Such a big weekend and there are so many stories to tell….where to begin? First, Thanksgiving parade with The Boy was fun. He loved Charlie Brown but mainly because he had a football. I don’t think he understood that they were ginormous balloons. Since we were up early, we watched the CBS coverage of the parade, which is NOT the Macy’s Parade. Kind of a letdown if I am to be honest. The rest of Thanksgiving was a jumble of family and list making and researching the ads and researching again. Needless to say, The Boy did not nap. So we played and watched movies and ate chips and dip (actually we filled up on chips and dip) and went through the ads, or at least I did.
After dinner we did not stick around for pie because I had a date with Schmacey and Schmaren at 7 pm at my house. We were loaded with sale bills and lists and ready to go. We hit up Walmart, Target, Kohls and Old Navy before dropping dead due to exhaustion at 2:30 am. Schmaren was back up at 4:30 am to go to Cabela’s. God bless her sleep-deprived heart. But I was successful in getting ALL of my Christmas shopping done. Everything! Everyone! There is such a sense of accomplishment that I can’t begin to explain. This is why I do Black Friday. Yes, there is pushing. Yes, there are lines like nothing I would ever contend with. I don’t drive on freeways during rush hour because I hate lines. But there is something about the camaraderie of complete strangers that makes this congestion tolerable. The method we’ve created is that one person hangs out with the cart and the other people go out looking for a few items. So in Walmart I hid in the bedding isle and Schmacey and Schmaren kept returning with new things. Schmaren brought back six Monster High dolls because Schmacey and I both needed one and she wasn’t sure which one so she grabbed two of each. This was how we rolled through each store. And man it was fun. Despite the rather ghetto man in line next to me in Walmart who kept telling this story of how he was threatening people for the scooters (scooters? Really? This is what we brawl over?) And the unfortunate number of people who decided that the holidays meant no bath, it was fun! The back end of Schmacey’s Yukon was packed almost to the top and damn I was tired when we made it home. (Seriously felt hung over the next day) but I so enjoy those two girls and any time spent with them is a blast.
After sleeping forever (Thank you Juanito!) we got all gussied up (yes I sound like my Grandma there) and went downtown for our family photos. I am playing around with those and will order my Christmas cards soon. Maybe tonight depending on the Cyber Monday sales. After photos, Juanito headed out of town with some friends for a weekend at The Dunes. He was reluctant to go because of the drive, but I pushed because we parents need breaks from being the roles that we accumulate as we get older. Some times we just need to be us and if that involves quad at high speeds through the sand dunes of the Mohave desert, then so be it. As long as he comes back in one piece and with a smile that is all I ask. And he did.
The rest of the weekend I spent with my niece Red and we had a glorious time. I’ll write about that later. So another successful Black Friday under my belt – yay! I normally refrain from too much Christmas until the first of December, but be warned it’s my most favoritest holiday of all.
Showing posts with label Thanksgiving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thanksgiving. Show all posts
Monday, November 26, 2012
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
The Plan
So for the next few days I get to steep in family, food, fun and shopping. This is my thanksgiving weekend! Here is the plan:
Cinnamon rolls and the Thanksgiving parade. We don’t leave until Santa shows up! I’m curious to see if the parade will be entertaining for The Boy this year. After the parade we start the holiday madness.
First we head out to my parent’s house where I will force everyone to go through the sale bills and make their Christmas lists. These lists will be typed up and distributed throughout the family because come December 18th Dad is gonna ask, “What does your mother want for Christmas?” and I can tell him to check out the list. While some people’s lists have been a few columns long on legal paper (Cee) others have only had three items (GG). Before their Thanksgiving dinner is served at noon we will skedaddle out to Juanito’s parent’s house. There we will put The Boy down for a much need nap and gorge ourselves on chips and dip. I will plan my shopping adventures that are starting earlier and earlier these days. When The Boy wakes up we will do our thanksgiving dinner. We will promptly leave because I’ve got a date with Schmacey and Schmaren to stand in line for Monster High Dolls and Legos and , according to the Christmas angels I pulled from the Christmas tree at work, a Dream Light pillow pet (dog) and Barbie and accessories (because that bitch never travels light). Oh and then Cabela’s because apparently that scope is a good deal and if you’re gonna get Chad one I want one too…..
If we sleep then we‘re lucky, but if not that’s how we roll. God speed all my other Black Friday Shoppers
Cinnamon rolls and the Thanksgiving parade. We don’t leave until Santa shows up! I’m curious to see if the parade will be entertaining for The Boy this year. After the parade we start the holiday madness.
First we head out to my parent’s house where I will force everyone to go through the sale bills and make their Christmas lists. These lists will be typed up and distributed throughout the family because come December 18th Dad is gonna ask, “What does your mother want for Christmas?” and I can tell him to check out the list. While some people’s lists have been a few columns long on legal paper (Cee) others have only had three items (GG). Before their Thanksgiving dinner is served at noon we will skedaddle out to Juanito’s parent’s house. There we will put The Boy down for a much need nap and gorge ourselves on chips and dip. I will plan my shopping adventures that are starting earlier and earlier these days. When The Boy wakes up we will do our thanksgiving dinner. We will promptly leave because I’ve got a date with Schmacey and Schmaren to stand in line for Monster High Dolls and Legos and , according to the Christmas angels I pulled from the Christmas tree at work, a Dream Light pillow pet (dog) and Barbie and accessories (because that bitch never travels light). Oh and then Cabela’s because apparently that scope is a good deal and if you’re gonna get Chad one I want one too…..
If we sleep then we‘re lucky, but if not that’s how we roll. God speed all my other Black Friday Shoppers
Thanksgiving Post
As it is Wednesday before Thanksgiving I thought I would cast aside my doom and gloom postings that I’ve been having lately and focus on fun and giving thanks. And in by doing so I want to look back on a few Thanksgivings.
The Early Thanksgivings
Growing up in Nebraska for the short time that I did I very distinctly remember holidays. They were split between my grandparents’ homes, Thanksgiving at Grandma A’s house meant Christmas at Grandma and Grandpa’s house asn that switched every year. Grandma A’s house was a little white house that had two bedrooms and an attic that was scary and fun. The front porch was pretty empty since the door that every entered through was the enclosed back porch. I found out later that the porch and the bathroom where added at some point after my Dad was a kid. Its hard to imagine that my Dad had an outhouse. Anyways, my Dad’s family is on the bigger side, seven boys and one girl, my Dad is the youngest. When we still lived in the town that my Dad was born in (and we were born there too) I had a few uncles and their families who lived in the same small town. But come the holidays pretty much everyone came home. I remember Grandma's long drive way being jam packed with cars as people drove in from other places and my cousins, being significantly older than me, had their cars too. What that house must have looked like from the road, teeming with people.
In the house crammed Uncle Verne, Aunt Marilyn, their boys Greg and Brad; Uncle Von and Aunt Gwen and their kids Holly, Heidi and Heath, Aunt Maryann and Uncle Dave from Lincoln with their daughters Kelly and Lori; Uncle Richard and Aunt Bobbie also from Lincoln with their daughters Angie and Joni; Uncle Joyce and Aunt Laura rarely made it out to the eastern part of the state for the holidays but when they did they brought their boys Mark, Steve and Danny. Uncle Gale and Aunt Adell would drive down from Minnesota a few years and bring with them Chad, Todd and Ryan. Then Uncle Gary and Aunt Jan would drive down from Omaha with Trevor and Shannon. Add in our family of five and that brought the grand total to 38 people all crammed into a little white house on the other side of the train tracks.
Growing up everyone smoked because it was the 80s and that’s what everyone did. I remember a vast majority of the adults would be on the little porch where it would be cold since it wasn’t insolated but ventilated for the smokers. Everyone brought a dish and the dining room table would be covered in a smorgasbord of food. When the food was ready Grandma A, decked out in her holiday polyester pants and sweat, would gruffly tell everyone to “come and eat.” My aunts would sing the Doxology with a few kids joining in and the men shuffling their feet and my Mom would inevitably harmonize because she can’t stop herself. Then it was men first and then kids and then the women to fill their plates. Card tables were set up where there was room and if you got a seat you must be higher up on the ladder than others. I remember eating on the floor at the coffee table with my middle sister a lot. Writing this now I can smell the bread baking and heard the floor boards creak with the weight of rambunctious kids. I can hear the different conversations and smell the smoke that would waft in from the porch. I hear my Mom’s voice telling a story (she’s a good story teller) and the laughter above all else.
We say that my Dad’s family isn’t very communicative or demonstrative in their love, which is true. But these memories I hold dear to me because they are the foundation of my Thanksgiving. It doesn’t matter where you are as long as you’re surrounded by family or those you call family.
A Sunny Thanksgiving
The first Thanksgiving in Phoenix was hard for my parents I think. I was nine and as long as I was with my family I guess I didn't know any better. But my mom missed her parents and I think my dad missed his family and I think that void was felt by everyone, even Muffie our family dog. My Mom tried hard to make the day festive, even when I know her heart wasn’t in it. To add to the lack of family, the weather didn’t help much. It was in the upper 70s making the sweaters that we would have normally worn with turtle necks and corduroys stifling. We had our turkey dinner on a picnic table in our back yard under the one sad little tree and the blazing sun. My middle sister and I made pilgrim bibs for everyone to wear, God bless us, even Dad wore one. This was the year of that Mom was attacked by the Indians (she walked into a tree branch and it scratched her face). It also started the tradition of calling home for the holidays.
This year it will be 80 degrees for Thanksgiving Day. Its hard to get in the holiday mood for so many when its vacation weather. But honestly, while I have great memories of Thanksgiving in Nebraska, this is how Thanksvgiving is for me. Shorts and flip flops and turkey and stuffing, they all go hand in hand. I've had Thanksgiving in Nebraska as an adult and while it was toasty and warm, it wasn't better. I was still with family and we still ate way too much and laughed too loudly and planned our Black Friday shopping.
The Next Level
As the years went on, my family created our own traditions and our own sense of Thanksgiving sans snow and chilly weather. Once Juanito and I started dating, seriously, that meant combining holidays. It was at this point many many years ago that I said I will spend Thanksgiving with your family as long as I get Christmas morning with my family. I didn’t know that I set precedence for years and years to come. So Thanksgiving of 2002 was spent with my future in-laws. It was strange to say the least. There weren’t mounds of food that my Mom always prepares even when they say the budget won’t allow it. There wasn’t the constant noise of kids and the hustle and bustle of people and dogs and comings and goings and animated conversations and football games turned up so that someone can hear it over the noise. It was just us, my in-laws and my sister in law and her boyfriend at the time. It was calm and quiet and just different. There was no turkey, instead like a turkey roll. There weren’t enough of us to warrant a full turkey I guess. The TV was turned off and music was played and wine was served, but we were all in relaxed clothes, nothing dressy or fancy. I was so on edge being with his family that I didn’t appreciate it until I went back to my parent’s house the next day and the majority of the family was still there being loud and running amok. I realized that constant commotion is not necessarily part of Thanksgiving. And while it might make it fun, so does giving your future mother in law too much wine ‘cuz it makes her silly.
So where ever you are this Thanksgiving, stuck in a too small house with too much family, or braving your new traditions or getting drunk with your family, may you be surrounded by love and thankful for your surroundings.
The Early Thanksgivings
Growing up in Nebraska for the short time that I did I very distinctly remember holidays. They were split between my grandparents’ homes, Thanksgiving at Grandma A’s house meant Christmas at Grandma and Grandpa’s house asn that switched every year. Grandma A’s house was a little white house that had two bedrooms and an attic that was scary and fun. The front porch was pretty empty since the door that every entered through was the enclosed back porch. I found out later that the porch and the bathroom where added at some point after my Dad was a kid. Its hard to imagine that my Dad had an outhouse. Anyways, my Dad’s family is on the bigger side, seven boys and one girl, my Dad is the youngest. When we still lived in the town that my Dad was born in (and we were born there too) I had a few uncles and their families who lived in the same small town. But come the holidays pretty much everyone came home. I remember Grandma's long drive way being jam packed with cars as people drove in from other places and my cousins, being significantly older than me, had their cars too. What that house must have looked like from the road, teeming with people.
In the house crammed Uncle Verne, Aunt Marilyn, their boys Greg and Brad; Uncle Von and Aunt Gwen and their kids Holly, Heidi and Heath, Aunt Maryann and Uncle Dave from Lincoln with their daughters Kelly and Lori; Uncle Richard and Aunt Bobbie also from Lincoln with their daughters Angie and Joni; Uncle Joyce and Aunt Laura rarely made it out to the eastern part of the state for the holidays but when they did they brought their boys Mark, Steve and Danny. Uncle Gale and Aunt Adell would drive down from Minnesota a few years and bring with them Chad, Todd and Ryan. Then Uncle Gary and Aunt Jan would drive down from Omaha with Trevor and Shannon. Add in our family of five and that brought the grand total to 38 people all crammed into a little white house on the other side of the train tracks.
Growing up everyone smoked because it was the 80s and that’s what everyone did. I remember a vast majority of the adults would be on the little porch where it would be cold since it wasn’t insolated but ventilated for the smokers. Everyone brought a dish and the dining room table would be covered in a smorgasbord of food. When the food was ready Grandma A, decked out in her holiday polyester pants and sweat, would gruffly tell everyone to “come and eat.” My aunts would sing the Doxology with a few kids joining in and the men shuffling their feet and my Mom would inevitably harmonize because she can’t stop herself. Then it was men first and then kids and then the women to fill their plates. Card tables were set up where there was room and if you got a seat you must be higher up on the ladder than others. I remember eating on the floor at the coffee table with my middle sister a lot. Writing this now I can smell the bread baking and heard the floor boards creak with the weight of rambunctious kids. I can hear the different conversations and smell the smoke that would waft in from the porch. I hear my Mom’s voice telling a story (she’s a good story teller) and the laughter above all else.
We say that my Dad’s family isn’t very communicative or demonstrative in their love, which is true. But these memories I hold dear to me because they are the foundation of my Thanksgiving. It doesn’t matter where you are as long as you’re surrounded by family or those you call family.
A Sunny Thanksgiving
The first Thanksgiving in Phoenix was hard for my parents I think. I was nine and as long as I was with my family I guess I didn't know any better. But my mom missed her parents and I think my dad missed his family and I think that void was felt by everyone, even Muffie our family dog. My Mom tried hard to make the day festive, even when I know her heart wasn’t in it. To add to the lack of family, the weather didn’t help much. It was in the upper 70s making the sweaters that we would have normally worn with turtle necks and corduroys stifling. We had our turkey dinner on a picnic table in our back yard under the one sad little tree and the blazing sun. My middle sister and I made pilgrim bibs for everyone to wear, God bless us, even Dad wore one. This was the year of that Mom was attacked by the Indians (she walked into a tree branch and it scratched her face). It also started the tradition of calling home for the holidays.
This year it will be 80 degrees for Thanksgiving Day. Its hard to get in the holiday mood for so many when its vacation weather. But honestly, while I have great memories of Thanksgiving in Nebraska, this is how Thanksvgiving is for me. Shorts and flip flops and turkey and stuffing, they all go hand in hand. I've had Thanksgiving in Nebraska as an adult and while it was toasty and warm, it wasn't better. I was still with family and we still ate way too much and laughed too loudly and planned our Black Friday shopping.
The Next Level
As the years went on, my family created our own traditions and our own sense of Thanksgiving sans snow and chilly weather. Once Juanito and I started dating, seriously, that meant combining holidays. It was at this point many many years ago that I said I will spend Thanksgiving with your family as long as I get Christmas morning with my family. I didn’t know that I set precedence for years and years to come. So Thanksgiving of 2002 was spent with my future in-laws. It was strange to say the least. There weren’t mounds of food that my Mom always prepares even when they say the budget won’t allow it. There wasn’t the constant noise of kids and the hustle and bustle of people and dogs and comings and goings and animated conversations and football games turned up so that someone can hear it over the noise. It was just us, my in-laws and my sister in law and her boyfriend at the time. It was calm and quiet and just different. There was no turkey, instead like a turkey roll. There weren’t enough of us to warrant a full turkey I guess. The TV was turned off and music was played and wine was served, but we were all in relaxed clothes, nothing dressy or fancy. I was so on edge being with his family that I didn’t appreciate it until I went back to my parent’s house the next day and the majority of the family was still there being loud and running amok. I realized that constant commotion is not necessarily part of Thanksgiving. And while it might make it fun, so does giving your future mother in law too much wine ‘cuz it makes her silly.
So where ever you are this Thanksgiving, stuck in a too small house with too much family, or braving your new traditions or getting drunk with your family, may you be surrounded by love and thankful for your surroundings.
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