Getting ready

 I am cooking Thanksgiving this year.  It will be nice to go into the holiday season with Dave HOME!   I'm making the whole dinner.  Nate and I made the cranberry sauce and the Chex Mix this morning.  Nate really really wanted to try a cranberry.....

 He thought it would be yummy.

 It kinda wasn't   He had to spit it out.... but not in the cranberry sauce of course.  

 He had a lot of fun adding the cereal and nuts to the chex mix.  

I love this time of year!!  Making the chex mix, and my constant reminder to Nate to leave it alone reminds me of our last Thanksgiving together.... in New Mexico!

Alot has changed.... but its still the same. Weird. 

Whats for Breakfast?

The heat has been on for at least a month here at our house.  When Dave was working the flight-line in years past I would definitely buy him oatmeal to have for breakfast instead of cold cereal.  I never realized how expensive the packets of instant oatmeal were until I realized how cheap a big ol container of instant oatmeal is.  I saw a pinterest pin that you can easily make your own instant oatmeal packets!  DUH SMART!  

you have to use the quick oats. 

I bought the big ol drum of instant oats, planned on making Dave packets.... But I couldn't get myself to use 20+ ziploc baggies. 

 After Dave started hounding me I realized I have a big stack of freezer jam jars in my pantry.  They would work perfectly!  Not only would they be perfect, but Dave could dump the oat/sugar mix in his bowl and use the jam jar to measure the water!  Light Bulb! No measuring cup needed!

 So I just dump 1/2 cup quick oats in with 1Tbls sugar.

 I screw the lid on and shake them up a little.  Nate likes to help.

1/2 cup oats + 1 Tbls Sugar + 3/4-1 cup water  **Nuke for 1 minute 

The big drum of oatmeal made more than 25 adult size portions. Two bucks for the big drum of oats, that's 8 cents per breakfast, with a few cents of sugar.  For real.  The half cup of oats is perfect for Dave.  He has told me he doesn't get as hungry as quickly, and those store bought packets only have 1/4 cup and that's really more reasonable for a child.  Nate had 1/4 cup portion this morning and ate it all up!  I guess I need to package some for Dave and some for Nathan!  

They take about 4 minutes to assemble 20.  Cheap and easy!  Can't beat that!  

Family Game Night

gotta love this kid, even with caramel on his face 

 Nathan LOVES to play games.  When we finish dinner every night he announces It's game time!  Well, Dave and I like games, but not every night.  Sometimes you just want to watch AFV and relax.  So we've had to start penning in a Family Game Night to pacify him during the week.  This way we can remind him "Thursday is game night remember".  It works.  Thankfully.

 So after dinner we pop popcorn. Get out a game and get to it!  

 Last night we played Hungry Hungry Hippos.

stuffing their faces with popcorn 

 I don't want to brag, but I won every round. BOOYA

After we played several rounds we taught Nate how to play 'Go Fish'.  He caught on really quickly and after one practice round was able to manage his own hand and ask on his own.  Dave and I were really impressed, even if he kept asking for As, Ks, Qs, or Js.... I'm sure he will get that soon.  At least we know he knows his letters :) 

Long Lines

Fact. I like to read

Fact. I read a lot

Fact. I will wait in line for more than 7 hours to get a book signed by a favorite author

Fact.  They have both been redheads so far... weird.

Fact.  I appear to have the same, stand by the author pose

Fact. my new glasses do look better on me

Fact. I have a giant forehead if my hair is up.

Fact. I have a giant forehead if my hair is down

Me with Ree Drummond aka Pioneer Woman fall 2012

Me with Janet Evanovich -fall 2010

Fact.  Here is another post with me in all of the photos!  Its a new way of life I guess.  

Other authors I will drive forever and wait forever for... Kristen Hannah, Debbie Macomber, Lorna Landvik.  That's a fact.

The Sheriff

 Nathan was Sheriff Woody this year for Halloween. 

 Our neighborhood was full of trick or treaters and excitement!

He made out pretty well, filling a pillowcase half way!   I stayed home and handed out candy and RAN OUT!  Good thing I still had a bag of organic suckers in the pantry!  Next year I know to buy atleast 6 bags, maybe 7!

TGIF

 It has been quite a week over here.  I knew it was not going to be great when Monday felt like Thursday to me.  But there was a lot of excitement.  It snowed lightly most of the day Wednesday.  It was pretty. Tuesday had been in the 60s however, and nothing stuck.  

 Nate stayed home from preschool one Wednesday and Thursday due to a bad cough and on and off again fever.  Now his cough is breaking up and he was much better today.  

 Just in time to carve pumpkins   

 When I'm doing things like this my mind is racing thoughts like... weird, last year Katie was carving pumpkins with Nate and I...... and the last time Dave was here to carve pumpkins was in New Mexico.  Weird that life changes so quickly for us.  

 I pressed on through the dis-comfortable reminder that things change a lot, and I hate change.... and just carved the dang pumpkin.

 Nate and his pumpkin and his tiny little puppy.

 From the left; Nate, Teresa, Dave.... who decided to carve his pumpkin as an NFL target of humiliation. So now everyone on our street will know our household cheers for the Lions....I shall wear a mask while fetching the mail. 

All I have to say is I hope a Viking fan doesn't smash our pumpkins, I cant wait for the snot to be over and TGI freaking F.  

*disclaimer* I have nothing against the Detroit Lions.  I hardly harass my husband about their winning or lack there of.  However, while we are in public people do.  I cannot recall the number of times, as it is too many to count, a person has come up to David and asked him " how are your Lions doing there?"  And its never that they are doing very well, so Dave has to respond something like.."Next Year" or "I'm sticking with them through thick and thin"  Its hard to watch a person you love put themselves out there for public mockery.... although I honestly admire his loyalty.  the end

Pics of us

Me on Waikiki beach

 Do you follow the Pioneer Woman?  How could you not?  

She writes about food and farming, and photos, and food. And takes really pretty photos of food....  Anyhow, her website makes me hungry I guess. 

Today she was talking about getting yourself into the photo instead of behind the camera!  Ever notice I dont appear very often in these McMath Moments?  I'm taking the photos!  Dave and I usually do the hold the cell phone out method of documenting my involvement in life's events, but to be honest, normally they looks silly or my funny tooth is showing, or that second chin is showing(i hate her)  But I thought I would share photo proof that I do these things. A one time blog post where I am in all of the photos.  

me on the airplane to Hawaii with husband.  No kid to watch/entertain/feed.  just minding my own business watching the movie enjoying the free upgrade to leg room

me under a cool tree with husband

Me on Waikiki with husband and diamond head behind us.

Me on a tour with husband

Me watching huge waves crashing into the rocks with husband

 

me on a boat with husband

me on a submarine with the husband.... i look happy, but I did not like this one bit

me and the husband on the deck of the Mighty Mo.

Me at the queens summer house

me at a waterfall- someone took this for us

me on a boat with diamond head behind us.

me in the crown room of the Palace.

See evidence that I went on an insane vacation.  ME I was there!
(with my crazy humidity hating hair)

Don't mention this to anyone... I dont want people seeing my funny tooth... or my messy hair.