationally, etc.  There is great freedom in the homeschool classroom, and I could tailor our program to meet her needs exclusively.  There is a HUGE homeschool support system in our area, and many families that I esteem highly have chosen this path for their children.  There are programs that I could take advantage of like co-op groups and TAFA (Travis Academy of Fine Arts), which is a fabulous fine arts education program for homeschool children in our area.  There is also great flexibility in the homeschool schedule.  I could decide to take a day to explore the local children’s museum or observe animals at the zoo or learn about Texas history at the Cowgirl Museum.  In addition to standard kindergarten curriculum, I would have time to spend teaching her things that I love like cooking, sewing, music, etc. 

CONS:  My biggest fear is that I won’t do a good job.  But, I guess it’s kind of like parenting:  you seek God’s guidance through scripture and pray for the discipline to do what is right.  Although I have moments of fear, I have finally come to a peace that if I approach this with a heart that is willing and eager to train Grace “the way she should go” (Prov. 22:6) that God will bless that endeavor.  If we do choose to homeschool, then there will be the expense of curriculum, setting up a learning environment at home, and enrolling her in enrichment activities like athletics and/or dance.  We would also pay for TAFA and memberships to places like museums, the zoo, etc.  These expenses are minimal compared to the cost of private school, but they are expenses nonetheless.  We also have concerns that Grace is an only child.  She is naturally shy, although she seems to be gaining more confidence every day.  We would counter this challenge and provide her opportunities for socialization through church, homeschool groups, TAFA, sports teams, ballet classes, etc.

I do have the added comfort of knowing that even if we make the “wrong” decision and our situation doesn’t work out, it’s not the end of the world.  It’s not like we’re committing to one plan of education for the next 13 years!  We can always re-evaluate and follow a different path on a future date. 

As you can see, we have a lot to think and pray about.  I would appreciate any words of wisdom or guidance from folks out there who have faced similar decisions.  I realize that everyone’s situation is different, so please feel free to leave thoughts about your own experience!

A Lesson In Shoplifting

Yesterday I witnessed a creative shoplifting technique at my local dollar store.  Grace and I were in the back of the store perusing the Jet Dry Rinse Aids when a young man came over to look for an employee. 

The kid was nervous and awkward and he started babbling about a neighboring dollar store that had just been robbed.  We heard a detailed description of how the store had been closed and there were several cop cars in front.  He had been trying to go to the other store to buy a microwave.  (Yeah, right, the dollar store carries microwaves…) 

Anyway, because of the sensational story he was telling, the front two employees wandered to the back to hear what was going on.  The manager got out her cell phone and started trying to call the store that was (supposedly) being robbed. 

With all the employees in a huddle in the back, the kid made his way back to the front of the store.  I followed him and saw him walk up to the battery display and start stuffing his pockets.  Then he slipped quickly out the door and ran off.  I turned around to go back and tell the employees and I saw the manager walking up behind me.  She had seen him take off through the window.

Grace and I heard all sorts of colorful descriptives from the infuriated manager…it was a classic “distract & rob” technique.  I’ll admit that part of me wanted to take off running after the kid and drag him back to the store by his ear…it’s the band director coming out in me…or my Nana.  Anyway, I just stood there and watched.

You have to admit the kid is pretty creative.

Quick Update

I’ve been pretty busy lately, but I wanted to give a quick update about what’s going on with me and our family these days.

My exercise and healthy eating plan has been going well.  I work out about an hour every day…treadmill, The Shred, or both.  It’s been good to get back into a routine.  My jeans were pretty tight at the end of our two-week Christmas vacation, and it’s nice to now be within two pounds of my lowest weight!  It makes me excited about keeping up my good habits and perhaps seeing my goal this spring!

I’ve also embarked on a plan to read the Bible in 90 days.  This challenge was given by our pastor, and many of my church friends are on this journey with me.  I’ll admit that I’m behind about three days at this point, but I catch up a little more every day. 

Grace is enjoying being back at home and going to her ballet class.  Next Monday I will register her for kindergarten.  Yikes!  I can’t believe our baby is that old.  We are attempting to get her into a local charter school of the arts.  They enroll based on a blind lottery system, so we’ll find out mid-March whether her number was drawn.  If not, there are many other options that we are continuing to explore.

Todd is back at work as a high school administrator.  He is preparing for the spring testing season as well as a huge career fair that he organizes.  His doctoral classes will begin again next week, so he stays pretty busy as well.

My blogging has taken a backseat among all our activities, but I will try to update at least once per week about family news, diet, and exercise goals.  And if anyone wants to join me in my goal to read the Bible in 90 days, let me know in the comment section!  It’s been a blessing so far, and I’d love to hear other people’s feedback about the journey!

Christmas Break

Hello blog world!  I’ve missed everyone.  The last couple of weeks have been filled with family, traveling, and spotty internet connections. 

Over the last two weeks, we have:

• driven 2435.7 miles across eight states
• celebrated Grace’s actual 5th birthday
• visited Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, TN
• spent Christmas with Todd’s mom and other relatives on his family farm in Bedford, VA
• rung in the New Year with my grandmother in Gadsden, AL
• celebrated my 35th birthday (gulp!)

We had a good trip, but I’ll admit there’s nothing like using your own shower and tumbling into your own bed when you get home after traveling.

I’m happy to report that Grace has reached “professional traveler” status…she was happy 99% of the time.  She watched Barbie in A Christmas Carol about 47 times, read books, played her Leapster, sang “Mary and Joseph” about 2549 times in every possible vocal range and key, and entertained us with stories. 

We are so thankful for God’s protection on the road during all our driving!  And our awesome 1996 Isuzu Oasis minivan is truckin’ along quite comfortably at 229,000 miles!  Gotta love it.

For my Christmas/birthday present, my sweet husband bought me an iPhone!  It is SO INCREDIBLE.  I am so comforted to know that I’LL NEVER BE LOST AGAIN.  And who knew there were so many opportunities in the day to catch a quick game of Bejeweled Blitz?  And imagine my delight when I discovered I can check the weather, pay a bill, or update my Facebook status in a matter of seconds?  Thank you, honey!

I wish I had some good pictures to post from our trip, but I haven’t figured out yet how to transfer pictures from my iPhone to my computer.  I’m still looking for the iPhone for Dummies book.

Life is slowing back down a little now, so I’m looking forward to getting back into a routine with housekeeping, babysitting, church, blogging, diet, exercise, etc.  My plan is to start The Shred again tomorrow (ouch).  My jeans got a little tighter during our trip, and I need to get back on track with my health goals.  Can I get an “amen?”

If I can lift my fingers enough to type tomorrow after Jillian Michaels kicks my you-know-what, I’ll share a few things about our vacation…which thankfully didn’t involve any roadside assistance or questionable hotel rooms this time.

Grace’s 5th Birthday

Happy Birthday sweet girl!  Five years ago today our lives changed forever.  How thankful we are for the gift of our precious daughter! 

 

This year we are spending the holidays with Todd’s mom in Tennessee, so we celebrated her birthday at our favorite place…Dollywood! 

But first, we had to open a few presents after breakfast.  A car for Malibu Barbie!

 

The Snow White DVD that she’s been wanting for weeks!

She also received an Ariel bathtime toy, a beautiful ballerina ornament, Sleeping Beauty pajamas, and several books.

After a quick lunch, we left for Dollywood’s Christmas Extravaganza.  It was awesomely beautiful with over 3.5 million lights all over the park.  It was fun to share this special day with Nan (Todd’s mom).

We saw fabulous shows, rode rides, watched a parade, and enjoyed the holiday decorations.  It was freezing, but Grace didn’t seem to mind.  The Smoky Mountains had a coating of snow at the high elevations, and Christmas was in the air.  As usual, the park was immaculately clean and the staff was entertaining and always in character!

Here is Todd and Grace on the ferris wheel.

After a fun and busy day, we ate dinner at our favorite Pigeon Forge restaurant, Calhoun’s Steakhouse.  Everyone, including Grace, was ravenous after walking around in Arctic temperatures for several hours, and we enjoyed a relaxing meal.  The wait staff sang “Happy Birthday” to Grace (much to her delight), and gave her a free hot fudge sundae. 

We watched Snow White in the car on the way home, and tucked a happy little girl into bed around 10:00!

Tomorrow we’re driving to Todd’s family farm in Bedford, Virginia.  There is already 18 inches of snow on the ground with more expected by Christmas, so Grace is looking forward to building a snowman for the first time!  There is little to no internet access at the farm, so it might be a week or so until my next post. 

I wish everyone a very merry Christmas as we celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ!

Wedding Weekend

We had a fun-filled and busy weekend, full of sweet family and friends celebrating the marriage of Cal and Claire.  Last summer, they asked Grace to be the flower girl, and Grace has been eagerly anticipating the moment ever since she realized that she would wear a princess tiara for the ceremony!

Of course, we spent quite a while explaining to her that CLAIRE AND CAL were getting married, not HER.  Whoa.  Please put on the brakes about 30 years! 

Anyway, Thursday night was Claire’s bachelorette party, and I had tons of fun making a few treats for the girls to enjoy.  Here are my wedding cake pops.  It’s white brandied cake dipped in white chocolate candy on a lollipop stick!  I couldn’t resist adding the candy pearls and tiny poinsettias.

And here’s the main cake.  It’s devil’s food with chocolate truffle filling, covered in fondant to look like a lingerie gift box!

Friday night was the rehearsal.  We took a few pictures before we left the house.  I don’t think the basket left her hand all night…she loved it.

Here she is with beautiful Claire at the rehearsal.

We took time during a break for a quick family photo.  I’m not sure what Todd and I are looking at.  We can just never seem to get a good photo, which is why nobody’s getting a Christmas card again this year.  Well, that and because I’m a terrible procrastinator.

Now it’s Saturday and we’re getting ready before the wedding.  I got dizzy after a while watching her twirl around constantly in her “princess dress” in front of the mirror.

Here she is before the ceremony with Cal, the eager groom.

Another blurry, failed attempt to get a good picture for a last-minute Christmas card.

Minutes before the wedding….

After much prayer, stress, and anxiety, I was relieved that she did great during her walk down the aisle!  She smiled, walked slowly, and threw the flowers perfectly.  She also did great with all the pictures and did everything the photographer asked her to do.  We were so thankful and happy that she enjoyed herself!

And here she is after the ceremony holding her audience captive with a highly entertaining story, I’m sure…

I’m sorry to say that I don’t have any pictures of the beautiful reception because there were no Kodak moments.  Our sweet flower girl reached her sweet and obedient limit for the day and was in no mood to dance or party.  I didn’t take pictures of anybody or anything else at the reception because I was dealing with her dramatic mood shift.   We decided to call it a night around 9:30 and go home to get her in bed after a long and exhausting day. 

What a complete pleasure it was for our family to be involved in such a wonderful, God-honoring union of two precious people.  We wish Cal and Claire many wonderful years together as they build a family of faith.

Grace’s 5th Birthday Party!

It’s so hard to believe our little girl turns five years old this month.  It seems like just yesterday we were changing diapers and teaching her how to walk.  I’ve heard the passage of time only gets faster, which is both grievous and exciting.  We love each new phase of her life.  Watching her grow up and mature is so special, yet sometimes we want to just put on the brakes and hold her close, forcing her to stay that little girl snuggled on our lap!

On Saturday, we invited ten little girls from her Sunday School class over to our home for a cupcake-decorating party!  It was loads of fun and worth all the effort and preparation!

My precious friend Joy came over early to help me prepare the food.  I couldn’t have done it without her!

Here’s a picture of the lunch spread.  I served peanut butter sandwiches, turkey sandwiches, chips and dip, a veggie tray, an AWESOME fruit tree (with marshmallow dip) that Joy put together, cupcake pops, and birthday cake.

After eating lunch, each friend got a baker’s hat to decorate with foamies and stickers!  I also sewed each little girl a cupcake apron as a party favor.

Then we decorated cupcakes with endless toppings and sprinkles!  If only I had a dollar for each sprinkle that ended up on the floor after the party!

I had fun making her birthday cake!  She wanted a giant cupcake-themed cake with polka dots!  Chocolate, of course!

After opening some sweet gifts from her friends, the girls went in the backyard to jump in a big bounce house!  It was really fun and had a basketball goal on the inside.

Grace had a BLAST at her party.  It was perfect for her, and we’re so thankful for all her little girlfriends from church that helped make it so special!

Christmas Goings-On

I’ve been pretty busy lately with parties, Christmas baking, and entertaining.  I love this time of year, and it gives me so much joy to cook and host people in our home.  But it’s severely limited my time to read or write blog posts, play Bejeweled Blitz on Facebook, and catch up on DVR’d episodes of Monk and The Closer.  You know, the important things in life.

Anyway, I’ll start with my precious Pre-K/Kinder Choir at my church.  We had our annual Christmas program last Sunday night, and here’s a picture of us warming up and giving last instructions before singing.  You can see that Grace is practicing her “asleep on the hay” choreography.

How cute are these kiddos?  I’ll admit that it was a tough sell to get some of my little guys to wear a white frock with a big red bow, but when I sold it as “Superman’s Special Christmas Cape”, most were eager to wear it!

They walked down the long aisles of our church with tea light candles and sang beautifully.  I was very proud of them!

Later in the week, I had the pleasure of catering the desserts for Todd’s Faculty Christmas Luncheon.  Here’s a picture of the spread:

The cake in the back is a yellow cake with almond buttercream.  It has a fondant poinsettia on the top.  The snowflake cake is red velvet with cream cheese frosting.  The cupcakes are also red velvet with cream cheese frosting.  The Merry Christmas cake is devil’s food with espresso buttercream filling.  They were all fun to make and I’m glad I could do something for his staff, which is full of really great people!

We also had some special guests spend the weekend with us.  The Bakers came down from Oklahoma to stay with us and attend our church’s Christmas music program last night with guest artist Scot Cameron.  Unfortunately, Grace came down with bronchitis and I had to stay home with her.  (More on that later).  But staying at home with Grace gave me extra time to visit with our guests and play a few extra games of Rummicub!

So far, December has been a whirlwind.  Things are slowing down a little this week.  We’re looking forward to our friend Claire’s wedding this weekend!  Not only do we get to rejoice in the union of two precious souls, but Grace has her big debut as a flower girl! 

Monkey Business

The other night, Todd invited us to his school’s basketball game.  We met him for dinner beforehand at a restaurant close to the school.  There was a man walking around who was giving balloon animals to the children for “kid’s night”, and we fell in love with this special creation for Grace:

Have you ever seen a more intricate balloon toy?  In case you can’t tell from my superior picture-taking abilities, it’s a monkey climbing a banana tree.  That guy had serious skills.  It was quite the hit at the 9th grade basketball game later that evening. 

Todd’s team won the game, and Grace had fun watching the cheerleaders and the kangaroo mascot.  She even wanted to hug the ‘roo after the game, which was a major milestone.  She normally wants nothing to do with costumed characters of any kind.  It really made us want to take her to Disneyworld!

Christmas Cookies

Grace and I were invited to a Christmas Tea at our pastor’s home last weekend, and we had fun making these special treats to carry with us!

The most challenging task was keeping Todd’s paws off of them before the party!  He was quite happy to see that we brought a few back home that afternoon.

These are actually semi-homemade.  Betty Crocker’s sugar cookie mix is pretty good and so easy to make.  We decorated them with royal icing and sprinkles! 

Christmas Party

Last night, Todd and I went to his faculty Christmas party.  Grace had a princess party at her good friend Aurora’s house while we enjoyed a rare night out alone!

We tried to take a picture with the timer on our camera, and this was the best we could get.

 

It was a potluck party, so I enjoyed preparing a couple of things.  First, my friend Therese’s Tex-Mex Cheese Ball recipe is amazing.  Seriously,  it’s the best cheese ball I’ve ever tasted.  I added my little twist by shaping it into a Christmas tree and rolling it in cilantro.  Then I decorated it with an almond garland and red pepper ornaments!  A cheese star was the finishing touch.

 Tex-Mex Cheese Ball

2 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese – softened

3 green onions, chopped

1 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese

3 tbsp. taco seasoning mix

1/4 c. salsa

1 c. pecans, chopped and toasted

2 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped

Chopped almonds and red peppers for garnish

Mix first six ingredients together and chill until firm.  Shape into a Christmas tree shape and roll in chopped cilantro.  Garnish with almonds, peppers, and a cheese star.  Serve with crackers.

The latest edition of the Food Network Magazine had a great section on Christmas cookies.  I made the Chunky Christmas Cookies and they didn’t disappoint!  They weren’t kidding when they named them “chunky” because it’s basically a ton of candy and chips barely held together by cookie dough.

We had a lot of fun and I enjoyed meeting all the good folks that work with Todd.  We even lost miserably at played pool for a while.  The last time I played pool was 1992…Howard’s…Samford U.  Any bulldogs out there remember?

Visit with Mimi and Granddaddy

When the day finally arrived for us to leave on our Thanksgiving trip to my parents’ home, Grace could barely contain her excitement!  When I started loading the car, she jumped up in her booster seat and got situated. 

It reminded me of all the times we loaded our big blue bear van when I was a kid…traveling to Gadsden, AL to visit the grandparents.  I would stake my claim on the left captain’s chair and dare my brothers to cross the imaginary line.  Everything (snacks, books, games, drinks) were situated no more than an arm’s length away in order to maximize convenience…much like I do now when I sit on the couch to watch The Biggest Loser.

Here is Mimi reading Grace a book before bed on the night we arrived after our memorable adventure on the road.

One of the sweetest moments was listening to Granddaddy and Grace make beautiful music together!  Well, beautiful to my ears!  I love watching Grace play my childhood piano.

 

My parents also took Grace and Vincent to Chuck E. Cheese’s one afternoon, but for some reason my camera won’t upload those pictures.  It was REALLY crowded, but we still had fun. 

We had a great time during our quick Thanksgiving trip, and we can’t wait to go back soon.  Grace and I are planning a road trip for January or February to visit my sis-in-law Jaimie and my two beautiful nieces, who are visiting for a few months from Hawaii while my brother Jon is serving in Afghanistan. 

Dad had already left for church on Sunday morning, so we didn’t get a dressed-up picture with him, but here’s one last sweet picture with Mimi.

Fun With Cousin Vincent

My sweet sis-in-law Audra surprised us over Thanksgiving and brought Vincent for a visit to my parents’ home during the holiday!  Grace and Vincent hadn’t seen each other since June, and they picked right up where they left off.  So sweet.

I don’t remember correcting them much at all…they played perfectly together.  They shared the tricycle, played Nerf guns with Uncle Todd, and entertained themselves around the house while Audra and I helped Mom in the kitchen.  It was so much fun!  Here they are playing race cars in the hallway.

Before church on Sunday, they enjoyed exploring Mimi’s garden, looking for frogs.

 

One of my sorrows in life is that my family is literally spread all over the globe.  It’s hard to accept that Grace only sees her grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles only once or twice per year (if that).  So I really appreciate Audra making an unplanned trip to see us last week!

We love you!

Nonexistent Milestones

Well, I gained a little over a pound this past week, and I must say that it was totally worth it.  I ate mostly healthy foods for my meals, but I interspersed it with lots of tastings and a couple of indulgences. 

While we were visiting my parents’ home for the holiday, mom and I spent most of our time in the kitchen doing what we do best:  cooking for the people that we love.  My parents are hosting three holiday brunches/parties in their home, and there was LOTS of preparation to be done. 

In addition to the traditional Thanksgiving cooking that we did on Wednesday/Thursday, we made the following treats for upcoming parties:

• Blackberry Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole
• Banana Crumb Muffins
• Fiesta Scrambled Eggs
• Cheese Grits
• Several pounds of bacon and sausage
• four recipes of Stained Glass Cookies
• a TON of Creme de Menthe Cheesecake Lollipops dipped in white chocolate and covered in crushed grasshopper fudge cookies
• White Chocolate Cashew Bark
• other stuff that I can’t remember

Mom and I did take the time to exercise one morning, but it wasn’t enough to avoid THE GAIN.  Oh, well.  I’m hitting the treadmill hard again this week.