Giving Thanks

Here are some fun things we did this year as we gave thanks. We made Turkey Cookies! Are they not cute? My daughter and my mom created the look-a-like stockings from the Christmas Swag we found in the country at the cutest shop ever! My daughter drew and painted the stockings from our photos. Pretty clever if I say so myself. We had Thanksgiving dinner at my mom and dad's house. As usual, the house looked wonderful. Everything was delicious, and we all had a great time. We all miss my sister and her family, but they will be here for Christmas which is just around the corner! The countdown is on, Santa.

I am truly giving thanks to God for all of our blessings. We are truly blessed.

Porto's

So, my son had a happy birthday! I found these pics on my daughter's camera when I was posting the farm pictures. I just wanted to add a few in honor of the best 13 year old boy a mom could wish for.

I'm so thankful for all three of my kids. They are truly AWESOME. They inspire me and lift me up each and every day. Since Thanksgiving is almost here, I'd like to say how thankful I am for such a wonderful and loving family.

My oldest is an "almost" junior at SMU. He is a computer science engineering major. My daughter can do anything! She is a senior in high school. And my youngest, the baby thirteen year old, is just too cool for words.

But I have to talk about Porto's. My sister brought this cake to us all the way from Burbank because she LOVES Porto's so much. The cake made the trip in an ice chest. The cake only had to travel to Sedona, AZ and not all the way to Texas, so it was not so long a trip for the delectable treat to travel. Anyway, last week at my nephew's fund raiser in Burbank they were auctioning off a trip to Porto's and lunch for 6. So, Uncle Archie bid on it and won! Off they went to Porto's for the behind the scenes tour of how all of the yummy food and cakes are made. The Porto's daughter who helps runs things told all about the family and how they came to America from Cuba to start this bakery. It was very interesting according to my sister. She said it was like being on an episode of "Unwrapped" which is one of our favorite food network shows. I'm JEAL-OUS! Ha.

Hence, the photos of Alex and his awesome cake. Here's to Porto's!

DVD Release!

Yes! The Clique is finally released! We had a watch party at my Mom's house that was super-fun! Ellen called in to say "hi" on the way to her DVD signing at Border's Book Store in Los Angeles. It was so much fun to talk to her while she was riding in the limo on the way to launch her very own DVD!

And my Mom, of course, had everything fixed up at her house for a perfect party. There was a marquee out in the yard, custom plates, movie candy galore, popcorn boxes, and iced-down drinks for all. We watched, we screamed, we cried, we laughed (the movie is funny) and we had to say how GREAT Ellen is in the movie!!!!! She really is ah-mazing as Claire.

The photos above are from the DVD/book signing!

We can't wait for the next two Clique movies! We'll be watching you, Ellen!

Fa---arm Livin' Is The Life For Me

So . . . I love Green Acres. The TV show. You know, "land spreadin' out so far and wide, keep Manhattan, just give me that countryside." Mr. Douglas, Arnold the pig and all the folks down at Petticoat Junction are real to me! They are all friends in my head.

We went to "the farm" this weekend with my family and my parents. Not exactly Hooterville, but pretty close! The farm is some land where my Dad farms trees, day lilies, hollies, cows, chickens, and keeps a dog named "Hobo." We rode around in the golf cart! Too much fun. My daughter drove the skid steer and loaded a pretty big live oak tree that is to be delivered to the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. She is a darn good skid steer driver! She learned how to drive it when she was in the fourth grade! She is a senior in high school now! We traipsed off into the woods gathering grapevines, not to smoke, but to form into a cute Christmas swag. We wanted to copy a design we saw "in town." More on that later. Also, there was a beaver dam and some shootin' going on. The neighbors were mad because we were shooting a 22 and a b b gun and scaring away the deer and the hogs that he was a-huntin'. We did not see the beavers this trip, but we saw the trees that they gnawed off. Here is the joke of the week put out there by my daughter who was making fun of us for gathering berries, sticks and grapevine for decorations:

Hey, why don't ya'll take that beaver-gnawed off tree stump home with you for some decorations; then you can say you had a DAM good Christmas!!!!

Hardy, Har, Har!!

The center photo above is the wreath that my 13 year old son and my mom put together with the berries and sweet gum balls we found in the woods and in the yard at the house.

So my Mom and I went shopping in the country. We fell in love with the cutest shop ever. Of course, we were dressed in our yuckiest farm clothes and we were just planning on scoping out the town to see what was there. Then we were literally LURED in by the decorations on the front door of this cutest shop ever! We studied the design of the Christmas swag and then HAD to go in the store. My mom found some very cute CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT IT stuff, and I found a Brighton handbag that I put on my Christmas wish list. I really hope I get it, Santa!

Did I say that I love small towns? I do! I fell in love with the town.

My Mom cleaned up the farm house, which belonged to Granny and Pappa Biggs. The little house is all cute and tidy. My Mom is an awesome decorator and maid. She found some junk in the storeroom that she painted and stained and turned into cute stuff. We worked a puzzle, played a game, watched football, cooked and ate like there was no tomorrow! The kids explored in the woods, fed the cows, and played with Hobo, the dog.

Such fun!

I like the farm. However, I do get allergic smelling hay, dah-ling! We all came home with the sniffles and sneezes. Oh, well. It was worth it!

The Clique

Here is my niece, Ellen Marlow, at the Build-A -Bear event helping to raise money for Ronald McDonald Houses. Her DVD comes out THIS TUESDAY! She plays Claire Lyons in The Clique! I can't wait to run out and buy it on Tuesday afternoon. I'm so excited to finally see the movie!

Don't you love Ellen's purple jacket? I know I do!

Turbo-Charged Pepper Grinder!

I want one! Nigella has one, so why shouldn't I?

Just one more thing on the list of stuff I don't need, but think is super-cool.

Here is just a portion of my list:

A new house, only old. A cottage-style bungalow.
A plasma TV. A big, giant one.
A maid. A good one.
A coffee shop. My own coffee shop.
A building. To put my coffee shop in. I can also house my Etiquette School in my building.
A town. A quaint one. Like Stars Hollow.
A palates machine. To hang my sweaters on to dry.
Italian shoes. To wear around nonchalantly.
An outdoor kitchen. The reasons are obvious.

Hey look! I've started dreaming again. For real! Signs that my life is not as depressing as it was about three months ago. This is a good sign. Believe me! A Texas Shamrock just appeared, and I am so very, very happy! :) :) :)

I hope It Is Interesting

OK -- Here it is. I'm considering attending a training to get certified in etiquette lessons so I can open up an "etiquette school" one day. I got the information, and it really sounds pretty good. I'm still considering everything, though. There are many reasons it would be great, and many reasons it would not be the best thing to do t this time. As I have learned, timing is everything.

I'll need some family support, some time and money (who doesn't need that?) and the gumption to get it going. I call that the burning desire to accomplish something. To be honest, I don't have that yet.

So for now the Etiquette School (to be named at a later date) is on the back-burner cooking on low. It is simmering slowly getting either richer, deeper and better; or it is going to boil away to nothingness one day, depending on how much I check on it and add to it.

I'm still a little excited about the possibilities! I just need to give it some time.

As my dad always says, "it'll be interesting to see how it all turns out."