around here

So it totally snowed and snowed yesterday. Made me a little grumpy. So to kind of cheer me up I started working on teacher Christmas gifts.
Sort of worked.
 Oh I have learned over the years to tolerate winter. Trust me. But with snow comes days filled of shoveling. And while I no longer am JUST shoveling like years past it's still a hard on you chore. And yes, because I'm totally lazy and keep the makeup on that I wore the night before I do in fact look like a cross between these two:

Mind you the hair is spot on. Well, a little shorter and larger...but you get the gist. 

Last year we bought a snowblower. We're true Iowans now. (Perhaps a few steps closer?) 

But lets be honest...that snowblower thing? Its more of a pain in my rear to maneuver than me just shoveling. Yet the husband insists its a faster solution especially since he's not here all day long to take care of the issue. 

But really that's not a bad thing. Seriously who really wants to see me in that state anyways? No one is home but the cat and the dog and while the cat mocks me with looks of "Are you going to stay looking that? You know you look like Alice Cooper right?" I normally just look at her and say "Shut up, don't judge me." But clearly she's judging. It's all good, I got back at her by putting a flowery looking collar on her. 

She hates it. And actually it's made her more judgy. now that I think about it.

And I tell her so.

And then I realize I'm talking to the cat. 

And then I tell myself "It's better than talking to yourself."

"Wait does that count as talking to myself?"

"Shoot! there I go again."

"STOP IT!"

And then I look at the cat and tell her "QUIT JUDGING ME."

She just comes back with "You gonna put a pair of normal pants on or are you going to call those sweatpants you wore to bed your outfit today?"

on going cycle of crazy.

And a cat that's going to make me go to therapy with her abuse.

 Tomorrow will be spent yelling kindly but forcefully telling the kids to clean up their rooms while mom makes her pies, mashed potatoes and whatever else I can get done the day before Thanksgiving.
And yes, thank you for remembering our fiasco last year with the dog and the apple pie. In fact every time we mention thanksgiving, apple pie, or even apples...its like clockwork, someone in the family starts with adding salt to the wound by bringing it up with "Hey remember that one time when Buck totally DESTROYED mom?! I mean destroyed the PIE mom made?"
Good times.
Now I feel like going and double fisting chocolate.

 Thanksgiving is in fact been my favorite holiday of the year.
All that gratitude and stuff...but really...
I really love pumpkin pie.
I think that's the only reason I love thanksgiving so much.
And that gratitude stuff and family togetherness as well.
But mainly its about the pumpkin pie.

 This is also the holiday season that these lovelies show up. I'm not the only one that looooooooves these clementines either.
My kids go into "Hunger Game" mode when these show up and I can't seem to keep them around for more than a nano second. Only reason why theres an actual picture of these here, is because I just bought them and the kids aren't home yet.
I've already had like 5 of them.
I guess it's better than us all fighting over and going through that many Big Macs this season. (see gratitude stuff)

fabric by Robert Kaufman pattern Lucky Stars

Also with Thanksgiving being so late this year...it's kind of thrown me in for a loop. It's cool though,
cause I may not have hardly any of my shopping done...but I've got the start of my lucky stars christmas pillows already done.
bam.

You ready?