Thanksgiving at "Home".

For Thanksgiving this year, Dentist husband and I decided it was time for me to go "home"--Boulder, CO where I was raised for the holiday.  We haven't spent a Thanksgiving there since Dentist Husband was in dental school and it has been three years since we as a family have been there.  After this visit, we all realized that it had been way too long.  Boulder is too great of a city to not visit often.  My DNA recognizes it as home and thankfully, my parents still live there in the house I was raised in.  (FYI:  I see my parents about 3 times a year, but for various reasons, it hasn't been in CO in recent years.)  

Here we are on Pearl Street--a famous outdoor walking mall.  

Toothsome #1 in front of the house I was raised in.  My parents still live there.  

The tire swing in the back yard.  I was lucky enough to be raised with a beautiful very private backyard. Growing up I spent hours on this tire swing.  So fun to see my kids doing the same.  

Silly picture taken in the front room of my house.

Me with my parents.  I am the youngest and closet sibling to me is 4 1/2 years older.  I spent a lot of "alone" time with them growing up.  I love and adore them.  

Toothsome #2 with her name sakes.  Her first name is my mom's and her middle name is my Dad's.  

While on Pearl Street, my husband saw this University of Colorado shirt on a mannequin and spontaneously purchased it for me.  The University of Colorado is in Boulder, CO and I was raised watching their games.  They even were National Champions in football my senior year in high school.   Go Buffs!    

Sometimes . . .

I buy my husband's favorite brand of deodorant when I find it for a really good price on sale.  And sometimes, I forget I found it for a really good price on sale a few months before and we now have approx. 30 Arrid XX original scent deodorants in my linen closet.  Deodorant doesn't go bad does it?  

(And, before someone comments on it, I know having six Secret deodorants is a little excessive too but they were also a really good price.) 

Peanut Butter Fudge

3/4 cup butter
3 cups sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
12 ounce package of peanut butter chips 
or 
6 ounce peanut butter chips and 6 ounce semi sweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla
7 ounce jar of marshmallow cream
1/2 cup chopped peanuts

In a glass bowl, melt 3/4 cup butter on high until melted.  Add sugar and evaporated milk.  Mix it up and then microwave on high for 5 minutes or until it starts to boil.  (Stir it mid way and scrap edges so it doesn't turn sugary.)  Microwave again another 5 and 1/2 minutes, stirring mid-way through.  Add peanut butter chips or the 1/2 chocolate chip/1/2 peanut butter option (they are both excellent).  Add vanilla, marshmallow cream and chopped peanuts.  Pour into a buttered 9x13 pan.  Cool and eat.  (Makes 3 pounds of candy)

Things that Make Me Happy Recently

A party I started 11 years ago, because I was home sick and wanted people come to come to my house, is still going strong.  

My independent 6 year old, carved his own pumpkin this year.  No help.  It was very free form and my favorite of the whole night.  

My girls in matching Hannah Andersson dresses.  

No picture, but the fact that my 11 year old son can pogo stick around the block (1/2 mile) without stopping.  

No picture, but the fact that Christmas shopping is almost done.  

No picture, but that I finished "A Pilgrim at Tinker Creek" by Annie Dillard.  It was a dense read but a perfect "fall" read.  It won the Pulitzer prize years ago.  Not a book I recommend to many because it was very dense and some of her conclusions didn't completely mesh with me but it was a challenging read and good one for me at the moment.  

I'll blog more consistently, I promise, maybe.

Toothsome #3

One can never be too safe, when watching TV on a Saturday morning. 

(I don't know why he has the French game "Boules" hanging off his toes.) 

Why I love Marco Rubio.

The 2-5 minute mark is especially moving. Please watch.

Candy Buy Back

My husband sponsored his annual Candy Buy Back again this year.  If you have forgotten what that is, my husband buys children's Halloween candy from them for $1 a pound and the candy is sent overseas to the soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.  We got over 100 pounds more than we did last year adding up to over 500 pounds!  It was a huge success and I want to thank all of you who participated.  This year, we heard many heart-warming stories from soldiers who use this candy to help in the war effort.  One in particular told us a great story about daily giving some local children American candy and they in turn informed him about hot spots the soldiers should avoid.  It is amazing what American candy can do from lifting moral to saving lives.  We were so lucky to be a little part of that again this year.  

Ignore the time stamp.  These were taken this afternoon. :)

A whole (clean) trash can full of candy.  (We ran out of boxes!) 

Some of the kids who donated, my husband and Sergeant Wilson.