Turkey-week out

I hope y’all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. The McDhousehold celebrated for days. As I mentioned, it started a week ago Sunday. That’s what you get to do when you have kids, parents, siblings and in-laws to boot … so much family you get cross-eyed—but in a good way. I like to make a full meal for just our house the weekend before. The hubby really likes him some turkey. It’s fun to pull it off and it earns major “honey do” points, not that I promote guilt trips to the spouse but hey, if it works

There was a week of “stuff” to do from cooking the regular meals (do you know how much three teens and a ten-year-old eat al day long… let me tell you: A LOT!) and the little add-ons for Thursday. I made 2 bowlfuls of cranberry sauce, the hubby’s mostest fave green bean casserole (twice) and 12 dozen cookies. No, that’s not a typo, Wednesday was uber-cookie-making-day until just before Christmas.  Sadly, or happily—not sure what your view on it might be—most of the cookies are already gone (but they did go with us to the in-laws).  Thursday, we went to the BIL’s house for a day with the other McDs… We had all the goodies we have every year, got to see family and watched the Cowboys win (thank goodness… otherwise, it would have been a most unpleasant hour-long ride home).  It was a good and long day on Thursday—the dogs were very happy to see us come home. And I was glad that I didn’t know the neighbor was deep frying a turkey in his front yard until after I came home—sheesh!

Then it was truly rest day. And before you gasp in horror, no I don’t shop on Black Friday. Having worked in a mall all four years the hubby was in college, the last year being 8^1/2 months pregnant the day after Thanksgiving (and once a couple of years later at a Wal-Mart—with a two-year-old and one-year-old home alone with the hubby… you’d think his one time being with them like that was he hardest thing ever… ha!), I have seen enough Black Fridays that I will probably NEVER ever shop on that infamous Friday—in stores. Online is a whole ‘nother thing and yes I have started burning up the internet with purchases.

The weekend, we picked back up the regular routine: Kids, kids and more kids. And it’s when I got back to my reading and most importantly writing. After the week of family and food I have so much more to add in to my books now… bwaaahhh, er, um, “Any resemblance of the characters to actual people is purely a coincidence…”

Again, I hope y’all had a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving. And if your family is anything like mine, use my motto: it’s all book-fodder!    Cheers!

Read Full Post »

school on the brain

School starts in a little over a week… can you hear me cheering now. I am so terribly happy (more so than I should be). I have been buying supplies for weeks. I must admit, I love school supplies so that’s no hardship on my part—just ask the other girls here. The kids, in the mean time, are driving me nuts! They are on each other’s nerves like crazy. Unfortunately, it’s too hot here to shove them out the door and make them play——last week it got up to 108° on Monday, 110° Tues. thru Thurs., and back down to 108° of Friday. We’re breaking heat records left and right and left again. Which of course, is not outside-kid conducive. Though frying an egg on the driveway was fun, for all of 10 secs—then it was just too dern hot!

Still, lots to do. There are several stages getting the kids ready for school. Every year (and I mean every single year, every single school… such a huge pain) we have to schlep out to the school and prove we *still* live where we say we do. I hate that the most. It seems to be the biggest waste of time. But as I have no choice, I do it. This year they’re putting all the forms we have to fill out online. That is a godsend. With four boys time six to 8 pages of repetitive crap every dang year, it will save time. Once it’s in it’s in and I only have to tweak the changes.

Soon we should be getting schedules. For all but the youngest this is a huge deal. (the youngest is only in fourth grade so you get what you get—and now that one of the least favored teachers has retired, he’s not worried at all). The other three are worried about their classes and teachers and one was going to drop athletics then thought better of it. Another wanted in athletics (and signed up for it) is now also fretting being in it—but he’s also in honors band so who knows how that will play out.

We have already been buying clothes here and there, too. They are a little put out I won’t let them wear it ’til school starts. But such is life.

All this back-to-school drama is so *much* drama. And considering it’s all boys… I can only imagine what girls would do to me.

Read Full Post »

My football guy

Spare had his first football game (EVER)… he was the quarterback every 4^th play, the kicker, and a safety as well as special teams—he’s also the punter but they went for it every time on 4^th down so he never got to punt.

 

 

He is no longer the quarterback, because they made him pick offense or defense (they have too many kids and several didn’t get to play—even though I am pretty sure Spare was in EVERY defense play the team had) and he has too many positions on the defense. However during his Q-Bing: he ran 15 yards to the 2 yard line to set up the touchdown on the next play—that’s my boy! (he smacked the hell outta the other team twice and got his name announced over the intercom—made me tear up!)

 

They won 8 to 6 (they only go for 2 point conversions and don’t kick the extra point). As usual he is quite good at this sport and is UBER-enthusiastic! (“Mom, did you see me cheering when we won?”  Yes, I did, he was the only one running off the field with his arms up! C’mon boys, where’s you team spirit!)

Spare kicking during 1st ever game

Spare safety(ing)… he won’t get past!

You won’t take it, I’ll run!

Read Full Post »

One more day

Tomorrow . . . . tomorrow, I (well, not I alone, but I am just shy of FREAKING OUT anyway) will crest a milestone. My baby, my first born, heir to the McD throne will be . . . . {gasp} a teenager.

Can you believe it?

I was fairly young when he was born—22—totally gave my age away there, oh well—but I am feeling the pangs of having a teen. He is a joy to be around when his naturally inherited smart mouth isn’t flipping a barb at his parents or brothers. And though he’s been taller than me for well over a year, he’s uber-sweet to hug on, when you can catch him.

Gosh I can’t believe . . . a teenage in my house tomorrow.

Read Full Post »

Wordless Wednesday

 

Read Full Post »

Tweeny-bopper

So Monday, we took the boys to the Texas State Fair. It was the school holiday and free tickets day so better than have to pay 6 tix, we went and braved the crowds and was it ever crowded.

We had planned this for about a week, we did it last year and had a great time, so sure it’d be same same. Welllllllllllllll . . . . .  not so much. Sunday night, the DH was traversing the Internet for fair info and realized something Monday would make the boys go NUTS!

The “band” for Monday was The Jonas Brothers–OMG!  😆

The boys love the Jonas Brothers (Spare got their CD for his birthday in fact) as do about 20,000 screaming little (and some not-so-little) girls.

We couldn’t even get close–which was okay as Mini-Me decided at that moment to puke his little guts out–cotton candy, two ice creams, three sodas and a pack of gum–I don’t think he actually swallowed the gum, but still . . . we made our way to the wall-O-porta-potties and once he emptied his day’s activities we stayed right there with about 100 other folks.

It was hot–more from the humidity–and the stage area was so bad I heard on the radio this morning 200 little girls had to be administered first aid–they had hoses going through the entire show. Crazy! But as I said the boys like them so they were THRILLED (and the last song I actually know all the words to, so I sang along between jabs from Spare and Spare+1 as they wanted me to QUIT singing 🙂 )

 AND . . .  we even managed to get home in time for the Cowboys game–the dh was UBER-PLEASED!

Read Full Post »