Guess who's coming to dinner?

My family is coming for Thanksgiving this year .  We are hosting Thanksgiving dinner.  What!?  The plan was made several months ago and I totally forgot.  And to think, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday!  My sister reminded me this week and now the meal is all I can think about.  Recipes, grocery lists, potentially putting my hand inside a turkey, refrigerator space, seating, crowd control (including the dogs), centerpieces, desserts (which can make or break any special occasion)... you get the idea.  I need this type of challenge.  I really do.  It is time for me to grow and mature and do normal things like cook a Thanksgiving meal for my family (I must say, I thought I would be much, much older when this finally came to pass).

We are going to a skating party Sunday afternoon (Sadie's 5th birthday) and I am so excited.  Skate Haven of Winston-Salem, North Carolina represent!

Ellen's insecurities and the injustices of her day come out at night.  I soothe and reassure.  Listen and comfort.  (And ask questions because that is what I do.)  I hope she will always come to me and/or Phillip no matter what.

Unfortunately, we are missing Cade's birthday bash again this year.  He will be 3 years old on September 27th, but his party is this weekend.  In a month, or maybe two (depending on if we make if home during Ellen's fall break), we will see him and finally get to meet Quinn (the other boy cousin).  Or Shaq, Q, or Dr. Quinn, as I sometimes think of him.  I am pretty sure the reason my sister does not reveal the names of her children until their actual birthday has something to do with my gravitational pull toward nicknames (it has subsided over the years).  Don't worry, I will call him Quinn, unless his look screams something else.

"Bored means you want to have fun but you're not having fun at this moment" - Ellen McCullough

Lilly is in the beginning stages of pulling up on things but only ends up on her knees.  She practices at school and then tries it at home :)  She moves all around when playing on the floor, which is often, but she is not crawling yet.  She likes to have a toy in each hand and bang them together, and she does so with purpose.

This friendly guy hanging out in Kroger can only mean one thing: candy corn.