We Play Cards, and I'm So Excited...

I could write you a super long post about why I love my family.

Or why I love my sisters.

Or what's so hilarious about being with them, why I value it so much.

Or my grandparents, who I feel so blessed to know so well and have spent so much time with.

But this weekend, we will be having round two of something that almost runs in our blood.

A few months back we gathered for a Pinochle game at my Grandpa's.

Generations of die-hard card players, folks.

It's a part of our family, like air is to breathing.

We always do it when we're together.

On vacations or simply a quick hand after a family dinner.

Lots of stories about outbursts or truly dumb bidding moments, laughing hysterically over something (who knows what), football games on, cousins gathered, by the fire at the cabin years ago growing up.

These are some very good times, among some of my fondest memories.

Always some caffeine, popcorn, treats, and chocolate on hand.

Good laughs.

Thanks to Mom and Dad, for getting us involved in such fun, in linking us back thru generations.

There are sometimes tears from laughing so hard. 

(That happened last time.)

Sometimes a once-in-a-lifetime moment like getting 1500 trump.

(This also happened last time, as pictured below.)

I was the lucky gal's partner.

(Game won, instantly.  You play the game to 1500 points, which is reached right away if this happens.)

I've never had 1500 trump in my Pinochle playing years as yet, and this was her first time.

We shrieked and admired.

We literally cracked up, laughing so hard, over Christa making the surprised look, over and over, for everyone to take different camera shots.

(She'd go straight-faced and then burst into this surprised expression for the next flash -- which made us start laughing all over again.)

(Her laughing at herself, after all of her faking it, happy we were all so amused.  The initial moment was one of total freak out, tho.)

It was truly hilarious.

Then we had to gather on the couch and take a picture of all of us girls.

(Being goofy, because that's the sort of mood we were in after laughing for 10 minutes.)

It's really REALLY not a great picture of any of us, but forgive.

We love each other, and that's all that matters.

I'm looking forward to another round this weekend.

It's the best.

The Day After Thanksgiving

What are you doing today?

Maybe you're out shopping among the throngs?

Or making something with all the Thanksgiving leftovers?

I'm taking care of a sick baby.

We're going to take a nap.

Go Christmas tree shopping this afternoon.

Put up the tree and deck the halls.

Read some stories.

I hope we start feeling better around here.

There is a carpet of leaves outside in my back and front yards.

But I've got to be inside with this little one.

I'm hoping she can fall asleep and her tummy will let her rest.

Hope you all had a good Thanksgiving.

And maybe you'll find this amusing, too.  It's so charming.

I love how the cows all line up and stay at attention, totally loving the music.

This weekend we have an extended family brunch, putting up more Christmas lights, raking the yard clean, and listening to Handel's Messiah with friends and eating yum dessert to ring in the season.

Dancing to Some Tunes

Yesterday we read stories and got great reports from the boys' teacher.
But the fun began after we had lunch and I started pulling stuff out of the fridge to wipe everything down, organize, and put away again.
Isaiah and Mia had gone outside, but this little man said to me, "Mom, I could help you with that." He washed his hands and went to work, emptying stuff out for me and wiping out the bottom shelf. Then he proceeded to keep wiping other things down.
It made my day. Just hanging out --- me and my little man.

We turned on some Halloween/party tunes cd, turned it up, and started boogying.
It was so fun. After Benj went outside, I was boogying alone in the kitchen and it felt so good. Mimi came in with Isaiah and she starting dancing too. We got our groove on and laughed while movin' to Ghostbusters and Hot, Hot, Hot. Mia was dancing too. Isaiah was highly amused with us.
(I would have posted a different pic here, where I was really rockin it and Isaiah was laughing at my derriere, but my shirt slid up and my, ahem, underwear could be seen.)

This weekend we have pumpkin carving and a Halloween party at Nana's house with all the cousins. Nan gets all decked out in a costume and the older cousins make a creepy exhibit featuring eyeballs and guts and brains and, ya know, whatever soft stuff they can feature from the fridge or elsewhere to make something that will feel disgusting. All the kids dress up and we eat. The kids get grab bags of treats from Nan. It's super fun.

Coming Next Week:
A free giveaway announced on Tuesday.
Um...I just may or may not be showing you a sneakie sneakie of some of my fave family photos we just got back from our photo shoot a couple weeks ago.
And, just maybe, a Halloween recap of our family parties, costumes, and more.
Hope you have a great festive weekend!

It's Friday

This morning I took a deep breath and stopped rushing around.
It's sad to say but this is hard for me to do, but oh so necessary.
I'm kind of productivity driven.
Kind of a go-go-go woman, if you will.
We made waffles.
Read books.
Played memory.
And now we're headed out for a walk.
I realized yesterday that Thanksgiving was six weeks away.
I'm already excited.
That means it's only 6 weeks til all the Christmas decor goes up.

Pictures from Thanksgiving 2010 (not pictured: all the children that were running around and had their own special table to sit at)
This weekend we have a (hopefully) relaxing nite tonight, Christmas choir practice in the morning, family pictures, a family dance, and possibly a get together with our dear friends that we love.

Hope you have a good weekend, too.