Party of Five

We are heading up to mom & dad D.'s house for our feast on Thursday. Every year, it's brought up - "Who's having Thanksgiving & Christmas at their house this year?" Every year, I'm up for hosting Christmas...but Thanksgiving, I don't even try. You have to understand my mother-in-law is quite possibly the queen of all Thanksgiving dinners. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberries, pumpkin pie (real pumpkin too!) - which I don't partake of, as I never was a big pumpkin pie fan...but still, we're talking as traditional of a Turkey Day dinner as one can possibly get, and it's wet your lips-sit back from the table and pop that button on your pants-good. She tried showing me how to do it...once. I gave up when I realized that her stuffing wasn't of the "Stove Top" variety, but that you actually had to do things with those extra parts that come with the turkey. Now I just eat, and don't think about it. Oh, and sh...

I received notice today that Google Images has now digitized photos from LIFE magazine. Most people are probably thinking...big whoop. But in my family, this is an exciting thing. A little history first - my mother grew up in northwest Ohio where, in September of1950, a Polio epidemic had broken out. Well, LIFE magazine was all over this story and wouldn't you know - she got her picture taken with two of her brothers and it was enshrined forever within the pages of the October 23rd 1950 issue of the publication. Now aren't these three just the cutest kids? The caption for this photo read: Doctor takes blood from Danny Parish, 4, as sister in nurse's arms and brother watch. So, in my family - my mother's 10 minutes of fame was in 1950 in the pages of LIFE magazine...which by the way, a copy of the magazine is kept under lock and key within the Paulding County Library should you ever venture out that way and would like to take a look.

I know this one experienced mom who really does seem like the perfect homemaker. (To my own mother, sorry, this isn't about you) I admire her, I really do - and I actually do dream of being the June Cleaver or Annie Camden type of mother. You know, the ones who can keep a clean house, laundry done, and have a wonderful home-cooked meal on the table for her family every night. At this, I am failing. My laundry is piled up...again. My kids ate at McDonald's for dinner...again. I can't tell you the last time I cleaned my bathroom - I think the health inspector will be showing up any day now. I have put my kids to bed for the night, and if I were a good wife and mother, I would be folding another load of laundry before going to bed tonight. Strike that. I would also do the sink full of dishes that have been sitting there for two days. But I won't. I hate dishes, and I'm too tired to go to the basement to mess with the laundry. So tomorrow will come, and the dis...