November 17-18

We actually MISSED recording our thankful thoughts Saturday!!! But with good reason – we had a HUGE reason to be thankful that we shared – we got to go visit family for a birthday celebration!

Visiting

I really didn’t take too many pictures but we had a ton of fun

So we had family, pie, good food, puppies and plenty of hugs all to be thankful for! And a lovely reminder as to WHY this move south was really a good reason. For the first time ever we are close enough to enjoy a more casual celebration with members of Ken’s family. It was two of his cousin’s birthdays this month – Robbie and Jessica so we were over at his Aunty Judy and Uncle Jim’s to celebrate. Ken’s other Uncle Greg and Debbie were there too so we had a large portion of the Johnson clan to enjoy time with as well as the relative puppies, fish, and a frog to see! It was a terrific afternoon/evening!

Bossing around Uncle Greg

In the morning Ken and the boys got their hair cut AND Ken SHAVED! So not only did we party but we partied with style! I am one happy (and proud) Momma and wife! On Sunday we DID remember to think of our thankful things!

Trinity: kitties

Emanuel: Thomas the train

Gavin: having a turkey on Thanksgiving

Zander: having a mom and dad

Sunday was a busy but quiet day. We had a slow morning with our new colouring book stack for the kids in the morning. It seems to be working as long as the kids don’t get too excited! And then it was time to rally the troops and run errands.

Of course we had to spend some time on the Nat Geo magazine Gammie got for the kids.

While I do not have the safety buttons I need to finish the penguin for my nephew yet I DO have stuffing… that means the teapot CAN be finished… which would complete everything but Trinity’s wand for her Christmas presents! That feels GREAT! Now to find a special box to put the set in as every little girl wants a nice box for her teaset.

We treated our pretty well behaved kids with ice cream cones from McDonalds on the way home (and a plain burger for Miss Echo). Thankfully we got a good deal on the necessary turkey the day before on the way home from our party so it was minor groceries and stuffing. I love that the nearby center has quite a few of the stores we like (Cub, Michaels, Bath and Body Works, Walmart) all in the same area so we could park and go to a couple and then head to the other side and walk the rest.

When we got home it was MY turn to put a feather on our Gratitude Turkey (sorry about the hair, I was in a rush to get things done).

Turkey

We also made a Thankful family poster. We all took turns drawing little pictures of things we are thankful for. The end result was rather nice, I thought AND it had us ALL talking about and thinking about things in our lives. What made my heart happy was the lack of THINGS, toys, possessions and instead so many things like the sun, friends, family… dinosaurs (guess who said THAT one?). The race is on to get toner so that we can get our centerpiece done for the Thanksgiving table in time.

Our family page

The emails have been checked and it is certain – Tuesday night (after 10) Nana and Baba return so the race is on to try and get all the little things we wanted to get done before they get home done. We have rebuilt the cabinet we brought down with us which of course was missing the rod for the coats that we need a home for (of course a dowel works so we may need to go and get a new one) but we have been working on clearing spaces here and there. The kids are VERY excited that they will be back soon!

Some evening block building (Gavin)

Sorry about the lack of a post yesterday, it was AMERICAN Thanksgiving (our first) and we were super busy. Add to that how far behind I am with the blog event wise and well… I promise to get better!!! Pics will be resized and posts posted over the weekend! But for now a book review!

Vampires, Werewolves and Witches all come to the light of day in this Rose Pressey novel. The first in her Veronica Mason series. In this series these paranormal and magical creatures have come to be common knowledge. The main character is Veronica, a witch (sort of) who is the lead singer of a rockabilly group of VAMPIRES! They are attempting to ready themselves for a gig later in the week that a record producer has agreed to come to when there is a death. Not just any death but the (re??) death of their vampire bass player. 

With a werewolf bestfriend who is dating ANOTHER vampire, an amazingly sexy and unknown bass player and adventure and danger everywhere you absolutely have to love the failed witch and her story. Now maybe failed is too harsh but she definitely is NOT successful with her spells, unless she wants a tube of lipstick for every attempt brings about a new tube! Thus her nickname as the lipstick witch.

I am really looking forward to the next one in this series. There is a little romance, a lot of paranormal, a good dose of humour and of course a mystery.   Add in some retro outfits, terrific supporting characters and a few twists and turns and seriously, get your hands on this book!! 

Rock ‘n’ Roll is Undead

In the fine tradition of Regency Romances A Lady’s Point of View by Jacqueline Diamond begins with a simple misunderstanding blown out of proportion due to the unrealistic expectations of the Ton and goes from there. The main focus of the story is the two Linley sisters, Meg (who has lamentably weak eyes) and Angela (the pretty younger sister without a massive dowry). Their widowed mother Mary has brought them to London for the Season in a continued attempt to marry off first Meg and then Angela.

 The first misunderstanding occurs at a ball where poor Meg who is not to wear spectacles in public in fear of further destroying her chances of an advantageous match (for they are NOT wealthy) does not see Beau Brummel and misses his acknowledgement thus slighting a highly influential personage. In order to give Angela a chance to find a match and hopefully save the family for debtor’s prison Meg pens an apology to Brummel and leaves London and there our real story starts.

I do not want to give away too much of the plot but there are some terrific elements, a reclusive Lord with two children… a governess position… the malicious countess… and of course balls, romantic moments, proposals! If you enjoy a good Regency romance SLIGHTLY more current in its romantic moments but by no means garish or explicit (these are true misses after all) then this book is a terrific read for you. 

A Lady’s Point of View