Thanksgiving 2020

Mini Thanksgiving was scratched together on Tuesday afternoon after discovering Gpa Dallas was having some kidney issues and possibly being hospitalized Wednesday. I had already shopped and most things were thawed so we were able to whip stuff together with notice around 2pm. 

My pie baker was still at school, she made this when she got home. It was too warm to eat for our liking so we saved it for Thursday along with the other pies she had planned to make. Instead we had Laura Ingles Wilder's gingerbread cake recipe that Noelle had made earlier in the day for a school project. We did top it with whipped cream to make it seem more like Thanksgiving pie

Ham, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and quick "cheater" gravy.

Even got the table dressed up to make a Tuesday Thanksgiving  feel more special.

Gpa Dallas levels at labs on Wednesday were just good enough to keep him home, although not out of the woods yet. So we celebrated with Thanksgiving part 2. 

Dallas is taking a calligraphy class so he helped with the table decor.

Robert's frying dreams coming true. On Tuesday I left the ham we didn't eat in the crock pot and put it back in the fridge to be rewarmed on Thursday. Mr. Tradition wanted a turkey, although no-one really likes turkey. I got a five pound, $10 dollar turkey breast to fry, with $30 worth of oil!

Emily made up her gluten free pecan and chocolate pies

And I bought myself flowers at Walmart!

 

Random Monday Musings

 

Robert's 45th birthday present - Bobby Ore Driving School

Robert has had stunt driving school on his goal sheet for 10 years or since starting TMCP. This year he made it happen. In June Robert drove out to a job site in Kentucky worked for a couple days, stopped by another job site in West Virginia and then drove on to Dawsonville, GA to Atlanta Motorsports Park to attend a Bobby Ore three day driving school. 

Bobby Ore is a stunt driver, he has a ton of movie credits and of course worked on The Dukes of Hazzard! He is also in his 70's and still drives and teaches. He took the kids on one drive and then me on another, crazy fast going sideways. 

They use the crappiest cars, I was not impressed. I guess I thought they would be in Mustangs or Chargers. Cheap and replaceable is the name of the game!

Bobby Ore and Robert

Bobby Ore and Laura

Connie was Robert's driving copilot. She is in the circus and a performer but had been out of work with the pandemic (remember this was in June). Her boyfriend had attended the school previously, she was inspired to do the same so she could work in movies being a stunt person. 

Robert brought some photos from the Dukes filming for Bobby Ore to sign.

I flew into Atlanta with the kids after the first night of school. Check off flying during a pandemic and with the kids solo for the first time! 

Robert picked us up and we hung at the hotel and swam (we really missed the pool in Ames). We got to see him drive the third day. I drove a big work truck around Dawsonville on my own! Atlanta Motorsports Park is like a country club for rich car people. It was gated, had a pool, a kids playground, a club house, tons of garage space for rent -each with lifts. You get access to the race track and the off road course, it was pretty insane. 

 

Grandpa Dallas 79th Birthday

 We convinced grandpa Dallas to leave his apartment so we could have a little family celebration. We have been seeing him as safely as we can these several months. Robert took him on a little birthday "tootle" in the Kharman Ghia

I had the kids make a couple of signs for Dallas birthday so all his neighbors could harass him

April, Mark and Audry came up. April made a beautiful angel food cake with berries, Gpa favorite, and I ordered takeout BBQ.

Our lasts, pre-COVID-19

 One of the last walks Emily gave Scout. His owners are working from home and didn't need her to stop by mid-day and walk him. She misses the three dogs she used to check in daily. The bit of freedom it afforded her to get out of the house, a break from school work, and the paycheck! She likes to babysit, but LOVES to dog walk!

 Noelle cashed in her 1 on 1 spa date with me. We went to the newly remodeled Nikki's Nails. It wa amazing.

 All the kids participated in Junkbox Wars with the HSAP, turns out this was the last HS related thing we did in person. The challenge this year was to take your junk components and make a marble maze. Team to have the marble on the maze the longest took home bragging rights. It is a great cooperative thing for the kids to do.

 We joined Robert on a work trip to Lexington, Kentucky. The last pool we swam in. Also a first, we were complained about by a grumpy man who had the room beneath us. Rob and I were at the front desk when he complained! We cut the trip short. States were continually making hour by hour decisions about COVID-19. And I sometimes think our government makes rash choices, so my first, worst nightmare was getting stuck in KY in this hotel room with my family. I wanted to be stuck in my slightly larger house (with my family)

 On our way into KY we did stop and tour the Ark. This warrants its own post. But it was magnificent, I think everyone should go. These were interior doors, they had lighting rigged up so the cross would only show up in photos.

 As things were shutting down while in KY, and Robert was working. The kids and I found some outdoors activities. We visited a couple local county parks that were open and hiked.

I had Noelle research eateries. She found a completely GF Cafe to try. We bought several special pastries for only her! She was excited that she could eat everything in the place! While we were picking out treats the owner was waiting to hear the KY governor's proclamation, she was expecting to have to close.  By that evening, our only food choice was drive thru, so we hit up the Chick-fil-a by our hotel. The front desk told us they would not be serving breakfast in the morning. Robert and I decided we could get up at 5 am and be ready to head home!

Adult learning curve

Me thinking about my new computer.

This post is brought to you by my new Mac. Which somehow seemed like a goo idea after using a PC for the last 20 years. My dearest husband did make many PC modifications for me, so I can now right click. It sure is pretty... and I am sure we will soon be friends. 

May 2019 recap

 Noelle finished Awana. Our season of Awana closed. It is hosted at a different church than we attend on Sundays, and is clear across town. This year Dallas attended a Wednesday night activity at our church and Noelle went to Awana while Emily attended youth group with a friend at the same church that hosts Awana. Next year we will have the kids go to Christ Community!

 Love seeing them all hang out in the sand box. We won't have a sand box at the house. 

 The packing begins. Aunt Lynne gave us some nice boxes from when she moved. 

 We had Audrey over for a weekend of fun. 

 Dallas comic

 These kids dream come true, a lemonade stand. These two always want to sell things. Noelle for the selling, and Dallas for the money. 

 Opening day at Furman Aquatic Center 2019

We went to Walmart before to buy new sandals that promptly broke!

 I always have to snap a picture when they are together like this

 Noelle posing with the Cy at the hospital, we went in to visit the lab for a Celiac disease test.

 Always helping Grandpa with something tech related. 

 Dance picture day, aka. mom practice bun and make-up day. 

 Emily was in a musical in May. It was wonderful. We attended all three performances because I guess that is what you do.

She was a "mint", there were several candy groups. Her mint group sang and danced in the Irish clogging style. The musical was written and performed by our home school group.