Thanksgiving 2010

What better way is there to start off Thanksgiving morning than with some free stuff? If you don't know me very well you may not be aware of how much I LOVE FREE STUFF! CVS was offering up a nice haul of freebies starting on Thanksgiving morning, and I wanted to get my hands on it. I was surprised to find 3 other crazy ladies parked in the parking lot (two of whom were standing by the door) when I arrived, 10 minutes before the store opened. And here is my loot:

When I got back home, I had to finish up my standard Thanksgiving dishes: corn casserole, sweet potato casserole, and (my new addition) an irresistible pumpkin cheesecake with homemade nutmeg whipped cream.
So, the Rogers family likes to do things BIG. This year we actually had a smaller crowd than usual, but still a large enough group to require us to have Thanksgiving here:
Where else would you be able to fit this many tables (not all of them even fit in the picture) and this much food?:
I know it looks like a family reunion, but this is just immediate family. We partook of an abundance of delicious foods and good company. It was especially nice to have my lovely sister-in-law Heatherly and her sweet family here from Texas. Sam and Nathanael had a blast playing with all of their big cousins. They really look up to the big kids and the big kids are so good with them.
Natey loved having a stick fight with these two.
Richard might look tough, but just look how tenderly he played with puzzles with Natey.

Natey and pretty little Jillian
All the cousins who were present. We were missing a handful this year.

All in all, a spectacular Thanksgiving. We certainly are blessed to have so many of the ones we love close by so that we can get together and enjoy one another's company on special days like this.

Precious Pilgrim

On Tuesday Sam participated in his very first school program. His class dressed as pilgrims. I was so disappointed with myself for forgetting to bring my camera! So, I had to stage a reenactment of Sam as a pilgrim.
The program was one of the cutest things I've ever watched. Occasionally I'm reminded that Sam is still such a little baby, and that day was one such occasion. Those children looked so little and precious up on the stage. And to my amazement and delight, Sam sang his little heart out! Every day after preschool I ask Sam about his day. I ask him what he had for snack, what letter they worked on, what Spanish words he learned, what songs they sang. And everyday, all he can "remember" is what he had for snack and what letter they worked on. He never sings the songs at home and he always says he doesn't know the words. Now I know differently. I swear I heard him singing above all the other children. He was absolutely adorable. He made me proud. And when Paul and I picked him up in his classroom and told him what a great job he did, I could tell he was proud of himself too.

Falling off the wagon

Soda. It's my addiction. I admit it. I can't live without it. It makes a great addition to any meal. I like it with breakfast (cheese crackers and chocolate goldfish, anyone?), lunch, snack and dinner. There are just certain things that should not be consumed without it; salty snacks, pizza, sandwiches...anything savory, in fact. But, I recognize it's dangers. Discolored, unhealthy teeth? Yep, I've got 'em. Kidney stones? Yeah, I'm worried about 'em. Cancer? I'll probably get it. So, round about Thursday of last week I decided to kick the habit. My supply ran out and I was not going to purchase any more. I would allow myself to have some if it were available at some one's house, but I wasn't going to buy it. I made it until today....
I've thrown in the towel. After a long, rainy day with the boys, and because dinner has a Mexican flair (and therefore pairs nicely with soda), I called Paul and requested that he stop at the nearest crack house and get me some drugs....I mean the nearest grocery store and get me some soda!!!! ASAP! Man I can't WAIT to pop the top on the can. I just wish it came chilled....

Southern Boys

What are southern Saturdays in the fall for besides football? It's just what southern boys do; they are either playing it, watching it, or talking about it, every fall Saturday. When Sam is playing football, the teams at play are always the Clemson Tigers vs. the Carolina Gamecocks or the Clemson Tigers vs. the Cougars. Lately he's decided he likes the Gamecocks because he only likes "teams that win". Oh boy.



But, apparently southern mommies play football on Mondays because, as I was informed by Sam, his pretend friends have the day off.