Paying It Forward

My kiddo had a holiday from school on Monday (President's Day) so I decided to do something fun. I found a nature scavenger hunt list online and we went to a nearby state park hiking. We have been there in the past but usually to play at the playground only. We packed a backpack (with drinks), the list (and pencil to check off it items found or seen), a few snacks, diaper/wipes for the toddler and my camera.



The first trail we picked to hike ran along a creek and was interesting. It was a mile long and then the second trail (to return) was over a mile as well. It was, in hindsight, probably too long to walk as a first hike in a long time. My kindergartener enjoyed finding things on our list (and we put some in a bag we were carrying - those things that weren't part of the park like flowers etc. but like berries, leaves from the ground, bark from a tree, pinecone, to name a few.) Surprisingly, the toddler walked the first leg of the hike, a good mile, with no issues. It's at that point that I realized that I should have brought the baby backpack. I ended up carrying him most of the second mile back. But it wasn't too bad since we were walking so slow to begin with, lol!



Afterwards, we were famished and went to a diner place (Waffle House.) The kids love their waffles and I think their chili rocks! We drove about ten minutes to get there (and my toddler and I were still red as we always get that way when we get hot.) Oh, it was really hot (what happened to spring? it's already hot!) and our backs were sweaty too. We ordered our food and then talked until our food arrived. We sat in a booth right next to the counter where people were sitting and eating. I noticed there was a man close to us but never made eye contact but observed that he looked similar to a friend's husband (but clearly wasn't because he had less hair.) The kids and I talked about where we walked. I had my kindergartener trace the trails and I was showing my toddler letters on his cup of milk that he was drinking. Nothing unusual occurred, well, other than the kids were very well behaved probably because they were so tired that they had no energy to act up!

When it was time to leave, I asked the waitress for our check. She said nope. I was confused and said that I hadn't received it yet. She then said that a little bird had already paid for it. Totally confused now, I asked for more clarification. Apparently the guy sitting near us asked to pay for our meal. He left long before we finished (I didn't even see him leave) and with no explanation other than he wanted to pay for it. I was floored! Completely surprised by such a generous act of kindness. Of course, since it was a great feeling, I definitely need to pass it on to someone else in the near future!

This weekend -

This weekend has been fun! The weather is great (almost too hot - the air conditioner has definitely been on) and we've been outside a lot. Yesterday, we opened up a gift we received from my aunt (for the boys) at Christmas. It turned out to be a huge ball you can ride in (there was no description on the box but it looked big so I waited for decent weather to open it.) The neighbor kids came over and all the kids took a turn in it! Well, the toddler didn't but he did get inside and look around.



(in mid roll)




We also jumped on the trampoline. This is my neighbor jumping with my toddler. (Her kids were playing in the sand next to us.)


My toddler stayed on it a really long time!


Later on, I went to see a movie with a friend. We saw Unknown (with Liam Neeson) and I really loved it. I like those dramas with mysteries and adventure.

Bright and early this morning, my kindergartener said he was going outside hunting (with his plastic nerf gun.) He came back in a few minutes later and said that he didn't realize that we had raccoons around here. I asked about how he knew that and he insisted I follow him. When I did, he showed me the tree (and there was his tiny stuffed raccoon sitting on a limb.) It was precious! I ran back in to get my camera and by the time I returned, he had moved 'Ricky Raccoon' but was still in the tree. So, I snapped a pic.


At lunch, my kindergartener begged to go to a nearby Chinese buffet. I really don't like them (as I don't eat enough to cover the amount of money I spend there) but he asked so nicely. We went and he enjoyed two plates of crawfish. This is him sucking the head of a crawfish (he is finishing his second plate.)


After lunch, we returned home and I put my toddler down for a nap. Ten minutes later, I went to check on him. He had pulled all the sheets off of his mattress and looked like this when I saw him. Well, technically, I peeked through the crack of the door, saw what he was doing and came in with a camera. I have seen him do this before (but hadn't confronted him on it) so it was a good time to remind him what he was supposed to be doing in there. So, I closed the drapes, put the sheets back on and tucked him back into bed.


He slept a good three hours today (enough time for me to upload pictures, check my mail, and read the newspaper.) I even cleaned the kitchen and living room (I just love a clean house!)

The Kid's Kitchen -

The kitchen my kiddos got for Christmas has been a source of entertainment! Luckily, Santa got this heavy-duty kitchen (over 80 pounds) because it wouldn't fall down and seemed sturdy, according to the customer reviews on Amazon. It took about a couple hours to put together (and there were no words in the instructions...only pictures, which surprisingly proved to be very helpful.) When you take out the sink, you can fit in an average six year old!


Yes, the stove part is big! An average toddler will fit inside with the shelf removed and can pretend to be a turkey (even though they wear a frog costume.)


Naturally, I had to open the stove periodically and baste the huge turkey with my pretend butter (complete with sound effects and cup.)


Heavy and well put together, it easily holds lots of weight on the top as well! Little boys are so much fun!!! I haven't yet moved it out our living room, lol! It's convenient to watch them play while in this room so I just left it....I'll eventually move it.

computer woes

Well, technically, there aren't any more woes but last week, out of the blue, my mouse quit working. I went to the store and bought another...even the new one didn't work. So, I used my daughter's new wireless mouse (thinking it was a port issue) and even with that, nothing worked. Ugh! My port worked fine (with my cameras hooking up) but it was just a mouse thing!

I buy Dell computers (because they've had great service if anything messed up with my previous purchases) and I have a Dell credit card (so I can pay them off usually without accumulating interest.) So after uninstalling and checking troubleshooting issues with no solution, I called Dell's service technicians.

Had I given the guy the correct computer tag number initially, it probably would have gone well. But, unfortunately since I have bought more than one, I didn't realize that the number that came up when I went to the website when they identified my service tag number that I should have actually checked the back of my laptop instead of assuming that number was the correct one. So... when the guy checked for issues, nothing came up. It wasn't until the end of our two hour call that I realized that I had given the poor guy the wrong number. Nevertheless, I had a really good experience and conversation with Surendra (from India) who was respectful (even when I asked a few times exactly what he wanted me to do), professional (knew what to do to troubleshoot my issues), and very courteous. While waiting for the computer to reboot over and over while installing and uninstalling software, I found out that he was 27, lived with his parents (his older sisters were married and have moved on) and he was still looking for the 'right one.'

I know that jokes are made about calling for service and there are people with thick accents helping (and to an extent, that was true) but I am so impressed that a guy in another country whose first language was not English could communicate with me to ask me to do things with my laptop to assist fixing it using technical computer terms. And after my issues were solved and he had access to my system, before logging off, he had chatted in the little box. As I thanked him for his patience with me, he wrote, "Thank you mam, it was my deauty." Perhaps he thought that it was his duty, but having been 'helped' by other people like with my phone/cable enough times with inefficient assistance, I can say that not everybody thinks the same way...I was incredibly satisfied! (btw, I also let Dell know this as well.)

Around here...

...we've been having a pretty good week! It's really cold (for us, that is) so we've been inside a lot. The kiddos have been getting along really well (although their room looks like a tornado just went through!) Even the big kiddo has been good! She's been back home since before Christmas. It's nice to have her around again. I even sent her to the grocery store the other day (with only needing a couple items but giving her the permission to get snacks.) She came back with a bunch of bags with nothing to eat, lol! There were definitely a lot of snacks (she and my kindergartener went together.) I pretended I were her and made a few comments as if I couldn't find anything I liked or asked if she got (some item she had no idea I wanted but didn't get.) She got the idea...it's different on the 'other' side!



I also had a birthday dinner with my former coworkers. We go out three times a year around each of our birthdays (and the other two pay for the meal.) It was a really great evening and I loved the conversation and company! It was M's birthday (the one on the right.) Of course, I'm in the middle!


My MIL had an issue (she was nonresponsive) so her ALF sent her to the ER. As it turned out, she wasn't having a stroke as they suspected but was dehydrated. After a few days in the hospital, we signed her up for hospice so that their doctors will decide in the future is she needs to return to the hospital for something like that (or treat her where she lives now.) While the initial fluids made her feel great...
(this is her clapping to my toddler)



...she eventually got disoriented. At one time, she asked if I were a woman or a girl. She normally thinks we are childhood friends (perhaps in grade school.) I told her that I am a woman but feel like a child sometimes and laughed. When she gets a little confused, I answer and then start talking about something else. Or if she is talking and I can't understand her (which is very common), I start talking about something else like what I did that day or had for lunch. She loves hearing me talk regardless of what I talk about.

Yesterday, with an upcoming winter blast and the expectation of some kind of winter slush/ice/snow, my kindergartener's school closed early. After I picked him up, he requested crabs. We went to a seafood restaurant where he proceeded to eat a half dozed bbq crabs! He patiently sat and cracked the legs/shells and pulled the meat out. My toddler and I were done long before he was so we sat and watched him eat the rest.


This was as close to a smile as I could get as he didn't want to slow down and smile long enough for me to get a picture. My toddler and I played "I Spy" while he finished to keep us preoccupied (it seemed more appropriate than what my toddler had been currently doing...crawling under the table.)


As it turned out, we got no snow... :(

Boots

An aquaintance came over this week. My neighbor's kid grew up, got attached to a girl and they had a baby. They came over to show me how much their baby has grown (and of course, how cute it is.) During the conversation, not sure exactly how we got there, the girl (ok, she's really in her mid 20's) mentioned how she used to take off her dad's boots every night. I suddenly remembered having done the same thing with my own dad. I don't remember how it got started but as an adult now, I'm sure he was tired at night after having worked all day and wanted assistance getting them off, lol! He wore those lace up boots that you eventually wrap the laces around the top and then tie. I loved unhooking the things and loosening them up before pulling them off. He would shower me with thanks and compliments. My dad was an older dad and was almost 55 when I was born.

It's interesting that I married a guy who ends up wearing the same kind of boots too. He wears them at work (the same kind but with steel toes) and always wears them at home to work in the yard (and when we got camping, stuff like that.) It's figures that my kids do the same thing...wear boots. This morning, as we took the kindergartener to school, my toddler, in his one piece pajamas, was looking for his own yellow rubber boots to put on in order to go outside to get in the truck.

Friends

We had a social weekend, that's for sure, and it was great! On Friday, we were invited to a friend's house (a couple) for dinner and to hang out. We watched their DVR'd episodes of Wipeout and laughed for a long time! My hubby made spaghetti sauce for half the day and we had salad, garlic bread and spaghetti. Loved the food and company.

So, as long as I was going to have to cook on Saturday, I invited a friend (separated mom) over for dinner. We had this sausage/potato meal. I don't really think she liked it (I lost track of time so I didn't really have anything else to eat/cook.) I asked if she played Spades (card game.) She had on the computer before and I was rusty so we all relearned together. It was a lot of fun and by the time the game ended, I looked up and six hours had passed! I also lost...it was worth it!

And then last night, we invited those friends over from the other night and they brought their adult daughter (and two grandkids over with them.) Hubby cooked navy beans/ham, rice and pork ribs (grill.) They brought cornbread, corn cobs and tea. It was fun watching the kids play and enjoy adult conversation!

After they left, my kindergartener said that he had a good time part of the time but that he didn't because the girl (almost four year old) started to slap him. He didn't want to tell me in front of them and said that he asked her to stop please (and then started to cry.) He had never encountered that before and wasn't sure of his options. So, while I held him as he cried (he was also tired), I discussed what he could do if it ever happened again so that I could tell her to stop and make it all better. I told him that some kids learn bad things and others don't know how to play with other kids so it's important to tell me when it happens so I could fix it then. I think what happened is that the girl was swinging a belt and it hit him in the forehead but I'm not sure. I'll definitely be checking in more often next time. I also suggested he come out, grab my arm and pull me to the hall or less populated area to tell me if he felt uncomfortable in front of someone else (or didn't want to get her in trouble.) Poor thing...considerate, caring, and even using please to ask her to stop but at the same time unaware of what he needed to do in a situation like that. It was a great learning experience though. I'm glad he told me.

Conversations...

We went to a meeting today, or rather, we brought our toddler to an interview. He will be three in a few months and next year, we wanted to put him in a 3 year old program that his brother attended (and still attends as a kindergartener.) They have a 3 and a 5 day program (I just want the 3 day one because I don't want to 'let go' yet...and it's only half a day.) I guess he did ok...I don't know but I'm sure he did.

While waiting with the other parents, I spoke to one mom. At one point, my hubby mentioned that he works offshore and that he is home for 14 days and then gone for 14 days. This was in response to being able to volunteer at the school with our kindergartener. Of course, we joke that appliances decide to break or we get sick while he's at work. Then, the mom mentioned that her husband own a place and works from 5am until 10pm 7 days a week (he was a strength trainer or something like that in a gym, I think.) I felt really sad to think that, while he is a good provider for his family, he isn't there as life passes him by missing the little things that make life good. I wanted to just give her a hug but seeing as she was a complete stranger, lol, I decided to nod, smile (as my southern hospitality manners came out) and say something positive.

I love my husband and his work schedule. Even though we miss a lot while he's gone, we love the time with him when he's home. It's been this way for a really long time (since before we were married) and I still enjoy it. He's gone long enough to miss him and not home long enough to get sick of him...perfect!

Good Daughter Week

I've had a Good Daughter Week, lol! Both my daughters are special to me and each have their own unique qualities. This has been a pretty good week.

A couple days ago, my house looked like a tornado hit it! Toys everywhere!! Clothes in piles unfolded in the hall, dishes in the sink, counters cluttered, I could go on and on. Instead of cleaning after the kids went to bed, I just watched tv. I figured I'd get around to it the next morning. When morning arrived, I woke up to everything clean!!!!!!!!! In the night, my youngest daughter had worked hard in making it all fresh and clean. It was SO nice to wake up and not have to worry/do anything! As she's getting older, she is becoming nicer and maturing. Here's a recent pic of her that I took. Even though she hates close-ups, when she saw her wind in her hair, she liked this one.



Today, as I was driving out to meet a friend for lunch (with my toddler), my older daughter called and wanted to know what I was doing. She had just gotten off of work and her boyfriend was bringing her to their house. Instead, we met at a gas station and I took her along with me to lunch. We all had a great conversation and on the way home, I mentioned how happy she seems (even though she has some stressful situations in the future relating to some poor decisions/court/etc.) She said that she is only focusing on today and that she appreciates life and family more. She mentioned that when she goes to meetings (referring to AA), she says that she relays the story about when wasn't able to come over after we had her little brother. She says she tells them that we (she used my husband in the story) told her that our children are very important to us and due to her behavior, we can't have her around them. She actually used some better wording but that's the point. We cut her off for months when she was using really heavily before she got sober. She says she was really pissed at the time but it really meant a lot. I love that she is in a better place in life. This picture was taken on Christmas at her boyfriend's house (she is showing off her presents like the jacket, hat and her all her bling!)



I'm just stopping to pause. I had a great week with my adult kiddos.

Grocery shopping...

...is something I look forward to doing each week. I usually go to a huge super grocery store and get what I need and then leisurely shop as I get different ingredients for meals or just look at DVDs/books. While I prefer to go alone, I usually end up with the kiddos and I make it fun by giving them certain things to find (which keeps them occupied.) And when I take them, I (and they) need to be in a happy mood, not tired, grumpy, or hungry.

But last week, I needed to go get a few things and although I knew we were all tired, I was hoping it would be painless. I was wrong, lol! I went to a small store this time. Because it was shortly after the Christmas holidays, and the afternoon of a school day, my kindergartener was really tired. It seemed the more I tried to hurry, the longer the trip seemed. And a couple of times, my usually happy kiddo started to whine...ugh!

We finally get to the check-out. And as I begin to take out my groceries, my kindergartener starts to cry. He very rarely will cry. Apparently, I had told him that we'd go check out something he wanted and I had forgotten. I didn't want to leave to go find (whatever it was) and yet was unsure exactly what he was talking about. Each time I asked him why he was crying, he'd say, "I wanted...(unintelligable)" Luckily, after the third or fourth time, an employee walks up and asks if we needed anything. And before I could think, I said "Yes, Can you go get him whatever he wants!" I kept an eye and saw that it was a pack of kool-aid drinks close by but had no idea since I couldn't understand what he was saying. The nice employee brought it to me. The bagger who put our stuff in bags asked if we needed any help to the car and I said, sure!

You'd think that was it...but then, as we were walking out, my toddler dropped his pink now-and-later square of candy. I didn't see that he dropped it. He kept pointing and crying. Since the only thing he had was that candy, I knew what happened. Of course, it was then that someone I didn't know recognized me and started talking to me. I had no idea who the lady was but pretended I knew her and gave her a light hug. I figure that it was a mother or grandmother of a client I used to work with (juvenile parolee.) I said I was glad to see her and pointed to my crying kid and said, smilingly, that I needed to go. As I walked to the car, I looked at the guy accompanying us who made a sound (as in that he couldn't believe the kid was crying!) and I said, Yeah, Birth Control (as in be careful or you'll be in this position too!) I asked my kindergartener to check his pack of candy for another pink one....YES! I gave it to my crying toddler as I put him in his car seat and he was happy.

I tend to get really anxious in situations like this. Looking back, it wasn't a big deal. But in the moment, I wanted to curse for making the decision to go in the first place, lol! By the time all the groceries were in the trunk and we were ready to go home, all was well...

MILs 88th birthday

It seems that in the past several years, we seem to be out of town on her birthday (which was yesterday, January 2nd.) We made sure we made it back into town in order to celebrate it this year. I bought a cake with lots of colors that I knew she'd like. And just in case she forgot what was happening during our little celebration, I had the lady in the bakery write on the top, "Josephine is 88"

We arrived during her dinner and sat and talked with her for a while. I showed her the cake and we all sang "Happy Birthday" to her. She didn't want to wait until she was finished to taste the cake.


And since she doesn't really need anything...or remember that she needs anything, I gave her a manicure as a present. Her nails had been growing out of control and it seemed to be a gift of love.


I took many pictures of her while I was there. I had got a new camera for Christmas by my SIL and was trying it out. So many pictures seemed to show too much (that her nose was running a little that I didn't notice while there or that she had spaghetti sauce on her lips) so I appreciated that the best picture of her smiling was this one. It is the one where I said to smile and show off your hands (that I had just applied clear fingernail polish on.)


I talked to her and reminded her that she was 88, had been born in 1923, and that it was her birthday. I can't stand what Alzheimers does to a person. At one point, I said that I had been in her life almost 30 years and she was just like my mom. She seemed to hear and smiled and said, thank you. I don't know if she understood...but I'd like to think that she did.

Christmas

My kiddo, in his meanest Grinch voice, mutters..."I hate Christmas!" He loved his Grinch mask and Santa costume...big things on his list this year. For the rest of us, we all happy as well! Hope everyone had a great Christmas!!

Christmas Eve

I love this day! We'll be making teacakes (love the dough,) by cutting out shapes with cookie cutters (accumulated over decades,) cooking them and then later frosting them. I have Christmas music playing in the background, scented candles in the other room making everything smell great, and wassail on the stove! The kiddos are excited with anticipation of what the night will bring! We just finished cooking lunch (baby back ribs and potato salad) and invited a couple of friends to stop by to eat or hang out. I'll be wrapping presents during the naptime for the kids and then the countdown begins! Putting reindeer food out in the yard, setting out carrots (for the reindeer) as well as milk and cookies (for Santa) along with hanging stockings before bedtime. I wish this day would go on for days!

Kids making gingerbread house

Dear Santa, Define Good!

Last week, there was a cute sign that I saw in someone's house that said the phrase, "Dear Santa, Define Good!" I thought of that today...my toddler will definitely test that definition this year!

This is what happened when he decided he was thirsty!


And later, this is what he looked like when I mentioned it was nearing naptime. He went and got his pillow and blanket and laid down on the kitchen floor...and smiled!

A dream about a dream

I know where it came from...and I don't often have very very vivid dreams...and wanted to write it down quickly before I forgot. I had only ever had a couple more similar to this...and the last one involved my mother (and I had forgotten it so quickly afterwards.)

This week, my brother mentioned that my dad would have turned 99 this week, had he still been living. (Yeah, I know what you're thinking...I'm not really that old, he continued having children even in his sixties.) So my dad has been on my mind. And this morning, I was really sleepy. I had gone to a party last night (engagement) and then a friend came home with me so I could change a ticket online for her son to return from where he's living (Marines) for Christmas. Needless to say, I was up kinda late, and tired.

This morning, my toddler gets up as usual between 6 and 6:30am. ...sigh. I get him comfortable watching tv when I sneak into bed (I can see him through the door and hall and can hear him as well.) I don't really go back to sleep, I just kinda 'rest.' After about 30 minutes, my kindergartener gets up and comes in to talk to me. I get up and down a few times too. I'm in that state of inbetween being awake and asleep.

But, I have this dream that comes and goes. My dad is in it and he's alive. He's walking around in my house, talking to my kids, and wearing what he usually wore (khaki pants, long sleeved shirt.) He looks and smells real. I am talking to him (he's telling me to get up (stay up) because the kids are throwing candy on the floor...they actually were as I can hear pieces of hard candy being tossed from the bowl, lol!) I am oblivious to the fact that this dream isn't real and it feels like it's real. Just normal conversation is taking place, nothing really stood out. At some point, my brother's comment comes to mind and I realize that he can't actually be in my kitchen AND be 99 years old and then it hits me that it's not really happening...it is a dream, and he is gone again. How dreadfully sad when I really wake up...because it felt like I lost him again. It's then that I realize that there was a difference between the way I *felt* with Dad in my life than now with him gone. And it was so obvious in that dream. I wish he were here...

My daughter's First Car

Well, it's not actually her first car, but her first new car. My nineteen year old daugter was given our old car about a year and half ago (it was very used) as a reward for graduating high school. It was a necessary carrot to assist her with attending and finishing school (for which she had years and years of trouble attending and difficulty learning.) But, in the last year or so, it started nickel-and-diming us.

After a few incidents in the last few weeks with large repair bills, we had considered options. One of her positive attributes is that she has a good work ethic. She's matured a lot in the last year and works hard to pay off her debts. We figured out how much she could afford each month and then added more for maitenance/extras in order to discuss payments. Of course, is's also low enough so that if worse came to worse, we could afford the payments as well (since we assisted with cosigning it thus helping her credit for the future.) I assured her that she would never have this opportunity again for a cosigner and needed to make sure she paid us the money for the note/maitenance each month before it's due. She said she'd pay half each paycheck so it wasn't so much at once which I thought was a good idea as well. So, we spent a day last week choosing the perfect inexpesive new safe vehicle. She's a happy camper now!

She has also been more considerate and nice lately too (which is also good to see.) Not that she hadn't been before, but it's nice to be appreciated. She's been staying with her friend a lot too...and I miss her.

I grabbed this pic from her facebook page that she took of herself with my two younger kiddos. It's one of my recent favorites of her!

Sharing time.

All morning, I have been compliling my new entries to my address book and starting the task of doing Christmas cards. I love sending and receiving them. I will usually make photo cards or add pictures to regular Christmas cards, then wait for this time of year (as the mark of the beginning of the season.) I put on our local radio station that plays Christmas music 24/7 and began the task! Beside me most of the time at the same table was my toddler. After coloring with crayons, he moved on to markers making drawings totally unrecognizable! We had quality time doing our own thing together while singing on occasion to music! By the time we stopped for a break for lunch (and nap), he had lots of color on his hands and face! He's actually trying to grab my camera in this picture. He's still precious though!



BTW, this is the front of our Christmas card. On the inside left are even more pictures but it also included our names and personal information so I'll just post the front.

Thanksgiving, Part 3

And the last of these.

The day after Thanksgiving, we headed back to the campground to camp out for two nights. On the way back, we passed a property with bear heads at the ends of the property. It reminded me of going to see a relative at the 'farm.' When a neighbor there killed a coyote, they hung it up on the fence for all to see. Luckily, we didn't encounter any 'live' bears!!


I loved seeing our GPS on the mountain roads especially when it showed all the curves!


Icicles were everywhere!


We finally got to our campgrounds. It had an overlook on one end. My kindergartener was impressed with the scenery, as was I.




Picture of our tent.


We went on a two mile hike on the Rim Trail (an easy mostly level round the rim of the mountain top.) It was my first 'walk' since I injured my knee(s) two to three months ago. It went fine and without a hitch. Here's a pic of all of us along the way.


I tried not to drink much in the evening so I wouldn't have to 'get up' at night, lol! But, at midnight, I needed to get up anyway. I took a pic of the family sleeping as long as I was up.


We had a great time during this Thanksgiving trip.


...and the kids had a great time too.

Thanksgiving, Part 2

After our stay in the cabin, we took a walk around before packing up to leave. It was super cold! It rained during the night and then started snowing.

Hubby freezing, lol!


And my warm kiddos all bundled up.


I thought it was romantic to sit in front of the fireplace with a warm fire and read. I brought along a chapter book (Sign of the Beaver...about a boy's relationship with an indian friend in the 1800s) and read to my kindergartener.


After packing up, on Thanksgiving, we headed out to find a hotel for the night. A boulder near the road on the way out.


Seeing a icy tree. This seemed very pretty and we stopped in the middle of the road to get a picture. Luckily, we only saw one other vehicle in the next 40+ minutes.


It looked like clouds forming in the mountains as well. So cool! It was 32 degrees (at noon) and got down to 17 at night. For us, this was REALLY cold!


We stopped for gas and lunch. We celebrated our Thanksgiving meal here!


It just wasn't a gas station and cafe. This is my brother and nephew.
You could also shop...


and play pool!


There was a couple who came in. The woman (obviously in dire circumstances) asked the cashier how much the cheapest pack of cigarettes cost. I was in another area but listened. The woman only had $2 and the cigarettes were $4.15. After asking, she was walking around, probably wondering what to do. The store was to close in an hour and there weren't many people out. One man was sitting at a table drinking some coffee. He had his oxygen tank with him and was breathing through the plastic thing under his nose. He started talking with us as he had heard us talking to the cashier about where we had been and where we were going. He had been to White Rock many times, especially as a child. I was wondering what he was doing alone at a cafe at lunch but he mentioned later that his son was supposed to come at 4. I crossed my fingers that his son showed up. In a few minutes, I walked over to the woman and gave her $2.25 and said "Happy Thanksgiving." She was incredibly happy and wished me the same. I figured...even though I'd have preferred not to help her by giving money for cigarettes, it seemed the right thing to do on a day like Thanksgiving.

Our Thanksgiving meal! It was good! It didn't really matter what we ate. We were thankful for all our blessings...and were with family! My brother and nephew (our camping partners) were with us and we were content. All was well.


After we arrived at our hotel, after having driven through snow and little traffic, we went swimming in the pool. Of course, the jacuzzi was MUCH warmer and where I hung out.


More to follow...