A Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving...

...I know I have written about the thanksgivings past that my Gma hosted...so much TLC she put into...the table decorations...the food...the hospitality. I finally came across at least one pic of the event to help solidify the memories. Hopefully I'll come across more as I comb through and edit all of the scanned old family pics. Uncle Ray F., Uncle Gary C., Dad, GMA C and Aunt Thelma F.

Editing old family pics

while I visit with my Poppa bear whose come to visit for a spell. So many old pics that I scanned nearly four years ago while visitng my rents that needed editing and repair. Here's a few for the extended fam out there. :)

The first pic is at Gma & Gpa C's house in Washington, IL:

left to right: Karen, Lori Ann, Susan, Linda and Julie

2nd pic facing forward: Aunt Norma, Danny, Uncle Dick, Connie, Cathy, backs to pic: Diane, Nancy & Karen (at Gma and Gpa K's-Wash., IL)

3rd pic: Lower left, Gpa K (Lester), Karen, Nancy, Diane, Susan, Janice, Linda, Becky, Danny, Uncle Dick, Connie and Cathy (2Gma and Gpa K's)

One...or maybe two more...

Ok....and that top picture is soooo not Linda...how do I know this? Well, #1: It's me. #2 I have another picture from the same day, in the same place with Linda standing next to me. But gotta give Gma K. or someone credit-@ least they tried to label the picture!! LOL

The second pic was a summer familt trip we went on. I actually remember this place a little bit! I loved the running water. This had to be when I was in first grade as I can tell I had lost some teeth AND...mom chopped my long blonde locks off after kindergarten (Afterwards my hair turned darker. Waaaaa...)

More childhood pics

Revisiting my childhood

while downloading, uploading, importing and editing pics today I came across some pics from years gone by...So fun to see my childhood and good times spent with my family. First pic is my oldest sister; Karen, carrying me on her shoulders at Gma C's in Illinois. The next pic is the one and only home I ever knew. I came home from the hospital to this house and left it for college. Check out the Griswold car parked in the driveway!! I think we actually had two of them (not at the same time though). Mom got into an accident with our next door neighbor (Mary Quilling) while they were traveling to/from Eau Claire. It was a foggy day and it caused a several car pile up that was written about in the local newspapers.

Also fun to note the chokecherry tree and blue spruce. The chokecherry tree was to the power lines by the time I graduated and the blue spruce (I think it came from the farm/yard of Grandpa K's. It was towering over my head on graduation day. I don't even see the river birch was planted yet. (It grew outside our dining room window).

Internetica

So, my 6 year old decided to give dear old mom a quiz today:

"Mommy, do you know what internetica is?"
"Hmmm...an internet encyclopedia?"
"Nope... It's when things in motion tend to stay in motion."
"Ohhh, that's wonderful honey, but I think it's called inertia."

My goodness, how hard it was to keep from chuckling when he was so earnest in his query and so proud of the knowledge he had gained today.

On another note, big brother achieved his Accelerated Reading goal two weeks early so he has earned himself some more money to go towards an electric guitar.

Today was Boo's conference with his gifted class teacher. She showed us all of his work which included a report (complete with bibliography) and a power point presentation that he had put together. How cool that they have first graders doing these things. Teach me too please! :)

Yesterday we had a Cub Scout outing and frequented a local Civil War Battlefield. It was really interesting and a beautiful day to be out exploring history together. Afterwards, we had a family night of tennis. Good fun + exercise.

Tennis Love...

...excited to post these pics....recent USTA Team Mixed doubles Sectional tourney. We were finalists and my partner and myself won the whole thing. Unfortunately for us, a team has to win two out of three courts to go to Nationals-so we won't be going. But, we were still pleased with our results.

Also.... happy to announce my girls HS Team won their districts and my #1 girl is going to state tourney individually. Our team will head to regional team match tomorrow and hope to move on from there in an attempt to get the whole team to state. Wish us luck! (BTW, I was soooo proud of the girls!!)

Today...

my Mick turns 38. Can't believe that you have been in my life for fourteen years now and I love you more than ever (and I like you a wee little bit too!)
Happy Birthday Mick. YOU DA BEST! -Suz

Today.

1. Up early to make breakfast in bed for my beloved bday boy. (coffee with cream and sweetener, raspberry cheesecake yogurt, mini whole wheat bagel with peanut butter).

2. Wrapped bd gift while the beloved bday boy slept.

3. Feed the dogs and let them out.

4. Woke the boys and got them upstairs in time tosing "happy birthday" while bringing candlelit bagel to the beloved bday boy.

5. Beloved bday boy arose to use the restroom. It was then that the covert operation took place.

6. While said beloved bday boy was in the bathroom, the oldest son kept watch while I removed surprise bd gift from an undisclosed location and place just outside our bedroom doors.

7. When the beloved bday boy came out of the bathroom, the youngest son gave him his gift.
While the BBB began opening the present, I began to explain how the gift was practical as I knew we would be needing to update our old tv's with new converters by Feb 09 b/c of the whole HD era taking place. I rambled on about how the dude at Wally-World said this is what we needed to make the conversion. The BBB looked perplexed as he told me that the converter was not the correct one, that it was, indeed, a converter for an HD tv. With the most innocent and confused face that I could muster, I preceded to say in a perplexed voice, "Well, I AM confused b/c the Wal-mart dude assured me it was the correct converter (all the while I am opening the doors widely so that my BBB REAL bday gift was straight ahead of his line of sight-sitting their for the BBB's eyes to rest upon- a brand new 32" Flat Screen TV. (Sorry honey but the monster flat screen will have to wait-LOL) The BBB was stunned. Covert operation complete. :)

8. Made breakfast and packed lunches for the BEBZ.

9. Let the dogsback in.

10. Drove Ian to his gifted class and dropped Ethan off at school.

11. Volunteered at the book fair.

12. Came home and did laundry, dishes, paid bills.

13. Cleaned up scrapbook/classroom area.

14. Watched a bit of Ellen while doing aforementioned chores.

15. Made Mick and myself a turkey pastrami and swiss cheese on pumpernickel sandwich.

16. Caught up on blog posts.

17. Updated iCalendar.

18. Searched for shelving/storage/scrapbooking desks online (my early 40th bday gift from my BBB--SO SWEET!!!)

19. Folded laundry.

20. Cashed check at bank and made deposit at Big Gma's bank.

21. To university to take tennis team pic.

22. Called Mick and Jules on the way home-discussed CS, cropodile usage and Sat night FB plans.

23. More laundry.

24. Baked a lemon pound cake for BBB's pleasure.

25. Getting ready to take BBB to dinner.

MORE LATER>

(Yesterday Ethan lost a third baby tooth-They're dropping like flies. The tooth fairy is now officially sleep deprived---zzzzzzz.)