A Busy Week

It's sure a sign that the holidays are approaching quickly when your weekly calendar fills up to the brim. I can't say that this week is as busy as weekends I've had in the past, but knowing that Thanksgiving is Thursday just makes it seem busy. The kids are excited that there is only 2 3/4 days of school this week. Blake, especially, because he has some fun things going on at school. His reading group is performing a play on Monday and Wednesday. Parents are invited on Wednesday so that oughta be fun to watch. Plus, he gets to be in the Turkey Bowl this year. This is something that they have done for the past 4 years in PE class. Wednesday will be set aside for turkey bowling all day. The kids and their classes will go to the gym throughout the day to watch their classmates "bowl" with frozen turkeys and plastic bowling pins. There are 6 kids out of each classroom and Blake was chosen this year. Brooke actually did it last year and she loved it! So Blake is sure looking forward to it this year. More to follow on another exciting thing for Blake....

I need to make a list of everything we need to get done this week.
Monday - no plans
Tuesday - Brooke and I get haircuts after school. She is still growing her bangs out and it's going to be the death of me! Then we will stop at the grocery store to get what I need to fix the Thanksgiving dishes. I am making fresh green beans, deviled eggs, and pies (pumpkin, apple, banana cream, peanut butter cream, and coconut cream. I find it just as easy to make 4 or 5 pies as 1. I will need to remind myself of that on Thursday morning.
Wednesday - Early out at school. Thank goodness! We will come home to boil eggs for deviled eggs, clean green beans, make pie crust, and make "generic" pie filling. Planning on Brooke making the pumpkin pie and I will make an apple pie.
Thursday - Up early to put green beans on (it will probably take about 20 pounds for all of us!), put deviled eggs together, and put the pies together. Everything should be make ahead of time so it shouldn't take too awful long to whip up the meringue (which hopefully turns out) and get the pies in the oven to brown. My family isn't too concerned with the way my pies "look", they only care about the "taste" and most of the time they taste way better than they look. I fight that meringue every darn year. You would think I'd give up, but I want to know how to make a beautiful tall meringue. I actually think a 12 egg meringue is the best, but Helloooooo... that would be like 3 dozen eggs ,.....only for meringue.... maybe I do need my own Banny hens out in the chicken house. No, no, don't go there. Gross. Little peckers. Ok, then off to Kevin & Kathy's about noon, may have to pull a trailer to carry all of my pies! (Grandma, I'm trying to replicate you, I know, it's not working) At the end of the day, Brooke will go home with Aunt Carrie & Uncle Larry (actually hasn't been officially invited but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that that is still the plan). Blake won't go this year, just Brooke & Rachel, but he has bigger plans... more later. We will stop by the Ryner Thanksgiving late afternoon/early evening. Then it's time to go home and go to bed early to get ready for Friday!!
Friday - Up at the crack of dawn to go shopping. I think last year I was at Cathi's before 6:00 a.m. Blake will be getting up at that time too. More later. Brooke will be at Aunt Carrie's. We will shop until we drop. We have to get those early bargains! I have yet to figure out how I am going to get Brooke from Carrie when we are going to be in the Cities shopping, but that will work out somehow. Friday night we have Sam & Lilly's birthday party at 6 p.m. at their house. Last year we didn't get home until 10:00 p.m. from shopping so it will have to be cut short this year. Brooke is spending the night with Lilly that night.
Saturday - Hopefully I'll be able to sleep in a tad. I'm just sure I'll be exhausted. The only ones here should be me and Sophie. Fun. Fun. Not. Blake and Jeff should get home late afternoon. They have to be home for Brad's 50th birthday party. It starts at 7:30 and should be a good time! Babysitter that night. Not sure who!
Sunday - Recooperate! Brooke has a birthday party to go to that afternoon. Get ready for Monday and it's back to school!

Man, that doesn't seem like much of a "Thanksgiving break", does it? That made me tired just typing it!!! So this is why I'm getting my Christmas decor put up this weekend. If I don't, it might not get up! The kids will help decorate the tree. They love doing that & it's a big help to me! Hopefully we will get it all done!