"Heartbeat" - The Fray

okay, so it's been a while.

So I thought I'd bore you with a few photos I've been storing up on my phone, until I find the right words to actually write a decent post.

A few are from Turkey Day [my favorite day of the year] and a few are just random photos that make me happy.

Like this photo Peanut took [when I thought she was reading] of me, doing dishes.

I love the photos she takes.

Peanut spent T-day Eve at my parent's place with her cousin.  Where.......... thanks to "pinterest" we were each lucky enough to receive one of these:

They had also made this:

which I freaking loved.

And since I had started my day off with a Turkey Day 20 . . .

I was sooooooooo ready for this stuffyourfacefest2011.

As always, my famous cookbook writing mom, put together an amazing feast.

So good, the Pita had to sleep for two hours and I got to go on a LONG walk with my brother-in-law "Buff".  [ya, freaking loved that]

We made it home just in time for this awesome sunset.

And even though the Pita doesn't see it.....I see my car in the clouds.

I. am. thankful.

freaking. thankful.

for a daughter that invited me to run club on Monday [but not so much today].
for a brother-in-law, I love to talk to.
for a mom, that's a freaking rock star.
for a loving Heavenly Father who knows what I can handle.
for bloggers who's friendships are unlike any other.
for friends with unlimited texting.
for a Dad that calls me "sweetie".
for laid-back, loving in-laws.
and
for a Pita who knows me this well . . .

Roxette.  Love.  Roxette.

Happy Wednesday.

See you in Vegas!!?!

"Janie's Got A Gun" - Aerosmith

How was yesterday in 5 [errr 6] words?

The
[freaking]
Best
Thanksgiving
Day
Ever.

I got up a weeee bit too early.  I was going to run with M1 & M2 but as M2 said, "It's too cold to run outside today".  nice [we Arizona peeps might be wimps].  M1 & M2 - we are running together in the first anual "Emz 5k Cold Stumble" - you pick the date, time & place and I am there!

So instead I did this:

I did run with my sliding door open.  Ahhhhh, nature.

Now bring on the cooking.

Only one fight with the Pita in the kitchen in three hours --- pretty freaking great. 
That's one for the record books.  YAY!

Dinner [I must say] . . was AMAZING.

The blue cheese mashed potatoes - insane.
Prime rib - ended up being - even better than I had thought.
We ended up roasting a thyme, lime & garlic chicken - which we didn't even slice into.
Forgot the stuffing in the oven.  [it was off, thank goodness]
The rolls - yum.  The orange rolls - yummier.

After dinner relaxing . . . . turned into a gun show. [I'll spare you the photos of my huge biceps] ;)

Janie's Papa's Got a Gun"

The company - the best.

Dessert fabulous [in my sweet apron].

The Saints winning - the icing on the cake - pie.

Fabulous Day.

And . . . . .

Happy Birthday to you Ang!!

We love you!!

Turkey Day 2009

Was amazing.

Here's how it went:

• slept in until 7:15am! [yea!]
• ran [too far] - which turned out to be a blessing because - I finally remembered to get these [8 spudnuts]:

• yum - yum - yum! My spudnuts from Halloween! Thanks to "buff" they were incredible. 5 layers of foil, 1 layer of wax paper and 2 layers of plastic wrap....they were beautiful.

playing Taboo after too much food. just like the old days. hilarious. Evie & Shar [hands-down] the funnest people to play this with. best moment: happy saying, "you get these at a restaurant with a little paper - they say like conscience says...." i think she means, "Confucius says". Second best . . . anytime anyone starts out, "this is something [insert name] is . ." This game is not for the sensitive at heart. Curious ---- why am I the easy target? [don't answer that]

Peanut had stayed the night T-day Eve to "help Nana". Not only did she make this sweet floral arrangement - she included a sultry PJ pose. hubba-hubba.

She may now make rolls better than me?!! [helping in the kitchen?!] I can't pay this kid to help me cook?!!!

• The "K-Clan" helping me find the best running music --- ever.
• The Pita doing all [yes, all] the dishes.
• 7 pies and one amazing bread pudding [made by yours truly].
• each of us trying to pretend we hadn't already gathered a secret stash of orange rolls in the cupboard when mom asked if we wanted to take some home.
• no one touching the cranberry salad thing.
• Happy making 40lbs of mashed potatoes - no joke.
• Dave walking in with a look like, "I wish this was a joke"
• being [semi-nicely forced] to take 7lbs of mashed potatoes home with us/EACH.
• E & J reporting some serious LB'S lost - yea for you guys!
• The biggest hug ever from Ethan
• E & J's kids are turning into carbon copies of "buff" - good thing I adore him & his unique sense of humor. ;)
• Tiff with the sweetest new "do".
• Dad trying "a little of each dessert"
• Mom finding new ways to incorporate her iPhone into anything we were doing. love it.
• walking to the park with the neighbor's kids & our dogs.

I'm realizing I may love this day even more than I had thought.

I am one blessed woman.

That "happy".

She is a funny little tart. So my Mom sent a "here's what each of you ungrateful children [other than EMZ] need to bring to contribute for Thanksgiving dinner" email. First you must know - I come from a family of "reply all's"......why would they just reply to Mom when they can "reply to all" and we can all see how willing they are to make/help/contribute?!

I was thinking just this as I read Happy's email but then I noticed my contributions had been jacked.

I went from Emz: soup, dessert & salad

to this: soup, dessert, salad, 7 homemade pies, more potatoes [Happy may not bring enough], your amazing brownies JIC someone doesn't want pie, green pistachio salad that Dave likes, green bean casserole & olives for our fingers.

Bring on the Holiday's! Can't wait until Happy gets my "reply all" email.

only 7 more days

..... Until my favorite day of the year [other than my birthday, of course].

Turkey Day.

However, I don't even care for turkey. What I do love is most everything else about this day, minus the dishes.

Ours is a simple enough event with all the familiar details - the door left open so we can have the fireplace going, platters of carved meat, Dave's famous "green" jell-o [I think] salad and of course orange rolls - lots of orange rolls. As each family member rolls in, they are all greeted as if they are the only person who will be attending. From Papa, we can Always look forward to a, "how are you honey" to each of us girls & a kiss on the cheek. Nana - lovingly says "hello" from the kitchen as she is elbow high in roll dough. Each person can smell the fresh apple pie - already.

Their house feels bigger than normal on this special day. Every room silently serves it's own unique purpose. Kitchen - expect to jostle a little for "first bites" and a lot of "I had better try that first". Shar wondering if 20 pounds of potatoes is "enough" - she's not joking. She's really concerned. Family room - noise. Good noise. Like the Cowboy's loosing kind of noise. Living room - plans. Shopping plans. Shopping strategies. Coupons. Evie declaring she'll be there for a 4am store opening. The rest of us pretending - we are already "done" with our shopping. Mom's sewing room - Ethan. Nothing is as sweet as seeing Ethan singing and dancing to movie clips. Kids room - jumping. Lots of jumping. Puzzle pieces everywhere but no one puts them together. Enough monopoly money on the floor to solve the health care crisis. Smiles. Lots & lots of smiles. Cousins reunited. Friendships rekindled. Den - a room full of three to six 14-20 year olds texting. Each other. Me. The best feeling ever.

All around - backs are being slapped. Absences - noted. Hands shaken. Hugs given. Love felt. How can this not be the best day ever?