At The Cabin

Over the Thanksgiving weekend everyone was able to get together for a fun night at the cabin. The guys played a rousing game of horseshoes, we ate a yummy spaghetti dinner, played games, and watched a ridiculous movie about aliens in Moscow.

To finish the night we sat in the dark and watched the fire while telling silly stories.

Lindsey helped Shannon become a static-haired zombie:

Then Lindsey tackled Brian:

Then Lindsey changed Peter's cards while he was in the bathroom:

In the morning I baked this breakfast casserole that I had put together the night before. It lasted about 6 minutes:

McMuffin Casserole- serves 8
2 English Muffin, split
1 c. diced ham
1 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
4 eggs
1 1/4 c. milk
Salt
Pepper
Grease an 8 inch square baking dish. Cubed the English muffins. Add half of the cubed muffins to the dish in a single layer. Top with half of the ham and half of the cheese. Layer the remaining muffins, ham and cheese on top. Whisk together the eggs, milk salt and pepper. Pour evenly over the casserole. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight. Remove plastic wrap and bake at 325 for 45-50 minutes.

My Holiday Panic

If you're like me, you wake up one morning in later-ish November and experience the Holiday Panic. As in, "I'm haven't started any holiday plans at all, and it's 5 short weeks away!" Yeah.

Enter: The Master List.

(All important information has been Photoshopped into oblivion.)

Being a compulsive list maker, my iPad is a handy place to keep the Master List and all of it's gift-related content. As of today I have a Master Gift List and a Master Holiday Food list. Other lists could possibly follow. I'm up for that.

Sunday Saying

If You...

If you...

Master the fine art of Turkey Carving, you can show off your skills at Thanksgiving dinner.

 If you...

Come home two days ago from your mission to the San Diego Mormon Battalion Visitors Center, your hairy cousin will take a goofy picture with you.

 If you...

Fill your Thanksgiving plate first, you will find yourself eating all alone for a good 10 minutes at the grown-up's table.

 If you...

Are super cute, you and your mom get your picture taken!

 If you...

Sit around too long, digesting your holiday meal, Grandma will have you and your hairy cousin put up her Christmas lights.

 If you...

Work the early CNA shift, then eat a big Thanksgiving dinner, you will probably need a nap.

But at least you won't find yourself up on the roof with your hairy cousin.

A Lazy Thanksgiving Morning

This is what was happening at my house on Thanksgiving morning:

 This next part happened after a thorough hand washing:

 Grandma was a little surprised when she open this pot at dinner time.

Thanksgiving Day

An Autumn Quote

I'm Grateful For Subway Art

Here's the Thanksgiving addition to my subway art collection. I think it might be my favorite!

Buy, Buy, Buy!

At the end of every horse show season, I put up an "incentive" poster at the barn. My goal: to get the riders to buy their pictures from the last show season. If I left it up to them, they'd never get around to it, so I give them a deadline- December 31st. I'm a firm believer in deadlines. Besides, I have no room for proofs on my website- they are all full. Here's this year's poster:

Sunday Saying

Yep, That Sums It Up.

Airport In The Sky

While we were on Catalina Island, we took a bus tour in this super-cool retro bus.

It took us up into the interior of the island, where the land is wild and you can glimpse a buffalo here and there. (The buffalo were shipped over to be part of an Old West movie back in the 30's, and they stayed.) Seeing buffalo cause quite a stir on board the bus, with passengers rushing from one side of the bus to the other to get a good look. Bruce and I thought this was charming, having seen lots and lots and lots of buffalo in our travels.

The tour took us to the airport. which is up on the highest point of the island. Thus it's name: Airport in the Sky. Bruce made a point of becoming buddies with the air traffic controller.

There was a great cactus garden that was pleasingly photogenic.

After the bus tour it was time to get back on our speedy ship and head back to the mainland. It had been a fun day.

Can't Get Away From Good Old Zane Grey

Back to our weekend trip to California a few weeks ago- sorry, but it's almost done- when we took a day trip out to Catalina Island. I hear family stories that when I was little, my family took a sea plane out to the island. I don't remember that.  Bruce and I took a very fast boat.

We passed the Queen Mary on the way out of the harbor.

We landed in the inlet of Avalon. A small town is built up into the hillside, and there is a touristy walking street by the water, but the big attention getter is the Casino.

The Casino really used to be a casino, but now it's an auditorium on top and a movie theater down below.

We rented a golf cart, which all the locals drive, and drove up around the steep streets of the town. Bruce wanted to take some pictures- here he's running after the golf cart. Running. While taking pictures. I need to talk to him about that.

There is a nice view of the town from those high streets.

You might remember that when we were in Arizona, we saw a house that belonged to the western novel writer, Zane Grey. Turns out he had a house in Avalon too. Next Zane Grey house to visit: the one in Tahiti!

We shared a sandwich for lunch and were mobbed by the resident seagulls.

Catalina is famous for it's decorative clay tiles:

Tomorrow I'll show you what we did in the afternoon.