Obligatory Thanksgiving post

This month in school J2 has been learning all about the Native Americans. They made all the accouterments that go with all the best dressed braves. On the way home from school he kept telling me how I was going to paint his face. This is typical of him. He likes to tell me what I'm going to do instead of asking. He is, after all, King of the World. I told him that I didn't have anything to paint his face with. This wasn't getting through to him and he was insistent on being a brave. I knew that if I didn't find some makeup or something he would use markers. Fortunately, I found some old Halloween makeup and made him a brave. He wanted to go with just underwear because Braves didn't wear jeans. He settled for a pair of brown shorts because they looked like buckskin.

I took J. to MMA (J2 has been sick so he stayed with dad) but I forgot to put away, I mean, I forgot to hide the face paint and when we got home he had written all over himself. Chest, arms, face. I'm not sure of the cultural significance of the blue lines behind the ears. I also noticed that his pants were backwards. This is really very normal for him. More than once I've picked him up from school and noticed that they are backwards and I am pretty sure he went that way. ("I'm the best Mom" she wrote sarcastically.) When I told him they were on wrong he said "No, Indians didn't have buttons or zippers." His kindergarten teacher is nothing if not thorough. His dad then pointed out that he had two buttons on the back of his pants pockets. J2 then unbuttoned them and pulled the pocket flaps over so you no longer could see the buttons. Clever boy.





He looks a bit demented in this picture. All of the treats from the "Thanksgiving Feast" must have kicked in about then. I'm not sure that M&M's were at the first thanksgiving. He also wanted his headband upside down. The red around him mouth is spaghetti sauce.

What I am Thankful for:

When I was a kid we had a tradition at my Grandma Evans for Thanksgiving. We each got 5 kernels of popcorn and we had to say one thing we were thankful for for every kernel of corn. So here are my kernels of Thanksgiving corn.

1. El Patron-My better looking, smarter, more responsible half. Everyday I try to be what he deserves. Some days I feel that I fall way short but he always tells me he loves me. Without him I would have nothing. I love him to the core of my soul and would be lost without him, especially the math bits. Oh yea, and he is still so hot!

2. J.-My smart, handsome as his dad, loving first son. Right now he is making pies (yes, Lemon Meringue) and freaking out because three bits of yolk got into his egg whites. He is convinced the meringue may not work and he wants it to be perfect. I told him that the people he is sharing it with love him and it will be o.k. He said that because he loves them he wants it even more perfect than the others he has made. He always helps the new kids at the Dojo and is very friendly to everyone and is mostly helpful with his brother.

3. J2- My funny, engaging, creative second son. Life without him would be a quite a bit boring and a whole lot less challenging without him. Right now he is making some kind of game with masking tape and a sharpie. I'm a little nervous about what he is doing. Muddy footprints on the bathroom mirror always leads to an interesting conversation.

4.- My home-notice I didn't put my house, it is totally different. I've never like the house and we (the boys and I) refer to it as "The Crap Shack". We have put so much into it and it it still coming along but I've tried to make it a home. Not with nice paint and curtains that match. I'll never get into "Better Barns and Gardens" but I feel that we have a great "spirit" here. I really believe that Love abounds here. Also the fact that we have a home that is ours is wonderful. There was a time about a year and a half ago we almost lost it. We were able to refinance it with a decent rate and kept it. So yes, I have a large hole in the kitchen ceiling, that when you walk through the front door your in a ugly little kitchen, there is a constant draft from the back door to the addition, that we still have more than half of the house we call the addition and the walls are almost all drywall, but I have a roof that doesn't leak, it stays cool in the summer and the boys can ride their scooters inside. We have a wonderful "HOME" and we hope that people that visit feel that.

5. My Father in Heaven-because he has given me everything else that wont fit in the five kernels of corn. Including my Mom, Dad, brothers and sister. All of my extended family, no matter where they are or how crazy they may appear. Friends, church and everyone who has touched my life, even my old battle axe 5th grade teacher.

Happy Thanksgiving!