Thanksgiving Week

I'll see what I can remember....

The kids were off of school all week for Thanksgiving. At one point they were talking about having them go to school Monday and Tuesday to make up some of the Ike time, but when they realized that something like 40% of the teachers in the district already had non-refundable tickets to go somewhere else, they decided they'd have a hard time coming up with substitutes, and maybe that wasn't the right time to try and make up days...

So, anyway, the kids and Dee did a lot around the house the first part of the week. Monday they had their friends over (who are in the process of moving to the Woodlands (which is on the opposite side of Houston from us, for those who don't know)) a lot of the day, so they had fun with that. On Tuesday I don't really remember much, except that evening I went over for a few minutes to help pack up some stuff in the friend's motor home that they were taking up to their new house.

Wednesday I don't remember very well, either. I got off early that day, and that evening Jessie and Brennan started on what turned into a vast project. Originally we were making hand turkeys for Thanksgiving, and then Jessie and Brennan started creating a house for the turkeys so that they could stay inside all the time and avoid becoming a Thanksgiving dinner. In the end, the house included 2 arcades, an enterntainment room, bathrooms, an electronics room, bedrooms, tunnels, and I can't even keep track of everything. It pretty much filled the entire living room. I'll try to put up some pictures. The best part of the project was how well they worked together on it. That took up most of the evening and major portions of Thursday as well.

Also on Thursday Dee did a lot of cleaning in the house, and I started cleaning out the atrium, which has been completely neglected for probably a couple of years (and we've never really done much with it). A little later everyone else came out, and Brennan helped in the atrium while Jessie raked some leaves and Dee started loading the stuff that we didn't sell at the last garage sale into the van to take and donate. After a little while Jessie and Brennan switched to playing badminton together instead of working. Dee did a very impressive packing job to get everything into the van. I discovered a vast pillbug colony (I think I counted at least 20), as well as numerous spiders, a couple of odd lizards I'd never seen before, and a snake. Plus one strange caterpillar or grub we'd never seen before (we have a picture I can post). There's still a lot of weeds and grass to pull out in the atrium, so that project will be ongoing for awhile.

That evening we went over to the departing friends' house for Thanksgiving dinner. Wednesday night Jessie and Brennan made an oreo cream pie. We also brought a cherry pie (frozen), sweet potato casserole, and mashed potatoes. The mashed potatoes through a misunderstanding (Shelby, the dad of the family, thought we had brought mashed potatoes last year, and he really liked them. But it was really another family (that has since moved to China), since Dee had never made mashed potatoes from scratch before. But hers were really good, too). The dinner was very good, and the kids had tons of fun.

Friday I went in the morning and helped them load some more stuff to take to the new house. The rest of the day was preparing for Beth, Scott, Heather, Jessica and Lady to visit. They arrived around 3 in the afternoon. Shortly after that, Scott and I headed to Lowe's to get some fencing supplies. As these items are very popular at the moment (for some reason, a lot of people seem to be putting up new fences...), they've got quite a system worked out. All the materials are outside in the loading dock. You go in, tell them what you want and pay for it, then take your receipt to the loading dock and they load up your vehicle with what you bought.

We were getting the supplies to begin the long-put off project of putting a fence and gate between the backyard and the front yard. That evening we put in one fence post and started another on the non-gate side.

Saturday morning we went to Space Center Houston.

And now, it's another week later, so I have more to write about.... Drat! Also means details will get sparser...

Space Center Houston was a lot of fun for everyone, I believe. I was happy that I was able to land the shuttle successfully the first time (they have a simulator). Of course, I was doing the easy level where you only have to worry about getting your nose the right attitude. Maybe another time I'll try the harder version where you have to keep the wings level as well... The kids all had a lot of fun in the play area, and with a lot of the other activities.

That afternoon we put in more fence posts, and Brennan and Scott and I worked on cutting back some tree roots that were going to be in the way of the gate, but we had to improvise as we didn't have an ax or a saw. I was impressed with Brennan's hard work. Jessica really had a hard time because she wanted to fill in one of the post holes all by herself, but was eventually content with making her own dirt pile--and she also "planted a tree". While we were doing this, Jessie, Dee and Beth ran to some stores. Then we grilled some food.

Sunday Beth, Scott, Heather, Jessica and Lady went back home while the rest of us went to church. I don't remember much about what else we did that day--except work on the 300-piece Harry Potter puzzle Jessie was given as an early birthday present from Beth and clan. That continued off an on, until we finished it finally on Friday or Saturday.

This last week was more ordinary, at least the first part. I don't remember much about Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday Jessie had Achievement days and learned to knit, which she has spent a lot of time doing ever since. There were a lot of friends over this week as well.

I've been having problems with starting the van lately, because one of the battery terminals badly needed to be replaced. From Wednesday on, I had to jump start it each morning, although it has been fine coming home each day. Friday Jessie's friend Aiyana was coming to sleep over for Jessie's birthday, and her dad helped me change the terminal, so hopefully that will help (although I won't be surprised to end up replacing the battery as well). Jessie and Aiyana had fun, and stayed up late.

Saturday we spent a lot of time working on science fair projects (they were due Monday, and will be the subject of another post later, hopefully). We did go out to dinner for Jessie's birthday as well. That night, Brennan woke us up in the middle of the night because it was too dark--and we quickly discovered that our power was out. I went out to check, and our side of the street was completely dark, but the other side was fine. I could also see a big truck working at the end of the street. After 20 or 30 minutes, the power came back on, but that was a bit of a hard night for all of us (Jessie woke up just a little after Brennan).

Dee had to go to Ward Council this morning, but came home before church so Jessie could open her presents. She seemed to enjoy them a lot. After dinner we went to decorate the church for an open house before the Christmas devotional, and then stayed for the first part of the devotional, but we ended up leaving early because the kids (Brennan in particular) were very tired--not surprising after two late nights in a row.

That pretty much gets us to today.