Thursday 13- Thanksgiving Style!

First of all, a birthday shout out to my favorite lefty on the Texas Rangers, C.J. Wilson. Welcome to the 30 and over club C.J.!! :)

 

 

For my Thursday 13 this week (no, it won't be baseball related, I promise), I thought I would list 13 Thanksgiving Day/weekend traditions in my family.

1. We watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade on TV. Although the past few years my dad is usually complaining that we see more of the hosts and "special guests" than the actual parade (which I totally agree with). Are you listening network television?? Show the parade, not the stupid hosts. I want to see the floats and balloons! SHOW ME SNOOPY! SHOW ME MICKEY MOUSE! SHOW ME KERMIT THE FROG! SHOW ME SANTA! Oh, sorry. Needless to say, we spend a lot of time going back and forth between channels trying to find the best one to watch. Last year I believe CBS did the best job of showing the actual parade.

2. Along with the gravy, dressing, turkey, ham, cranberry sauce and other "normal" Thanksgiving meal items, there is always a bottle of ketchup passed around the table. (Or in my family's case, the room. There are too many of us to fit around one table.) Oh, I'm very serious about the ketchup. I don't know how that got started. I know I don't like gravy and when I was little the only way I would eat the turkey is if I had ketchup (have I mentioned I'm a picky eater?) I know that some of my nieces and nephews have picked up on my ketchup tradition. I'm such a good influence! :)

 

The picture is two years old, but that is me with ketchup on my plate at Thanksgiving. My nephew Peter is in the background (I believe he is another ketchup fan).

3. You get one cup and your name is written on it. Since I have such a big family, we are big fans of plastic cups and paper plates at Thanksgiving (see above picture). It means less dishes for the clean up crew (which I'm on since I don't cook). All cups have a name written on it at the beginning of the meal. That is your cup for the day. Don't lose it. 

4. We line up to eat by age, from oldest to youngest.  Again, with such a big family, you have to have some order (also, most people want to get to the food before my teenage nephews have their shot). It's best to beat my nephew Jacob (age 15) to the rolls, he ate about 8 last year!

5. There will be a group of us in front of a TV watching the Cowboys game that afternoon. Even though this year the Cowboys are not doing so well (at Thanksgiving their record will either be 2-8 or 3-7). But trust me, there will be a group watching the game.

 

Me with my brother and a few of my nephews watching football last Thanksgiving.

6. My mother will demand copies of all the pictures that are taken. And now that they have a video camera, she'll demand that my dad video tape it. If you don't like pictures, it's best you don't spend the holidays with my family. There are 36 people in my immediate family and LOTS of cameras. That's NOT counting any aunts/uncles/cousins, etc. Oh, I'm very serious. The tally right now is: 5 siblings, 4 in-laws, 20 nieces and nephews and 4 great-nephews (plus me and my folks). Now you know what I'm not married. What guy in his right mind would want to marry into that crazy circus? (but I love my big, crazy family!!) :) 

7.  A football game will be played outside between my nephews (and a brave niece or two). It doesn't matter if it's sunny and 85 degrees or rainy and 40 degrees, they will be outside playing. I throw like a girl so I just take pictures from the sidelines. I only play European football (that is soccer to all you non sports savvy folks!) ;)

 

Some of my nephews playing football last year at Thanksgiving.

8. We go around and tell each other what we are thankful for (yes, it's very "Walton's Mountain-ish". What can I say? My family is one commercial break away from being a Hallmark movie). If there is a video camera, that is the one thing that you know will be recorded. The best one from many years ago (that we still talk about today), is when one of my nieces said she was thankful her feet weren't naked.  But since she has a Texas accent it sounded like "I'm thankful my feet rn't nek-id". She was maybe 3 or 4 when she said that. She's 21 now. Oh yes, we still tease her about that one! ;)

9. The Texas Longhorn/Texas A&M Aggie football game will be watched. My oldest sister Martha went to Texas A&M. I think it's the only football game she watches all year (I got most of the "sports watching gene" in the family for the girls). After the game, the annual "bragging phone call" between my sister and our nephew Peter takes place. For some reason Peter is a big Longhorns fan (not sure why, his parents didn't go there). If Texas wins, he calls and brags to my sister. If the Aggies manage a win, Martha will call and brag to Peter. 

10. The Christmas decorating begins. Before the food has time to settle in our stomachs, my mother will start talking about how we need to get the Christmas decorations out. Last year my parents got their Christmas tree Thanksgiving weekend so I could help decorate it. The past few years they weren't able to get it until the first part of December. 

11. The Christmas music playing begins. Either Thanksgiving night or the next day, my mother has my father's blessings to start playing her Christmas music.

12. My sister Martha and I watch It's A Wonderful Life together at some point during the weekend. We always watch it for the first time of the "holiday season" with each other. Yes, we can quote it word for word. If the Texas weather cooperates and it's actually "cold" outside (cold to us Texans is anything below 60 degrees), we'll drink hot chocolate while watching it! If our sister Mary is still at our parents' house, she will watch it with us (Martha lives next door to our folks).

 

Me and my sisters last year at the holidays. They put me on the bottom step so they look taller! :) Oh yes, even a whole step lower, I'm still almost as tall as Mary!

 

13. My mother will start taking a head count of who will be there for Christmas. Usually Thanksgiving is the holiday where we all try and get together. For Christmas we are more scattered about. I think it's funny that my mom always ask me if I will be there for Christmas. I'm like, where else would I go? I really hope my future husband is understanding of my mother and her need for me to be around her at the holidays! :)

Back to Work and Blog Journal Day 7

Hope everyone had a great Labor Day! I really hope you were able to enjoy a three day weekend! What is it about having a Monday off work that makes Tuesday 10 times worse? I wasn't feeling all that great yesterday, so I took a Nyquil last night. I have been suffering from a "Nyquil hangover" all day. Plus it's rainy and dreary outside, which makes me want to go home and go back to bed! Blah!

Since I wasn't feeling good yesterday, I pretty much stayed in bed all day and watched Brendan Fraser movies. (When I first typed this I had put that I was in bed all day and was kept company by Brendan Fraser- and realized that sounded REALLY bad. Good thing I re-read before I hit "publish post"). :) I forgot how much I like his movies. He's my favorite "goofy" actor (you know, he really does do a lot of silly roles). Well, with the exception of a few movies here and there. Yesterday I watched School Ties, Airheads and Mrs. Winterbourne. School Ties is actually one of his more serious roles. I forgot Matt Damon, Chris O'Donnell and Ben Affleck were in it. They all looked so young- and so cute! ;) I had a teenage girl **sigh** moment! It had been YEARS since I saw that movie.

 

I then watched Airheads. Yeah, one of his more "sillier" roles. But it was still funny!! I'm usually not a big fan of Adam Sandler, but I like this movie.

I finished up the marathon with Mrs. Winterbourne. 

 

Ricki Lake's performance in that movie bothered me when it came out, and it still bothers me today. I don't know why. I messaged my best friend on Facebook about watching it. When we saw it in 1996 we thought the baby was so cute (which he was). I told her I realized that the baby is now like 14 years old. Gosh, I feel old!! :)

I hadn't really planned to have a Brendan marathon, but in an attempt to delete stuff from my DVR, I ended up watching three movies of his that I had recorded. I still have two more left (Inkheart and Journey to the Center of the Earth). Maybe I'll watch those this weekend!

 

Day 7: A photo that makes you happy

I spent the weekend at my parents house, so I was able to visit with my little great-nephews that live next door to them. I couldn't find one picture of them together, so I'm posting two. These little munchkins make me smile!! :)

"C" showing off his new shades!

"E" having fun in the sandbox!

I Love Long Weekends And Blog Journal Day 3!

Sorry I'm late in the day posting this. I'm at my parents' house for the weekend and I had to take my mom to the doctor earlier today (some of you might remember she had shoulder surgery last week). She is doing good, the doctor took out her staples. She is still in a little pain, but the doctor gave her pain medicine and said she should start feeling better soon!

Welcome to any new visitors stopping by today!! Hope you enjoy your stay. :)

It's Five Question Friday time!

1. What do you do when you have time to yourself?

I usually find myself reading when I get free time. I love reading!! :)

2. When you look out your kitchen window, what do you see?

I don't have a window in my kitchen, it's kinda in the middle of my apartment. But I can see the balcony doors from my kitchen. When I look out of that I see the empty field across the street from my apartment complex!

3. Who/What would you want to be reincarnated as?

It's not something I believe in, so I haven't given it any thought. I think one time on this earth is enough for me, looking forward to heaven and not having to worry about all the "earthly" problems!! :)

4. What is your biggest pet peeve about other people's kids?

I don't have kids, so I don't know if I'm allowed to answer this. But I'm going to go with rudeness. I see so many kids talking back to their parents in public. If I had "sassed" my parents growing up (whether in public or at home), I would have been knocked into the next week. It's like some parents forget who is the child and who is the grown up in the relationship. If your kid talks to you that way, how do they talk to other adults? Teachers? How will they talk to their future bosses? But that is just my two cents! Take it or leave it! :)

5. Regular or Diet soda?

Regular all the way! Or as my mother calls it, "the hard stuff". I figure if I'm ordering a hamburger and fries, a diet soda isn't really going to make the meal any healthier!! ;)

 

On the way home from the doctor's office, my mom wanted to stop at the store to pick up some Dr Pepper for the weekend. This is what we ended up with. I hope it's enough (oh yes, she is the source of my Dr Pepper addiction!) :)

Day 3: Favorite television program:

This is another one where I can't just pick one. I seem to be addicted to crime shows. But there are a few comedies that I watch as well! :)


CSI




CSI: Miami

 


CSI: NY



Criminal Minds





The Big Bang Theory



Psych


 

Have a great weekend y'all!! :)

My long weekend

I had a niece and nephew stay with me part of the weekend. After sitting in a two and a half rain delay at The Ballpark on Friday night, we finally got to see some baseball. And a fireworks show afterwards (which started at 1 a.m.) Can't say I've ever been at the Ballpark that late before! Saturday we went to visit another niece of mine that lives in the DFW area. She just got engaged  a few months ago (congrats Naomi!!) So we got to see her and meet her fiance. (Again, for newcomers to the blog, I have nieces and nephews close to my age.) :) So for today, I wanted to post some pictures of "The Weekend With Aunt Rachel". 

 

My niece Katie at The Ballpark

 

Waiting out the rain delay

My nephew Jonathan being silly!

 

The greatest aunt ever!! ;)

 

The late night fireworks show!

 

Me and my niece Naomi

 

A cousin reunion. They hadn't seen each other in almost 4 years!

 

Naomi and her fiance Bryson!

Let the long weekend begin!

I can't tell you how excited I am to have a four day weekend. I started it today by sleeping in this morning. I think I finally caught up on all the sleep I missed LAST week! :)

It's Five Question Friday time! In case I don't get to post again before then, I hope everyone has a WONDERFUL and SAFE Fourth of July weekend!!

1. What is one thing you miss the most about childhood?

I miss the "carefree lifestyle" that kids had back when I was younger (oh yes, the whole 'back when I was your age" speech). I miss the days when I could walk to my best friend's house and we would hang out all day (she now lives 4 hours away, we only see each other a few times a year). I miss the days when my biggest worry was if I was going to be able to find a ride to the swimming pool or library (oh yes, my nerdom strikes again!) I miss not having to worry about money or responsibilities.

2. Are you still friends with your friends from high school?
I'm still friends with some of them. With the invention of Facebook, I'm in touch with more people from high school than I probably would have been if there weren't social networking websites.

3. Is there a catch phrase, cliche, or word that just drives you bonkers every time you hear it?

I dated a guy that would always say, "It is what it is." That phrase drives me insane! 

4. What is the one thing that you think symbolizes America...besides Old Glory?

I would say Freedom.

5. What are your 4th of July plans?

I have a niece and nephew coming into town today. We are going to a Rangers game  tonight (I know, imagine that), and we are going to see the new Twilight movie Eclipse (yes, I saw it last night, but they want to see it, so I'm going again. I'm an awesome aunt!) My review of the movie will be posted next week! Tomorrow night I have plans to go out with friends then on the actual 4th of July I am going to two different 4th of July parties. I have Monday off work and I plan to do nothing all day except watch movies! :)

Have a great weekend everyone!!

:)

Wednesday Ramblings...

So, did you watch LOST last night??? O....M....G.... Okay, if you don't watch the show, bear with me. Just two episodes left until the series finale. I cannot wait to see how they tie all of this together. Does anyone else have questions?? I have LOTS OF questions. :)  

Two of my favorite characters, Jack and Sawyer

So, since I'm talking about LOST, I had to post these videos from YouTube. Turns out that C.J. Wilson of the Texas Rangers is a big fan of LOST as well. He got to meet with the executive producers a while back and ask them some questions about the show.  **SPOILER ALERT**: If you watch LOST and are not caught up this season, OR if you ever plan to watch LOST on DVD, you might want to watch these videos with caution. There are some spoilers from season 6 as well as previous seasons in here. If you are all caught up on LOST, or just don't care for it, you should be good to watch!

Part 1:


Part 2:


Part 3:

Oh, a follow up to my apartment complex situation (for more info on that, see my post from last week here.) Yesterday as I was leaving for work, my apartment complex manager was out there again. He said he was trying to find a way to keep the sidewalk from flooding while the sprinklers were on. My suggestion would be to run the sprinklers about 4am or 5am, that way they aren't going when I'm leaving at 7am. But oh well, it was nice to see he was trying to figure out a solution to the problem. Again, I tell you, the man fears me!!

In closing, I wanted to wish everyone a Happy Cinco de Mayo!

A friend of mine posted the picture below on her Facebook page with the caption, "Happy Cinco de Mayo". It made me laugh! Happy Wednesday friends!!

  

HAPPY 2010!!

As the final hours of 2009 wind down, it's hard to believe it's about to be 2010. It seems like only yesterday the world was worrying about Y2K as we prepared for the year 2000. We were literally "partying like it was 1999" (yay, how long has it been since you heard THAT song!!)

Like most people, a lot has changed in my life. I've been through many, many good times, and some sad times.

In the past 10 years:
-I graduated college (in fact, my 10 year reunion is coming up next year- meaning 2010, it's still 2009 as I write this)
-I've lived in 4 different towns/cities
-I changed my hair color and style more times than I can count (although I'm proud to say I haven't dyed my hair in almost 5 years!) : )
-I mourned the loss of three close family members (R.I.P. Jack, grandma, and Uncle Claude)
-I made some wonderful new friends
-I lost touch with some wonderful old friends
-I reconnected with a few wonderful old friends
-I held 5 different jobs
-I became a great-aunt for the first time (and second, third and fourth time)
-I cried and prayed with the rest of America on 9-11-01
-I paid off my first car (meaning I bought it and made every payment all by myself).
-I went to the State Fair of Texas for the first time
-I went to New York City for the first time (flying all by myself).
-I attended my first NBA, NFL and NHL game. (if you know me, you aren't surprised I'm mentioning sports!)

These are just some of many memories. There isn't enough space here to list them all, thanks for letting me share a few.

Now, a look bad at the good, the bad and the ugly of the past 10 years (and I'm talking about my hair!) :)

   

 Oh yes, my hair was THAT blonde!

The best aunt in the world taking her nephew to a Cowboys game!

Breakfast at Tiffany's in New York City

Going to see the Statue of Liberty

If you are a Yankees fan, it's best you NOT read my sign (and also I'll be praying for you!) : )

We love the Rangers, regardless of the weather!

Chillaxing with new friends!

It's hockey time in Texas!

Some of my oldest and bestest friends, still putting up with me after all this time!

Happy 2010, God bless you all!!