Thursday, November 22nd and Friday, November 23rd

Thursday, November 22nd...Thanksgiving:

My Mom is a nurse and she works 11-7 (actually more since she never gets out on time). She worked every night but one of the time we were there and so of course she worked the night into Thanksgiving. Add to that that she was REALLY sick, and it wasn't pretty. Oh, and her minivan was making bad noises and she was worried she wouldn't be able to drive to work. There she was hacking and shivering like she really thought she was going to be able to cook for Thanksgiving. Oh, it was torture for her to trust that I wouldn't mess it up. At one point I had told her to go upstairs to lie down and she came down to tell me the potatoes had to be turned on (I had turned them on). She struggled to peel potatoes and do other things, and man, it was pitiful. Thanksgiving actually went off without any issues, lucky for me, and it was YUMMY!

On our gluttonous menu:
turkey
mashed potatoes
crab-stuffed mushrooms
corn
baby onions in cream sauce
yams with brown sugar, butter and marshmallows
stuffing
applesauce and cranberry stars
apple cider to wash it all down

pumpkin pie
chocolate pecan pie

Wooh, it was good! The day for me started relaxed. We made 2 turkey breasts so they didn't have to get in the oven too early, so I made the chocolate pecan pie right after breakfast, and then I assembled the crab-stuffed mushrooms to get them out of the way. I even watched part of the Macy's Day Parade while I cooked...very festive, even if it did end with an over the top finale that looked like Las Vegas gone wrong. And I love Las Vegas, so that's sad.

After more prep work and cleaning up, my brother, Hubby and I walked to the park with the boys to let them run around in the crisp, very enjoyable air. After coming back I went back to the kitchen, the boys played, and eventually we ate. My poor Mother went to bed WITHOUT DESSERT! ON THANKSGIVING! That's how sick she felt. And she had to turn around and work that night. Pitiful. Anyway, Thanksgiving ended with all of us having full bellies.

Friday, November 23rd...Black Friday:

I didn't do too much, most of my gifts have been purchased for months. I shop all year round, and craft all year round. But Hubby, Little Man and I did venture out briefly for me to look for a different shirt for my high school reunion dinner. But we didn't stay out long. I can't stand how rude and ridiculous people become. When my Mom got up later in the day she and I did go to Party City to see if we could find a Batman cake topper and wrapping paper for my nephew's birthday, and we also went to Target and Barnes and Noble. None of these places were too bad, I think it's better if you're not in a mall or waiting for right when the store opens. She and I did enjoy a coffee at Barnes and Noble, and she was really feeling sick still and beat so we went and picked up the minivan from the shop (Hubby and I had dropped it off that morning), and then went home. After heating up leftovers it was dinner time and I sat with them before getting ready to meet for my reunion dinner. The dinner was uneventful. The people I was friends with really weren't there, and there were only 20 of us anyway (out of the hundreds who graduated with me). It felt awkward quite a bit, but I'm glad I went so that I wouldn't be wondering what I missed. The most interesting thing that happened was watching some of the people drink 5-6 mixed drinks, not eat, and then decide to head to a bar together where the drinks were cheaper. I don't drink at all if I'm driving*, so I felt a little anxious for them, especially when I left and passed a sobriety checkpoint. I headed home from there, watched some television with Hubby and my Pop and then turned in.

*In many states you can still be charged with DWI even if you're not over the legal limit if you are pulled over for cause (speeding, not signaling, etc.) A lot of people I know don't know this "trap" (even people who went to law school) so I thought I would pass it on so you know for the holiday season. The best thing you can do if you don't know your state's approach is to not drink at all, or find out.