More Than A Fundraiser!

This past  Thursday was one of my favorite dinners of the year. And yes, it's partly because I don't exactly have to cook.

Little Miss's preschool had their annual spaghetti dinner- which funds the preschool/after-school program! The teachers start working on this even months in advance because it's profits are what helps buy supplies for the upcoming school year. The day-of, parents, grandparents and well, anyone who will agree to help, join together to cut vegetables, stir sauce, boil noodles and cut vegetables.

...and did I mention cutting vegetables? I think we should all take a moment to bow down to the largest carrots I've ever seen- much less cut!

 

 Only minor injuries were endured in the making of the above salads.

That is not my hand...but I can assure you that my hand looked no different by the time I left- thanks to the extra-sharp knives of some fisherman. (Sucker sliced through glove and all! Yowsah!)

Thankfully, my daddy was available to take over my shift so I could run home and bake my dessert for the evening. (He left with less injury, you'll be pleased to know.)

Not that we were lacking in the dessert department. Let me tell you something, these parents can bake! It was worth the money for the dinner just for the desserts! Did I mention they're all homemade? Yes, even mine...and to my knowledge, I didn't make anyone sick. (Score one for me and my cooking skills!)

This night is about more than noodles, sauce and desserts. It's more than just a fundraiser. This event brings our small community together. We're able to really visit with our neighbors, who we may only see when we're rushing to work or to run errands. It gives us a moment to look around at those who share this space with us and be thankful for their presence.

We're able to look at our children- and laugh together at their silliness. We're able to look at how they've grown since the last spaghetti dinner. We're able to take a moment to share a story about our crazy dogs. (Okay, so I was the only one sharing. But the mayor did inform me we can now have chickens in the town limits!)

While I'm sure a great deal of money was raised on this special night, nothing could be more valuable than the memories made while preparing and eating the delicious meal. Thank you, Shon & Scarlett for all your hard work all year- and particularly for the spaghetti dinner. We love you.

Simply Magical

The holidays are here! It's official- the town Christmas tree has been lit!

One thing I love about living in our small, island town is the small, island festivities. This past Friday, we joined hundreds of local folks to lite the town Christmas tree, sing carols, drink hot chocolate, freeze our tails off, and of course, to meet a jolly ole elf...the jolly ole elf. It was a wonderful time.

It's always a joy to see how Little Miss changes from year to year in regards to Santa Claus. One year she's absolutely terrified, the next year she thinks he's okay as long as I'm in his lap too, but this year? Oh this year she was all

about it. (Particularly because, jolly ole Saint Nick? He looks a heckuva lot like my uncle, Little Miss's great-uncle, Big Gully.)

She insisted on showing Santa the bow on the front of her sparkly dress...in true flasher style. (A dress she fought tooth and nail to wear...) She then told him she would like two fashion Barbies, one for her and one for her Bub...and the Santa movie. ("You know, the one they made about you, Santa.") She could hardly fall asleep that night- talking about how amazing it was to meet Santa. Simply magical.

Thankful

This Thanksgiving was one of firsts.

I cooked my very first turkey. I almost threw-up on said turkey, during the 'prep' process. I cooked two pumpkin pies, for the first time ever...and here is the big first, nothing caught on fire and everything tasted amazing! (Oh, and no one got sick! Yay!)

Although I cooked quite a few dishes at home, we ate dinner over at my parents home. It was nothing short of a smorgousborg of incredible food. Collard greens? Oh yes, with cornmeal dumplings. Yum, it makes my heart flutter like a teenager with her first crush.

Recipes from family members past and present flooded the thanksgiving table, as did the memories. It reminded me to be thankful for things those past relatives have left behind- whether it's a plate or a recipe,  morals or butterfly kisses...never take a moment for granted, they pass by too quickly.

Speaking of recipes, let's talk about dessert and my grandfather's recipe for pineapple cake. Yum-O. Or my daddy's recipe for chocolate-cheesecake...well, it's not actually his recipe, but he found it somewhere & made it wonderfully.

After dinner, Little Miss decided to click her sparkly heels and transform herself into a dancing machine. Let's face it, she didn't need to transform much at all.

I'm thankful she got rhythm from someone else in the family. I look like I'm having small seizures when I 'break-it-down'.

And I'm oh-so-thankful for our four-legged family. They make me laugh on a daily basis- sometimes in the midst of almost-breaking-my-neck from tripping over one-of-the-five of them.

Sweet Pea stalked the kitchen all morning, certain there would be some sort of turkey scraps he'd need to dispose of. Just when he gave up, the bacon was ready. About the time he dropped a tiny bacon crumb, which prompted Tinker to fly in like his butt was on fire, I was moving the over-flowing pumpkin pie towards the oven. Tinker got under my feet and ended up with pie filling from ears to tail. He was thrilled!!

I'm thankful I didn't have a sink full of dishes at that very moment, so I could toss my pie-covered chihuahua into the sink for a bath. (Yes, I bathe him in the sink...in the kitchen.)

Even though the turkey almost didn't get cooked and the pie almost didn't make it to the oven, it was the most perfect Thanksgiving we've ever had. Now, bring on Hanukkah and Christmas! Let the decorating being!!

Happy Birthday, Big Girl Jeni!!

As you know, our family doesn't need much of an excuse to celebrate. But we had a great excuse this week...Little Jeni turned 5!

Jeni, who we constantly call Little Jeni because she was named after my grandmother...made it known that she is no longer a little girl- she's now a big girl. Within the same breath of saying hello and hugging me, she informed me that she no longer sucked her thumb and she'd planned to eat most of her peas and even though she had her blanket, she didn't have to have her blanket....all because she's 5.

We spent the evening at my aunt and uncle's home eating pizza, ice cream and cake...telling stories and laughing. Some of us spent some of the evening in a princess tent. It was a wonderful night...and Little Miss was so exhausted she didn't even make it over the bridge before she was sleeping soundly.

By cake and ice cream...I meant, mostly icing.

I think it's safe to say they pretty much adore each other. I've never seen two little girls get along so well...as I knock repeatedly on my wooden desk. They work very hard to make sure the other one doesn't get her feelings hurt.

Jeni wanted to make sure Little Miss didn't feel left out of her birthday celebration- so she even let her blow out her big 5 candle. After she blew it out first, of course.

Big Gully got attacked by some little girls with icing fingers. I believe this was Little Miss's favorite part of the evening!

Sugar?

I'm pretty sure this is the definition of a great birthday celebration...icing on your face. :)

Happy Birthday, Jeni! We love you! (And happy mommyhood anniversary to you, Angie! You're a wonderful mother & I am so glad we can share our girls! Even though mine looks more like you than she does me...)

Oh, North Carolina

North Carolina is full of mailboxes...
...roads less traveled...with lots of flower gardens...

...bird houses waiting for little girls to fill them with seeds...

...fun places to pretend you're a fairy-princess...

...wild grapes- that taste amazing...

...and Grandaddy's who are tall enough to pick them, and feed them to their grand kids.

...North Carolina- you're no big city of dreams...but you're everything in between.